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Phodega – Viet swag in Wicker Park

Phodega – Viet swag in Wicker Park
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  • Phodega – Viet swag in Wicker Park

    Post #1 - September 19th, 2023, 11:06 am
    Post #1 - September 19th, 2023, 11:06 am Post #1 - September 19th, 2023, 11:06 am
    Phodega seems to have its fans, but also feels a bit under the radar, with no dedicated thread. Unbeknownst to me, they moved from their original Ashland location to a larger storefront with a glorious patio on Division this summer (and closed a second Pilsen outpost I was also unaware of.)

    They’re among a class of spots opened by a younger generation of Asian-American chefs in the late 2010's, who went on to weather the pandemic and emerge as some of the best places to eat in town including Hermosa, Kasama, and Lao Peng You (love that 3/4 of these make a trifecta of amazing options in my hood.) These joints, while each with singular identities, have overlapping sensibilities – reverence for their culinary traditions, high quality ingredients, refined technique, and also a fluency in contemporary urban vernacular. 

    Phodega has that urban vernacular down – while bodegas aren't exactly a Chicago thing, the informality of the convenience store aesthetic (complete with Asian chips and candy on the racks) is a perfect vibe + they make deliberate nods to Chicago street food culture with the pizza puffs and hand painted signs. 

    I hadn't been since the beforetimes and their menu has expanded beyond a tight set of pho, chicken rice plates, and fried snacks to include banh mi inspired sandwiches. There's a Hawaiian moco style smash burger too (as well as other nods to Pacific rim cuisines like Korean mandoo and Hainanese chicken.)

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    I was drawn back to the shop by a top ten Italian beef round up posted by Jimbo Dreams of Beef on Instagram. Phodega's Viet Dip made his number 9 and was the most unorthodox entry on the list. This sandwich is glorious and eats remarkably like an Italian beef (moreso than Kasama's combo, which I also dig.) Great crunchy bread, an ample fistful of tender, shaved ribeye. The heavy presence of jalapeno in the banh mi garnish hits that vegetal spice of the fresh cut style of giardiniera (a la my hometown fave, Pop's.) The sidecar of pho broth is where things get really interesting – it's a delicious version with just the right hint of sweetness. The sweet spices are there, though it maybe missed the opportunity to hit an Al's note. It got me thinking that more Italian beefs should be served with a side of jus.

    I really look forward to re-exploring the rest of the menu. I was coveting all the bowls and plates I saw landing at other tables. In my earlier visits, I perhaps groused at portion size vs. value, though in these past three world-upending years, I've been better enlightened to the true cost of service industry labor, profit margins, and the marginalizing effect of expecting non-Western food to be cheap. We are truly blessed to have spots like Phodega turning out hip, thoughtful, and high quality takes on Asian classics.   

    Phodega
    1924 W Division St, Chicago, IL 60622
    https://phodega.com/
    Last edited by Jefe on September 19th, 2023, 6:12 pm, edited 1 time in total.
  • Post #2 - September 19th, 2023, 2:04 pm
    Post #2 - September 19th, 2023, 2:04 pm Post #2 - September 19th, 2023, 2:04 pm
    Damn! You're not the first person to have mentioned this (in my limited world) but now, it's gonna stick. Not too far from my son's place, either. Can't wait to check it out. Thanks!

    =R=
    Same planet, different world
  • Post #3 - September 19th, 2023, 3:09 pm
    Post #3 - September 19th, 2023, 3:09 pm Post #3 - September 19th, 2023, 3:09 pm
    Jefe, I thought your hood was the far western suburbs? Big upgrade foodwise if you recently moved.
  • Post #4 - September 19th, 2023, 6:41 pm
    Post #4 - September 19th, 2023, 6:41 pm Post #4 - September 19th, 2023, 6:41 pm
    bweiny wrote:Jefe, I thought your hood was the far western suburbs? Big upgrade foodwise if you recently moved.


    I run a business in Noble Square (and lived in the building for 8 years) so I still consider it my hood.

    And this is the hill I'm choosing to die on, but hey, eating in the suburbs is awesome! You won't find the density of good places to eat, nor fine dining trends, nor culinary school- trained hipsters, but I'd argue the diversity of cuisines is catching up to the city, if not there already.
  • Post #5 - September 20th, 2023, 9:08 am
    Post #5 - September 20th, 2023, 9:08 am Post #5 - September 20th, 2023, 9:08 am
    Living on the Southside, we were fond of the short-lived Pilsen location. Was very popular with our small kiddos, who loved the noodles and chicken rice. I always indulged in the beef and fried chicken skins, and yes, the dip definitely sets it a step up. Have not been to the new Wicker location, but I sense a trip in the near future.
  • Post #6 - December 12th, 2023, 9:34 pm
    Post #6 - December 12th, 2023, 9:34 pm Post #6 - December 12th, 2023, 9:34 pm
    First visit and definitely not the last, especially since I didn't get to try the Viet Dip. But what I did have ranged from good to stellar.

    ImagePhodega Fries: ribeye, cilantro, onion, jalapeños, and gravy over seasoned fries

    Holy hell was this a magnificent bowl of food. So much flavor and the crispy fries held up to the liquid. If the Viet Dip is actually better than this, I might have to move to Wicker Park.

    ImageVietnamese style eggrolls were good but not particularly noteworthy. Not sure I need to order them again, but I'd certainly eat them if they were in front of me.

    ImageSalt & Pepper Chicken Skins. Chicken skin, perfectly fried, seasoned with salt and pepper. These I will get again. And again.

    ImagePho Loco Cheeseburger: smash patties, American cheese, onions, a sunny-side up egg, and pho gravy on a sweet Chinese bun. This was a very good burger but something seemed off. I think it's the pool of gravy that was out of place. If I were to get it again, I'd ask for the gravy on the side to dip it.

    I may have made it up but I was under the impression they were BYOB. Turns out they sell beer, which is a good thing because all of this food screams for beer.
  • Post #7 - December 15th, 2023, 1:51 pm
    Post #7 - December 15th, 2023, 1:51 pm Post #7 - December 15th, 2023, 1:51 pm
    Currently enjoying a bowl of Phodega fries pictured above. It's a beautiful bowl of foodstuffs. I imagine this is a Vietnamese interpretation of poutine.

    My only regret (and I don’t really have one) is that I didn't have an edible beforehand because this is the ultimate stoner food!
  • Post #8 - February 16th, 2024, 11:39 am
    Post #8 - February 16th, 2024, 11:39 am Post #8 - February 16th, 2024, 11:39 am
    Met a friend and had some really nice stuff over at Phodega . . .

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    Phodega - 1924 W Division St, Chicago
    Figured that it might be helpful for those who've not been there to see what it looks like from the outside. When you see the waving kitty, pull over!! :lol:

    Image
    Interior
    Before my visit, I had trouble finding interior shots of the space that showed how much seating there was. Did my best to capture it here. It addition to the tables along the wall, there were 4 2-tops along the window from where I was shooting. There's also quite a bit of outdoor seating but that's not really in play during this February moment in time.

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    Eggrolls
    2 with shrimp on the outside, 2 with pork in the middle. Loved these crispy, fried-to-order treats. As you can surmise from their taper -- and the tail sticking out -- the shrimp were comprised of whole shrimp, with some other components, inside their wrappers. That was really nice.

    Image
    Salt & Pepper Chicken Skins
    These were great. Crispy and light but with a tiny bit of moist chew. Loved the orange hot sauce that was served with them, too.

    Image
    Dumplings
    We chose spicy pork as the filling on these (beef or veg also available). It was nicely spicy and these were pretty darned good.

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    The Viet Dip | ribeye, aioli, cilantro, onions, jalapenos and pho jus dip
    Really loved this signature sandwich. We were torn between ordering this and the Phodega Fries. The person who took our order assured us that the two takes were similar enough that we only needed to order one of them. He advised that the VD + plus a standard order of fries was the way to go. That gave us the best of both worlds, as there was plenty of jus for dipping our sandwich and the fries.

    Image
    Pork Belly Banh Mi | pork belly, aioli, house slaw, cucumber, jalapenos and cilantro
    This one didn't do it for me. I thought the treatment of the belly itself really obliterated the best aspects of belly. I'd say this one was less than the sum of its parts.

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    Chicken Rice Combo | jasmine rice sauteed in chicken fat and chicken broth
    This was a combo of Hainan-style chicken and fried chicken. My favorite part of it was the comforting, fat-infused rice. Loved the flavor on both chicken takes, though they were a tad on the dry side.

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    Salt & Pepper Crack Wings
    5 pieces . . . 4 identifiable wings and a piece of I don't know what on the far left. :lol: These were tasty, though a bit chewy and not quite as wonderful as some of the other dishes we ordered.

    Overall, we really loved Phodega. Such a unique culinary perspective, and the highs were really high. The space is cool and comfortable, and service was stellar. Really looking forward to going back, getting a few favorites again and trying a couple of tempting things we just didn't have room for, like an actual bowl of pho and that House Special Banh Mi, too.

    =R=
    Same planet, different world
  • Post #9 - February 16th, 2024, 3:42 pm
    Post #9 - February 16th, 2024, 3:42 pm Post #9 - February 16th, 2024, 3:42 pm
    I actually went back to this place recently and agree it's something unique and tasty. The Viet Dip is way better than I expected and is the first thing anyone should try. The dipping jus is so flavorful and I wasn't expecting to enjoy the ribeye so much (not my favorite cut). I highly recommend adding pate.

    The Phodega fries are pretty similar but are also really good. Their fries are actually just excellent in general, toppings or not. I thought their house special banh mi was one of the best currently in the city (a bit of damning with faint praise), but that pork belly one looks a bit lame.

    I like the double chicken rice plate, but I agree that the fried chicken is a bit overdone. The orange hot sauce is great. Not a fan of the other two though.
  • Post #10 - October 25th, 2024, 8:15 am
    Post #10 - October 25th, 2024, 8:15 am Post #10 - October 25th, 2024, 8:15 am
    Bumping to remind folks how consistently great this place is. The Viet Dip/Phodega Fries choice really is a tough one. That jus is just magnificent.

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