Chef Shangri-La

I was first introducted to Chef Shangr-la during my very first Yelp Elite event.  I've got to say, it was love at first bite.  (Pun totally intended.)  Sadly I don't live especially close, but I think that just adds to the excitement.

There are two reasons to come to Chef Shangri-La's: the food and the drinks.

First up the food, because without you may not survive the drinks.  Between my two visits I've had the Crab Rangoon, Pan-Fried Potsticks, Veggie Egg-rolls, General Chu's Tofu, the Tahatian Mango Chicken, the Mongolian Beef, and fried rice.  Crab rangoon is something I like, but it's never my first choice.  That logic does not apply to the crab rangoon here.  This is the best crab rangoon I've ever had in my life.  The pot stickers (which I believe are pork though the menu doesn't say) are absolutely huge!  They're probably twice the size of your average pot-sticker.  I loved the mango chicken when I had it at the Elite event, and very seriously considered just ordering it again on our recent return visit.  But I also knew I needed to give something else on the menu a try so I ordered the General Chu's Tofu.  (Plus, I was really in the mood for tofu, and they hae a pretty extensive list of tofu dishes.)  The tofu was firm and crisp on the outside and a little mushy on the inside just like it should be.  The flavor was awesome though if you like really spicy food, you might be disappointed by the spice level.  My pansy-ass self thought it was perfect though.

Now the drinks.  They offer 28 varieties of tropical deliciousness.  (And 6 without cocounut or rum if, like my boyfriend, you're made of coconut hating evil.)  Candice G's description of these drinks are pretty spot-on.  These drinks will knock you on yours ass.  Everyone seems to love the Dr. Fong which is tasty, but to be honest, I prefer the Zombie or the Kom-mon-i-wana-lei-a.

Otehr items of note: Using my Groupon was easy peasy.  No hassles or arguments.  In fact they just discounted the check $20 even though the Groupon wasn't supposed to apply to drinks.  The decor probably hasn't been updated since they opened in the 70's or whatever, but it's awesomely kitchsy and who doesn't love a good tiki-theme especially when Chicago winter stretches into May...

Check it out.  You won't regret it.

The funniest thing I remember was coming here and feeling like I was in a time warp back to Elvis era. You would think the real man is still alive by how the people were shuffling in to get their reservations before the show started.  But not to judge, cause I'm sure when I get up in age, I'll be shuffling in somewhere to hear a Michael Jackson tribute band or something myself.  The hostess/owner warned me that my table would be gone due to prior reservations after 7p. Since this was my 1st stop on a long train of events on my Friday night out, that was cool with me.  

My BF and I were seated promptly, and I immediately knew I wanted to order the Mango Shrimp as I had the pleasure of trying the Mango Chicken during the Yelp! Hawaii Five-O event a month or two ago.  We also had the General Chu's chicken. I prefered the Mango Shrimp only because I'm a sweet head and the batter tasted like cake to me.  I also had a Blue Hawaiin drink which packed a mean punch for my first drink of the night.

The food is super reasonable and coupled with my groupon, we paid a very small amount for the bill. Since we were rushing to our next event at the Improv in Schaumburg, I still want to go again and really just hang out there. I hear they have monthly events, so I can't wait for the luau.

I don't have a whole lot of human interaction in my life -- for the most part it's just me in a small, sh*tty suburban apartment with a bamboo plant and a buncha cats (though the plant and the cats have to be kept separate because one of those parties keeps trying to eat the other party), but when I do get to do the ole same-species mingle thing, I almost always get asked the same two questions.

1) What's wrong with you?

2) What's your favorite restaurant?

I don't really have an answer for the first one. I mean, I could take blind guesses or further elaborate on the feedback other people have given me, but overall I'd just say there's a lot going on and it's nobody's fault, I'm just a weird motherf*cker. period.

That second question is being answered right here, with Chef Shangri-La.    

I don't even know where to start with everything --- By now you've probably already heard of the famous Dr Fong's. Yes, you should get that. You should also bring a designated driver because Chef's drinks are NOT f*ckin' around. Srsly. A lot of those drinks only have a single shot of juice in them, and the rest is booze. They all taste like vacation (but not the sweet, syrup-y stuff - this is the real deal, no blenders, just rocks and no skimping on the booze) are nominally priced and will make you weak in the knees. With 28 different tropical options, you really can't go wrong... just remember that designated driver. That part's key.

For food, I have a hard time tearing myself away from the salt and pepper tofu. For firm tofu, I've never been to a place that does it better. It's not at all greasy, which is a hard thing to master, ya know? A fried food that's known for soaking up whatever it comes in contact with, and you could have laid it out on a brown paper bag and it wouldn't have left a mark. Not a single oil stain. They make it so light and so fluffy, but the portion is large enough to split.

The atmosphere is like being in a tropical, tiki hut. Super cute, ultra kitschy definitely a keystone place to have in your bookmarks when winter comes to Chicagoland. Or anytime of the year, really. They've got gaming machines for the Gambit in you in the back room, a koi pond, a turtle tank with a girl turtle named Eddie, nightly specials and really fun events on the weekends. Every second Friday they have Aloha Fire Dancers like a luau and every third Saturday they have a surf rock/rockabilly night and even one night a month with an Elvis impersonator if you're in the mood to toss your panties at someone.

I also like to explain to people that they shouldn't come here if they're just looking for a dimly-lit quiet dinner. This is a place you go with the intention of having fun, and knowing the atmosphere, spirits and Chef specials won't let you down. Wet blankets need not apply-- this is for the young at heart for sure.

It's not far from Brookfield Zoo so I like to make this the official after party, but it's great for date nights, nights out with friends, family, co-workers, birthdays, anything, really.

Going to Chef Shangri-La isn't just going out to eat, it's an experience with the added benefit of good food and great drinks.