I’ve been doing a little research about places to eat in Chicago.  When you work at a restaurant you get down to the nitty gritty of what’s good and what’s not quickly.  After a few conversations with not just people from the restaurant and around town one of the restaurants that came up on the list the most was Belly Shack.   “You’ll love this place it’s Puerto Rican/Korean food”.   That was all I needed to hear.

I’m from the northwest and Korean food is everywhere and prior to leaving I was in a Korean food zone that was pretty much bordering on addiction (“can you just take the leftover kimchi marinade and inject it directly in my heart?!?!”).  A fantastic discovery about Chicago is that the Puerto Rican culture is live and well here.  It’s the first time I’ve really experienced that outside of just being the Puerto Rican kid that grew up in Washington…..they always thought I was yelling and talking fast, well, I kind of do but that’s beside the point.  Enough about you Eric, what? Oh, right…..   YEAH BEST OF BOTH WORLDS KOREAN FOOD AND PUERTO RICAN FOOD IN ONE PLACE!!!!!!!

BELLY SHACK!

The first dish I tried was the brussels sprouts with chorizo.  If you have a problem with brussels sprouts then grow up, you’re not a little kid anymore. If you’re an adult and you have problems with brussels sprouts then add chorizo and a touch of lime to it and call it amazing because that’s what that dish was….I took the remaining juice and poured it over the next dish.

This is the Asian Pork Meatball Sandwich.  This is my new best friend in Chicago.  We added each other on Facebook,Tweeted, and Skyped for a few hours about how delicious and porky life is.  The waitress walked by and said, “oh you two, how cute”.  We’re going to get pictures taken at Sears tomorrow for Christmas cards that we can send to our family and friends, it’s going to be awesome!

Tell us a little about yourself Asian Pork Meatball Sandwich!

“Well, thank you, dude you’re awesome”.  ”Well, I’m made up of a bunch of meatballs DUH!”

Ugh, come on stop being so sarcastic, just tell them.

“Cold somen noodles, Korean chili paste, and mint”.

Did you just read the menu?  Come on, go a little more in depth.

“Don’t rush me and I will.”

How did we become an old married couple?  Speaking of old married couple.  Mindy, they have hot & sour soup! When you get here in a couple of weeks we’re so going to get hung over and eat that!

Where were we?

KIMCHI TIME!!!!! REMIX!!!!!!!

It’s so good, kimchi is good on everything and incredibly amazing by itself.  Order a bunch of this then take it home and when the other things you’re eating aren’t up to par, add this….you’re welcome!

Belly Shack, I’m sure you’re togarashi fries are amazing and I will try them next time but as long as you have this on your menu it’s my go to item.

Tostones with chimichurri.  I ate this a few hours ago and I can still taste it. I grew up on this stuff….put a little kimchi on it, mind blowing!!!!!

Belly Shack, soooooooooo good.

Eric