Tamarind

This cute South Loop spot is part slick, part casual, with soothing bamboo-decked green walls and a staff that’s eager to please. Jump around the massive, multiculture menu and you’ll find great dishes across the board, from Chinese soup dumplings to ponzu-drizzled sashimi to Vietnamese-style grilled lemongrass beef. Generous sushi cuts are tasty (but a tad pricey); the signature duck soup is a standout, but we found the red curry a bit gloopy and not nearly as spicy as the menu warned. No matter; dozens of other dishes do the trick.