The Reader Says Green Street Delivers Satisfying Smoked Meats; More

Brendan Sodikoff's new barbecue joint, Green Street Smoked Meats, keeps things simple and delicious. Gwynedd Stuart thinks the pork ribs "come out on top" over the beef, the rub sticking to fingers like a "savory decal." Just as good is the meat on the smoked chicken, which "melts away from the bone," and the "lusciously fatty" brisket. The sauces are a pass though as the meats can do without them.

Other items on the menu are less successful. A Frito pie with brisket chili will make you question "why you're wasting precious stomach space on Fritos," and the hot link's sausage fat is "pulverized beyond recognition, sapping [it] of unctuous moisture." Sides fare better with the broccoli salad being the best, "sweet and savory in equal measure." [Reader]

Diners out in Oakbrook Terrace will enjoy Hokkaido Sushi, Hibachi Steak House & Lounge, a Japanese restaurant that gets everything right according to Susan Stark. A "delicious" appetizer of soft shell crab is "chewy, spicy, sweet, savory, and a little bit salty" while the Kamikaze and Dragon rolls deliver on fresh and "yummy" sushi. But the "highlight of the meal" is the salmon ceviche, 'tangy, spicy" and "as pretty as it [is] delicious." For dessert, pineapple and mango sorbets covered in white chocolate make for a "nice finish." [Daily Herald]