Chicago Eats: Herb

In the sea of Thai restaurants on the Far North Side of Chicago, there's a small BYOB spot in Edgewater that has been making a massive splash in the culinary scene since 2014. Under the leadership of Chef/owner Patty Neumson, Herb offers diners an opportunity to dive into the nutritious side of Thai cuisine through seasonally-driven dishes and preparations not commonly found at other Thai restaurants. Growing up in Southern Thailand, Chef Patty developed a love for quality ingredients through cooking side-by-side with her mother and grandmother from a young age. Her love for food and her passion for nutrition eventually led her to open Herb, where she focuses on healthy Thai food that doesn't sacrifice flavor.

Along with its focus on fresh, nutritious offerings, Herb also stands apart from other Thai restaurants in the area thanks to its prix fixe menu. Typically, the restaurant offers the option of a three or five-course meal, and diners choose from a shortlist of three starters, two soups, and five entrées (there's also an option for additional dishes à la carte). Everything is light, delicious, and thoughtfully prepared and plated. While Herb is currently closed for dining in, a select number of offerings are still available via takeout and delivery.

Betel Leaves with coconut flakes, diced ginger, shallot, peanut, bird's eye chili, lime, and sweet palm sugar sauce. These bites may not look like much, but as with many of the best Thai dishes, each wrap is filled with the perfect blend of flavors: tartness from the limes, saltiness from the peanuts, sweetness from the coconut and the sauce, and heat from the ginger and chilis. Each bite is so bright and refreshing – the perfect way to start a meal!

Crispy Frizzy Prawn: crispy rice paper noodle-wrapped prawns with a sweet and sour mango sauce. While this is a popular dish commonly found at Thai restaurants, Herb's preparation is one of my favorites, as each bite is light, crispy, and super flavorful. I've had numerous versions that were either too loaded down with noodles (making it difficult to taste the prawns) or overly oily/slightly soggy. These are really nicely done, and the sauce is super addictive!

Grilled Pork Tenderloin: Thai BBQ style pork tenderloin topped with Thai herbs and veggies. Quite honestly, this is not a dish I would typically order (I tend to gravitate more toward seafood and chicken entrées), but I'm so glad I did, as it's one of the most interesting and delicious pork dishes I've ever had! The pork is super tender, juicy, and layered with so many complex flavors – it's really a dish in which Chef Patty's extensive knowledge of herbs and microgreens shines.

Sweet Sticky Rice with Fresh Mango. As I've mentioned in the past, this is one of my all-time favorite desserts, and Herb's version does not disappoint! Sticky rice + good quality coconut milk + perfectly ripe mangoes = pure Thai dessert magic.

You can try all of this deliciousness and more at Herb: 5424 N Broadway, Chicago, IL.

Herb is is a Thai SELECT Certified restaurant. Thai SELECT is a certification program funded by the Ministry of Commerce of Thailand. For restaurants to bear a Thai SELECT certificate, their menus must be comprised of at least 60 percent of dishes considered to be authentic: the restaurants employ the same or similar cooking methods as in Thailand and may import ingredients from Thailand as well. Currently, 542 restaurants in the U.S. are certified with this distinction. For more information, please visit Thai SELECT.

Disclosure: I received compensation to facilitate this post. Review and all opinions are my own.

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Chicago, desserts, restaurants, Starr, Thai