Home > Destinations > North America > USA > Illinois > Chicago > Restaurants > Arun's
Bookstore Travel Talk - Our Message Boards Tips and Tools Book a Trip Deals and News Trip Ideas, Activities, Lifestyles Hotels Destinations Frommers.com Home
Frommer's - The best trips start here. Frommer's - The best trips start here.
Sign up for our FREE Newsletters! Win a FREE Trip
  Email This Article Email Print This Article Print Get Frommer's RSS Feed RSS

Chicago Map: Arun'sArun's Frommer's Exceptional

Cuisine Thai
Hours Tues-Thurs 5-10pm; Fri-Sat 5-10:30pm
Address 4156 N. Kedzie
Location At Irving Park Rd, Wrigleyville & the North Side
Transportation Subway/El and bus: Blue Line to Irving Park, and then transfer to eastbound no. 80 bus; or Brown Line to Irving Park, and then transfer to westbound no. 80 bus or take a cab
Reservations Reservations required with credit card
Phone 773/539-1909
Web site www.arunsthai.com
Prices 12-course chef's menu $85
Credit Cards AE, DC, DISC, MC, V

Frommer's Review

This is the best Thai restaurant in the city -- possibly the country. Here, Chef/owner Arun Sampanthavivat prepares a refined version of traditional Thai cuisine, authentic and flavorful but not palate-scorching. The only downside is its out-of-the-way location. You can get here by public transportation, but I recommend a taxi at night when the bus schedules are less reliable.

The 12-course chef's menu is your only option here, and different tables receive different dishes on a given night. This sequential banquet begins with degustation-style appetizers followed by four family-style entrees and two desserts. You might see courses of various delicate dumplings accented with edible, carved dough flowers; an alchemist's Thai salad of bitter greens and peanuts with green papaya, tomatoes, chiles, and sticky rice; and a medley of clever curries, including a surprisingly delightful sea-bass-and-cabbage sour curry. When classic dishes appear, such as pad thai, they're always above the norm. What really sets Arun's apart is the extremely personal service; dishes are customized for each group's preferences, and if members of a party have different tolerances for spicy food, the staff will provide variations for all taste buds. The menu is paired with an award-winning wine list.

Note: This information was accurate when it was published, but can change without notice. Please be sure to confirm all rates and details directly with the companies in question before planning your trip.


Back to Top


  Email This Article Email Print This Article Print Get Frommer's RSS Feed RSS


Frommer's Chicago 2008 Frommer's Chicago 2008

Author: Elizabeth Canning Blackwell
Pub Date: November 19, 2007
Price: $17.99

Buy Now!
Related Titles:
Chicago For Dummies, 4th Edition
Frommer's Chicago Day by Day, 1st Edition
Frommer's Chicago with Kids, 3rd Edition
Sponsored Links: What's This?
Summer Splendour at The Peninsula - special rates and exceptional benefits
Add Frommers.com RSS Feed  Add Frommers.com RSS Feed (What's This?)
Add Frommers.com Deals & News to Your Web Site
Add to My Yahoo!     Add to My MSN     More RSS Readers
Add Frommers.com Podcast Add Frommers.com Podcast (What's This?)
Home > Destinations > North America > USA > Illinois > Chicago > Restaurants > Arun's