No great crowds are beating a path to the door of the unpretentious Hoang Mai Restaurant on North Sheridan, but the faithful claim that its food and service are unparalleled among Vietnamese establishments.
“The Vietnamese tell me it’s the best food in the community,” says Lisa Gershenson, owner of a north-side catering service and lover of Vietnamese cooking. “The other owners eat there, I think, because of the quality. Everything is prepared with love.”
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Jammed on a small open boat with 20 other refugees, the Lams headed for Thailand. When their food and water were gone after ten days at sea, they almost despaired. To make matters worse, they were intercepted by Thai fishermen who robbed them of their meager belongings. “We were lucky,” says Hoang, an optimist. “They didn’t kill us or rape the women. If the Viet Cong had caught us, we’d be dead. And we finally made it to land and safety.”
Hoang Mai Restaurant, 5020 N. Sheridan Road, is open from 10 AM to 10 PM every day except Monday. Phone 561-3700 for information.
