The term "jook sing" refers to individuals of Asian descent who were born in Western countries—and it's a term that connotes a sense of fusion.
Jook Sing restaurant (1329 W. Chicago Ave.) brings that fusion to the culinary level, providing delightful (and, in some cases, challenging) street-food items that incorporate various twists.
And although the stretch of road it's on is pretty quiet, the joint itself is anything but. The space itself is pretty casual but vibrant, featuring brightly adorned tables with colorful high chairs. Add some booming hip-hop coming out of the speakers and a lively crowd, and you have quite the scene.
As for the "challenging" part of the cuisine, that primarily lies in the various spices—particularly, the bird's eye chilies used in the phat kaphrao, a dish that features a bed of jasmine rice topped with stir-fried beef with Thai basil, Merkts cheddar cheese, fried allium, Asian herbs and the aforementioned chilies. It's no wonder that this dish is in the "Dive Into It" part of the menu—which is actually a reference to the entrees.
However, even for those with a low spice tolerance (like yours truly), there are delightful options. The Roti John (believed by some to be Singaporean in origin) is an egg omelet that's dressed with sweet Calabrian chili sauce, citrus kosho aioli and Asian pickles, all on a baguette. Jook Sing's num pang is a sandwich with Asian pickles, citrus kosho aioli, bai sach chrouk (grilled pork belly) and crispy pork skin.
If you want to "ease into it" (a reference to appetizers), there are items such as salt-and-pepper tofu (seasoned with five-spice powder and white pepper), vegetarian egg rolls, chicken wings (with a Malaysian curry marinade), popcorn chicken (in a soy-sauce marinade), cassava fries and pecel (cooked Asian vegetables that are tossed with a spicy peanut sauce and garnished with fried tofu, boiled egg, tempeh and more).
As expected, fried alliums (which include plants such as onions, garlics, chives and leeks) and various herbs are vital components of many of the menu items, providing textural and gustatory balance.
Regarding the dishes, we tried the popcorn chicken, pecel and num pang. We liked all the dishes, although my dining companion was putting himself outside of his comfort zone, as he usually stays away from Asian food. He said he liked the pecel but consumed very little of it. However, I really liked the popcorn chicken and the num pang; the latter was especially appealing, as the items came together in terms of taste and texture.
As for the drinks, my friend and I had mixed opinions about them. He winced more than once when trying the Old Fashioned because, in his words, it was "very whiskey-forward," but he insisted that he liked it. (Other ingredients in this spot's drink include lemongrass, ginger, rock sugar and Jook Sing Bitters Blend.) My Boozeless mocktail (Three Spirits Social Elixir, pandan, black sesame and lemon) was certainly alcohol-free—but it was practically taste-free as well, which was surprising as pandan has a naturally sweet flavor that usually shines through. My friend also tried the Tropical concoction (with rum, pandan, oolong, black sesame, orange and lime), and really was drawn to that.
I really liked Jook Sing (save the drink). The atmosphere, staff friendliness and cuisine make for a heady mix that may have you coming back for more.
See www.jooksing312.com/ .
Note: This visit was arranged.
Also, to find out what my top five 2023 culinary experiences were, head on over to SAVOR with Andrew at future3733.substack.com .
