As more and more immigrants filter into Chicago’s suburbs, the food just keeps getting more diverse. Uncle Lou in Westmont is a perfect example. Opened by the Taiwan-trained chef Mao Sheng Lou (of House of Hunan) in 1998, the large, handsome restaurant covers a lot of territory for one eatery.
You’ll find a lot of typical Chinese-American faves, including chop suey, egg foo young and lo mein. But you also will find several steamed fish options, three kinds of Chinese greens and four different preparations of tofu. And if neither mundane nor exotic Chinese fare appeals to you, you can order from the tidy and attractive sushi bar that greets you as you step into the large complex of three dining rooms.
On a recent dinner visit, large ceramic mugs of tea arrived at the table with our menus. Skipping drinks from the bar, we dove right into the appetizer selection, which includes egg rolls, pot stickers and shrimp toast, but also jelly fish, Szechuan-style hot and sour cabbage and scallion pancakes. Wanting to save room for Japanese and Chinese entrees, we kept it light by ordering the hot, crispy scallion pancakes ($2.95). Eight of these thin, green onion-flecked wedges arrive with tiny saucers of a lovely, light garlic soy sauce and chili oil.
The Japanese menu, which features edamame (boiled soy beans) and miso soup as well as sushi and sashimi, operates more like an extra restaurant than afterthought. The filling rainbow roll ($6.75), featuring slices of tuna, salmon and mackerel, is fresh and beautifully presented on a wooden platform. The equally attractive California roll (with cucumber, avocado and crab, $5.95) is as good a version of the dish as we’ve had and is considerately offered with the rice inside or out and with or without masago (smelt roe).
For the main course, our slightly harried but knowledgeable waiter recommended the winning combination of ox tails over spinach ($14.95). The tender, slow-cooked ox tails are bathed in a sweet, slightly spicy sauce and topped with slivers of garlic. Like most dishes on the menu, this one was big enough for two or three people to share; most of it had to go home in a doggie bag.
Our waiter told us that clams in black bean were not available during our visit, so we opted for what we thought was steamed sea bass. What we got turned out to be two large steamed cod fillets covered in deep-fried garlic bits for a pricy $20.95 but, again, it was big enough to share. The cod was tender and perfectly cooked, but the constant need to remove bones from our mouths proved a little annoying.
Peapod sprouts also were unavailable during our visit, so our waiter suggested water spinach ($8.95) instead. Although we found it generally tasty (if you don’t mind the ocean flavor), the stems were too woody.
Our final dish, the Szechwan staple ma-po tofu ($7.95), is a fiery and generous affair, packed with nice bits of pork, robust chilies and plenty of tofu. But its traditional preparation contains more oil than Americans may be used to.
Although we tried some of Uncle Lou’s pricier items, most of the dishes are less than $10, and the large portions of most dishes ($7 to $9) can feed two or three. Uncle Lou also offers dozens of dishes (including empress chicken, kung pao beef and twice-cooked pork) as a lunch special with soup, egg roll and rice for $5.50.
With its rosewood furniture, big comfy booths, modern-looking sushi bar and elegant private dining areas in the back, Uncle Lou creates an atmosphere that is handsome and family-friendly. The slightly unruly baby we brought attracted a few disapproving stares from customers, but another yelping toddler across the room made us feel a little more comfortable.
If you live in the city, you can certainly find fine renditions of many of the dishes served here closer to home, but if you are anywhere in the western suburbs, Uncle Lou is a great place to sate your appetite for authentic Chinese cuisine and more.
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Uncle Lou
(3 forks)
246 N. Cass Ave., Westmont
630-515-8889
Hours: 11:30 a.m.-9:30 p.m. Mon.-Thurs.;
11:30 a.m.-10:30 p.m. Fri.-Sat.; 11:30 a.m.-9 p.m. Sun.
Credit cards: A, D, M, V
Wheelchair accessible
Noise level: Conversation friendly
Ratings key:
4 forks: Don’t miss it
3 forks: One of the best
2 forks: Very good
1 fork: Good
Reviews are based on anonymous visits by Tribune staff members. The meals are paid for by the Tribune.
