With black lacquer seats, porcelain vases, paper lanterns, mountains of Mongolian beef and steaming bowls of pot stickers, you might mistake this seemingly average Ameri-Cantonese hybrid for your run of the mill Chinese take-out joint.

This, however, is the spicy, garlic, soy, Korean-style crispy chicken wing drumette clubhouse of Chicago. Great Sea's wings - actually poultry lollipops, since one of the wing bones has been separated and removed to ensure all the flesh pushes to the top like an umbrella - are so legendary, the restaurant cooks up batches by the thousand during Super Bowl weekend.

This place is no one hit wonder, though. Avoid the traditional stalwarts like General Tso and splurge instead for cha chiang mian: house made noodles swimming in inky black funky fermented black bean sauce, and spicy garlic pork.

Average cost: $10-$20

Centerstage Reviewer: Michael Nagrant