Formerly: If not for the Technicolor poster showcasing fruity smoothies, you'd likely shoot past Wokki without ever knowing it; between the fratty bars, Mexican eateries and the ebb and flow of DePaul students, there are plenty of distractions in the Lincoln Park neighborhood. While the yellowing, Wonder-Years-era quality of photographed dishes in the window hardly helps to entice passersby, the bevy of bubble tea and smoothie options—including kiwi, watermelon and pineapple-coconut—beg a look-see.

The counter-order operation features a display case of tin trays brimming with Pan-Asian dishes like kung pao chicken, drunken noodles, fried rice, curry, pad Thai and pork gyoza. Lunch and dinner deals pack a side-dish punch: The $4.99 one-item lunch express comes with fried rice or chow mein, and the dinner tray comes with hot and sour soup, an egg roll, crab Rangoon, fried rice and a vegetable dish for less than a 10-spot. Pick your drink flavor wisely as only a handful are made with fresh fruit. Looking for a jolt? Wokki offers Intelligentsia coffee and fancy espresso drinks like raspberry lattes.

The ambiance, or lack thereof, leaves something to be desired: black and white linoleum tile, orange and eggplant-color walls and fluorescent lights. But with prices this low, who cares?

Centerstage Reviewer: Jessica Herman