Brothers Daniel (pictured below, on the left) and Eric Wat (on the right) started out six years ago with their grandmother’s recipe for jiaozi dumplings, which featured a handful of fillings and came bobbing in seasoned broth. They built a small menu of Chinese snacks around them — cold eggplant salad, griddle-fried bing bread — and opened in a plain storefront with good, old bones that just as easily could’ve become a smoke shop or microbakery. The menu has since rounded out nicely. While the pork and dill or beef and green onion dumplings still entice, you may find yourself drawn to the chile-amped but creamy-rich dan dan noodles, a fist in a velvet glove. The house silken tofu arrives with your choice of three flavor-bomb toppings. Even the simple house noodle soup in spiced soy broth infused with lard merits your love. This is comfort food done right.

Price: $
Address: 2020 W. Chicago Ave.
Website: oldfriendchicago.com