Tamarind
614 S. Wabash

The Basics
Where you’ll find it: 614 S. Wabash Ave. in the South Loop.

When it’s open: 11 a.m. – 11 p.m. daily.

Reservations: Yes! This place was packed, so it’s a wise idea. (312) 379-0970.

What you’ve heard: We heard about Tamarind from a co-worker who couldn’t stop raving about the food and atmosphere. She initially suggested it as a great place for a lunch during the week — something casual but still different from the typical Loop lunch fare.

Visual Aids
First impressions: The place looks rather small from the outside, just a store front, but once you walk through the front door, it opens up into this huge, vibrant dining area with lots of bold colors and textures. I was still a little hesitant though, as I’ve been to many places that have spent a lot of money on décor and couldn’t boil a hot dog. … The first thing I noticed about Tamarind was how much bigger
it is on the inside than I expected. Don’t be fooled by the small exterior; there is tons of seating once you’re inside, and it felt pretty hip. … I absolutely loved the vibrant colors on the walls and the sleek decor. Everyone seemed to be having a great time!

The atmosphere: The place was packed. I was so thankful Erin made reservations. It is a very young, ethnically diverse, hip crowd. Lots of South Loopers of course, and also students from nearby universities. … The vibe is definitely chic, but with no pretense. … There was a wide mix of ages, and it was pretty busy. A lot of people having a good time with their drinks and eclectic Asian food!

The Experience
At your service: The service from the host was excellent. He helped us pick out our drinks and asked if we had questions about the offerings. He was very pleasant and attentive. I thought the food service left a little to be desired. We waited 20 minutes longer for our food than neccesary. To be fair, we were a table of six, it was 7:00 on a Saturday night and the place was packed. … Service was overall very good. I especially was impressed by the waitstaff’s knowledge of the menu. For instance, I asked the server if they could suggest a drink, and they went through the drink list and described in detail their popular selections. They were very accomodating! … However, by the time we got to dessert, the service was mediocre at best. There was a point where everyone at the table was wondering if the waitress was coming back with the check or to take our dessert order. She sort of disappeared for 10 minutes.

Get your drink on: I recommend the green tea martini! You get the alcohol, but also feel somehow healthy by the very fact that green tea is in the name. Prior to ordering the green tea, I ordered a pinot noir, of which they were out. They also have beer native to each of the countries represented, and of course, sake! … Wine, various Asian specialty drinks, sake, martinis. I had a wonderful glass of red wine — fabulous! … I had wine. In retrospect, I should have ordered a mixed drink — their selection and presentation was much better. I tried a friend’s Mai Tai, and it was tasty, though a little sweet.

Menu variety and prices: The most extensive Oriental menu I’ve ever seen. They have Japanese, Chinese, Vietnamese and Thai. Most times if you are looking for sushi, you go to a sushi restaurant and you are limited to a few choices. Not this place. If it is served with rice and from the other side of the world, this place has it! You can order the chicken rather than steak and not pay more than $20 per person including a drink and tip and tax. … Prices were pretty affordable — $11 to $18. It was a very ecletic menu. They had a lot of selections, but it wasn’t overwhelming, which was great. … The menu is definitely a reason to go to Tamarind, and the prices are very reasonable for the quantity and quality of food.

Description of what you did decide on: I ordered salmon teriyaki. Bad choice! It was basically a grilled piece of salmon with teriyaki sauce and steamed vegetables. It was tasty, just not at all what I was expecting. I was hoping for something a little more pan-Asian. What I got could have been prepared in Alaska. … I had the Red Dragon maki — great presentation! It looked really fancy, but it wasn’t very filling. I would suggest the stir fry if you want a better value for your dollar. … The whole table split the Banna Won Ton, and it was really yummy! It comes with red bean ice cream, which was a first for me. The red bean ice cream was sweet and tasted great! … I ended up ordering the create-your-own stir fry. The way it works is you pick a sauce, meat and starch (rice, noodles, etc.) from a list of about five options. Then you go up to the vegetable bar and load your plate with whatever you like, put it on the chef's counter and they do the rest. My stir fry was really, really good. It was exactly the ingredients I wanted, and they cooked it perfectly!

Something that caught your eye: I was so disappointed with my meal that I was eyeing Marat's delicacy all through dinner. … The place continued to be hopping even when we left at 10:00. … Honestly, what most caught my eye was how different each person’s plate looked. Not only did the style and size of each plate vary depending on the entrée (one guy’s food came in a little box!), but the actual presentation was creative and appetizing. I really liked this because the food was definitely the center of the restaurant’s aesthetic appeal.

What you’ll tell your friends: If you have a hankerin’ for Oriental food but cannot agree on which country you’d like to sample, head to Tamarind in the South Loop. You won’t be disappointed, unless you order the salmon teriyaki! … Also, Wednesday night is singles night from 7:30-10:00.

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