America's Favorite Restaurants

TASTY CHINA in Marietta, Ga.
Owner Yang Da He hires highly regarded Szechuan cooks and gives them the freedom to cook authentic cuisine with few restrictions and no dumbing down. The result is bold, spicy dishes with a balance of flavors that stand up to the heat. (The menu label "hot and numbing" on some dishes should be taken quite literally.) Skip the two pages of Chinese-American standards on the menu and go straight to the Szechuan specialties. Information: 585 Franklin Rd. SE, 770/419-9849, entrées from $8. Morgan Eubanks, Marietta, Ga.

HAWAII

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NEW! KEOKI'S PARADISE in Koloa, Hawaii
Near the southern coast of Kauai, within walking distance of Poipu Beach, Keoki's Paradise restaurant is a campy, fun alternative to eating at the big resorts. Tiki torches, a thatched roof, and the usual assortment of "tropical" cocktails (there are two versions of the mai tai) are a little silly, but it all feels appropriately festive when you're dining in shorts and sandals. Dishes served in the restaurant proper are overpriced, so ask for a seat near the man-made pond in the café and stick with the fresh fish, which the restaurant has mastered. The hula pie dessert is a tasty, gargantuan chunk of macadamia-nut ice cream with hot fudge, big enough for the kids to split. Information: 2360 Kiahuna Plantation Dr., 808/742-7534, keokisparadise.com. Price check: A large fish taco platter in the café goes for $10; the fresh fish entrée is $16. Tropical cocktails like the lava flow (the menu says it erupts with strawberry) cost $7.25. Thanks for sharing: Reader AncSteve was the first to tip us off.

ILLINOIS

IRAZÚ in Chicago, Ill.
You could easily mistake Irazú for a little spot in Costa Rica where you'd stop for a bite. A mural on one wall shows a cottage under palms and tree frogs. Everyone should try the vegetarian burrito with mushrooms at least once—though the steak sandwich is also spectacular. Order a mango-water shake to wash everything down. You'll leave full, satisfied, and out maybe $15 for dinner. Information: 1865 N. Milwaukee Ave., 773/252-5687, irazuchicago.com, entrées from $9, cash only, closed Sun. Amy Johnson, Chicago, Ill.

SCHWA in Chicago, Ill.
It's rare to find a restaurant that offers great experimental food with no attitude, but that's exactly what you get at Schwa. Everything about the place tells you the food is the main event: The space is small, the decor is bare bones, and the tasting menu—which is the only menu—is served by the chefs, not waiters. In fact, this restaurant pays so much attention to the food that it doesn't even have drinks on the menu; customers bring their own wine or beer. Information: 1466 N. Ashland Ave., 773/252-1466, schwarestaurant.com, three-course menu $55, closed Sun. and Mon. Charlie Baase, Chicago, Ill.

KENTUCKY

NORTH END CAFE in Louisville, Ky.
The most difficult thing about dining there is choosing which meal to eat. If you go for breakfast, you can savor the house-smoked trout hash. But that means you'd miss the rosemary roasted chicken and dumplings for lunch. Then there's dinner, when you have the option of tapas or an entrée (maybe grilled salmon over Parmesan risotto). Of course, you could just stay for all three meals. Information: 1722 Frankfort Ave., 502/896-8770, northendcafe.com, entrées from $10, closed Mon. Cynthia Birkhead, Bardstown, Ky.

MICHIGAN

UNION STREET in Detroit, Mich.
There are lots of options at Union Street—pastas, sandwiches, salads—but you could be forgiven for never ordering anything but the calamari. The tender squid is julienned, marinated, dusted with seasoned flour, flash fried, and then dressed with a lemon beurre blanc, basil, capers, red onions, and tomatoes. Order extra bread and refuse to give up the bowl until you've mopped up every last drop of sauce. (Ask for the sauce "the old way"—the new version of the dish doesn't come with enough.) Information: 4145 Woodward Ave., 313/831-3965, unionstreetdetroit.com, entrées from $13. Adrien Kant, Cincinnati, Ohio

MISSOURI

THE AMERICAN RESTAURANT in Kansas City, Mo.
Well aware that it has one of the best locations in the city—in Crown Center, with views overlooking downtown and the surrounding area—the American Restaurant has oriented most of its tables toward the big glass walls. At night, the lights are dazzling; around Christmas, they're breathtaking. The restaurant could probably get away with preparing mediocre food for its contemporary American menu, but it wouldn't dare. Information: 200 E. 25th St., 816/545-8001, theamericankc.com, entrées from $17, closed Sun. Brenda Tatro, Kansas City, Kans.