With so many Thai restaurants in Chicago, finding a spot that truly stands out can feel daunting to any savvy diner. My tip: Plan a trip to the up-and-comig neighborhood of Edgewater to experience classic Asian cuisine in a serene setting with service that feels regal. Chris Limpinyakul, who named the restaurant after his son, runs the business with his wife, Penny, most often found whipping up dishes in the kitchen, and they never fail to treat diners like treasured friends.The menu has a homemade gourmet flavor and covers a wide range of countries. "I used noodles and rice in the name because it's a staple of the Asian diet," says Limpinyakul. "We have Filipino cuisine, Japanese, Thai...even Chinese and Korean." Items on the menu range from $2.25 for the miso soup (an excellent concoction of salty, smoky broth with just the right amount of green onion) to $5.95-$8.95 for entrees.

Diners can order most entrees with meat or tofu (perfect in texture and flavor in the pad thai and pad see-eiw). Catfish and seafood specials provide nice options for fish-only eaters, and the daily lunch special features appetizer, soup and entree of your choice for only $5.95.

Light peach walls and simple wooden tables with spring green accents provide calming ambiance, and the place is spotless. Limpinyakul assures that prices will remain low at this "mom and pop," even as new dishes are added and the neighborhood continues to change. Future plans include adding a fresh sushi bar and opening a second restaurant named for his daughter: Amy Spice.

- by Centerstage reviewer: Genevra Gallo

What can I say besides the fact that this place lived up to the hype and more.  I really enjoyed my experience at Ben's Noodle this past week.  For the past years I have been spoiled by living in a neighboorhood that is saturated with some of the cities best thai restaurants.  Between Spoon, Rosded, Sticky rice...why go elsewhere?  Well I was burnt out on the local haunts and wanted to go elsewhere.  I am sure glad that I did.  My dining companion and myself were immediately surprised with the intimacy of the spot.  We were greeted by Ben (im assuming) who was kind and gracious.  We had the chicken potstickers, which were really good.  The sauce that came with them, however, was excellent in all it's surypy  and sweet goodness.  Next, I had the spicy Basil noodles.  They came directly from the kitchen, steaming and aromatic.  I really enjoyed the firmness of the rice noodle.  Often they can be overcooked and mushy, while these were a Thai-version of "Al Dente".  The vegetables in the noodles were very fresh and crunchy.  The Pad Se Eiw that my companion had was quite delicious, she seemed to really enjoy it.  Great place to go and then have dessert at Flourish across the street!  I will be coming back.

- reviewed by: Benjamin H.