CHIReview
Included In
With its bright space, audible yet low-volume techno soundtrack, and snake plants sprinkled around, Sochi is like a more pleasant version of the Ibiza day club experience. But instead of a pool of drunken ravers, this Lakeview restaurant is alive with a bustling crowd and fantastic, multi-layered Vietnamese food. Its energetic atmosphere and dynamic cast of dishes make it easy to forget that we live in a place where people casually throw around the term “Polar Vortex.”
photo credit: Kim Kovacik
At this comforting, neighborhood spot, you’ll see children uncoordinatedly fishing slippery noodles out of bowls of phở and co-workers, bánh mìs in hand, discussing how best to optimize whatever it is that needs optimizing. Solo diners sit at the kitchen counter sipping cocktails, while a couple in the corner quickly splits a salad before rushing to catch a show at Schubas across the street. The closely situated tables are always full, but rather than feeling like a claustrophobic mosh pit in desperate need of deodorant, the dining room radiates a sense of community. You could befriend anyone here, or at the very least, work up the courage to ask a neighboring table of strangers if what they ordered was worth it.
photo credit: Kim Kovacik
We’ll answer for them: yes. The dishes manage to cram a vibrant ecosystem of flavor and texture into each bite. Light rice paper folds around ground pork, shrimp, and vegetables forming savory egg rolls paired with a tangy fish sauce. Puffed crab chips complement the seared duck salad’s salty meat, crisp bean sprouts, and spicy ginger dressing that’s 10x more effective than a Ricola. Smoky pieces of filet mignon accompany full-bodied fried rice seasoned with rich bone marrow. Sweet, spicy, tangy, salty, and umami are all woven together, wrapping each dish in a blanket of flavor.
In a city with its fair share of minuses, from parking spots with "dibs" lawn chairs to hotboxed CTA cars, Sochi is a shining plus. It's lively energy and incredible Vietnamese dishes offer a reliable respite from everything we love to complain about, and make us wish this restaurant was accepting tenant applications. But the finiteness of every meal is part of the charm. It makes us appreciate our time here, keeps us coming back, and has us wondering if we’ll receive a loyalty card for our consistent patronage.
Food Rundown
photo credit: Kim Kovacik
Original Egg Roll
photo credit: Kim Kovacik
Ben Thành Market Salad
photo credit: Kim Kovacik
Seared Duck Salad
photo credit: Kim Kovacik
Saigon Phở
photo credit: Kim Kovacik
Shaking Beef
photo credit: Kim Kovacik
Slap Mama Crab Fried Rice
photo credit: Kim Kovacik
Chili Salt Chicken
Coffee Flan