"Lamb is an important part of the diet in the Xinjiang region of northwest China, and halal Uyghur restaurant Le Taklamakan is one of the few places in town showcasing this Turkic cuisine. Tender grilled lamb dusted with cumin is presented on ornate skewers, and other specialty dishes are on offer here, including toho kormisi (chicken stewed with potatoes); thick homemade laghman noodles — think udon but with more chew — with a vegetable sauce chock full of radishes, peppers, Chinese tree ear fungus, and lamb. Then there’s sambusak, an empanada-like pastry cooked in a tandoor and filled with lamb and onions. Named after the central Asian desert and staffed with Uyghur and Kazakh chefs, Le Taklamakan is in a strip mall in Lasalle, but you’ll definitely feel transported further than that with your visit. Bring lots of friends if you can: portions are huge." - Ivy Lerner-Frank