LINCOLN SQUARE — Situated in a nondescript strip mall on Lawrence Avenue, Isla Pilipina is easy to miss, but the restaurant's profile received a big boost on Wednesday with a nomination for a Jean Banchet Award, Chicago's top culinary honor.
Isla Pilipina, 2501 W. Lawrence Ave., is vying for the title of Best Ethnic Restaurant.
The annual Banchet Awards are a sort of Chicago-centric version of the James Beard Awards, honoring the city's top chefs and dining establishments in 14 categories.
Nominations come from members of the general public. Winners are chosen by industry insiders.
The other nominees for Best Ethnic Restaurant are HaiSous Vietnamese Kitchen (Pilsen), La Chaparrita (Little Village) and Ras Dashen Ethiopian Restaurant (Edgewater).
Banchet winners will be announced Jan. 14 at Venue Six10. Click here for the complete list of nominees.
Check out a few of the reasons Isla Pilipina is so popular.