Punjabi Restaurant in Chicago, the Modern Dhaba on Halsted

A lot of Chicago menus say 'Indian'; very few cook Punjabi. Urban Turban does — the Gill family has been feeding people since Pind Gill, Ludhiana, and the kitchen at 2660 N. Halsted St. runs the way GT Road dhabas do: a bhatti-fired tandoor going all evening, handi gravies that simmer instead of getting blended, and Maa Ki Dal that stays on the flame for 24 hours.

That means the Punjabi benchmarks are all here and made properly — butter chicken that's smoky rather than sweet, sarson ka saag in season and goat curry with bones in, because that's where the flavour lives. Order online for pickup or take a table on Halsted; we serve 2 PM to 11 PM, closed Tuesdays.

On N. Halsted between Diversey and Wrightwood — a short walk from DePaul's Lincoln Park campus, easy ride from Lakeview and Old Town.