Wandering around, breathing in the smells and sights of North Lombard, can drum up a tremendous appetite for a person such as myself--which is to say a schizophrenic gambling addict. That's why I love the New Portland Rose Restaurant, which features the finest in Chinese/American/Mexican cuisine, as well as an off-track betting site! One may think a menu boasting so much culinary ethnicity might water down the quality of the food, but to this I answer, "Absolutely not!"/ "!absolutamente no!"/ "[JENdn." After starting with a thickish, but succulent bowl of wonton soup, I made the brave but correct choice of ordering the Egg Fu burger and fries. This crunchity egg fu yung patty is lovingly sandwiched between a sesame seed bun and garnished with raw onion, lettuce, tomato and mayonnaise. Add a side-order of fresh shoestring-style fries that makes McDonalds look like a pile of crap, and you have a multi-national lunch that's politically correct and delicious. And here comes the best part--my entire meal cost only $2.95! These are the kind of prices that take the sting out of sitting in the lounge (in the rear of the restaurant) and losing $150 on off-track betting.

P.S. Never bet on a horse with the name "Hung Like a Me." WSH

New Portland Rose Restaurant, 8728 N Lombard