Mina Mediterranean Restaurant, Mount Prospect

The grill holds court in the kitchen of Mina Mediterranean Restaurant, where flavors from Egypt and Morocco sizzle across a menu of all-halal meat dishes, such as kebabs and tagines, as well as veggie offerings. Morsels of chicken and beef prepared three different ways tumble over a mound of seasoned rice and grilled peppers on the Mina platter ($16.99), described as "a panoramic sampling of the kitchen’s versatility" by the Chicago Sun-Times, which also lauded the "superb" service. Beyond the kitchen, the dining room hosts white-cloaked tables set amid paintings of villagescapes and trompe l'oeil murals that resemble courtyard walls painted with trompe l'oeil murals. A full bar dispatches wine and other nectars as patrons bob to the beats of live music on Friday and Saturday nights.