Karel Munao is just a girl from the block. Raised around Lincoln Square (a graduate of nearby Roosevelt High School), the 51-year-old first-time restaurateur, now living in Park Ridge, has returned with her husband and two grown sons to be a part of the neighborhood’s eclectic dining boom. So why not check out their marvelously colorful and quirky Toucan Chicago featuring affordable Caribbean-inspired cuisine? Appetizers include coconut shrimp ($8.95) and highly munchable cinnamon-dusted plantain chips with black bean and corn salsa ($6.95). Dinner options include a grilled pork chop with pineapple and mint salsa ($18) and asparagus ($13.50) or crab ($14.50) ravilo, both served with a coconut milk sauce. But why’d this Chicago gal choose to go Caribbean? “It has something for everyone. It’s an infusion of a lot of different cultures.” 4603 N. Lincoln Ave. 773-989-9000.
Getting your Trinity Audio player ready...