A neighborhood fave

A little sign inside this neighborhood restaurant reads: “Proudly serving Oak Park since 1986.” The whiting on the lunch special menu ($7) comes with your choice of side. The crispy coleslaw is a great pairing, and you automatically get a slice of cracked wheat bread and a tube of spicy hot sauce. As for the five pieces of Louisiana-style, cornmeal-fried whiting: They’re an orange-ish golden brown and substantially crunchy. The flesh is buttery with some skin intact, almost melting in your mouth. A douse of hot sauce on top enhances this savory ocean-flavored treat. Want even more whiting next time? It’s $12.79 for the one-pound dinner portion. 3224 Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard.