Bill Kim got the Belly ball rolling in 2008 at UrbanBelly with his imaginative takes on noodles and dumplings. Belly Shack—an Asian-Latin fusion joint—followed a year later, and the boricua sandwich was born (think marinated tofu and miso sauce over crispy plantains). Now Kim can’t wait to get his hands on the new infrared grills and the Chinese water smoker at BellyQ, where he’ll sling modern interpretations of Asian barbecue for a house that seats upward of 200. Expect taste treats such as Chinese steamed buns served with Belly Bomb dipping sauce made with ghost chilies, which, according to Kim, are “at least ten times hotter than Scotch bonnet chilies.” He’s also concocted sauces called Belly Smoke (habañeros and chipotle) and Belly Fire (red serranos). Kim is probably working on Belly Blaze right now. 1400 W. Randolph St., 312-563-1010

Photograph: Anna Knott