If, in this age of jazzy comfort food, you’ve wondered why no one has yet fancified the lowly chicken nugget, wonder no more. This 22-seat counter-service spot from DMK has avenged the soggy mystery-meat mash-up of many a childhood by coating hunks of flavorful chicken thigh in cornmeal batter and frying them to craggy, golden perfection.

Get them in a bucket—er, Chinese takeout container ($7 for 10 pieces, $13 for 20, $19 for 30)—with sweet or hot sauce and a side of crispy-creamy Tater Tots. Or have them in a sandwich ($4.50), neatly packed onto a buttery palm-size biscuit with sweet pickle slices and slathered in the house spicy ketchup-mayo sauce. Sip a free iced sweet tea while you wait, but leave room for a too-thick-to-sip shake ($6.50), an import from DMK Burger Bar. The peanut butter option is as good as it is nostalgic. Or mix the chocolate and espresso flavors to make mocha. Because you can. 815 Noyes St., Evanston, 847-424-8226