Chicago Foodies

Carnitas Uruapan Restaurant –Minimalism at Its Finest

I now work on the South Side of Chicago.  Well, not really the South Side, but certainly the near South Side, just south of the South Loop. It's a different environment from a restaurant perspective.  Well, it's different in many perspectives.  But, after years of working downtown and having lunchtime and happy hour accesss to various Loop, River North, and West Loop spots, a smorgasboard of new possibilites has presented itself, across an area ranging from Bronzeville to Pilsen to Little Little Italy, Chinatown, and University Village.  Except on occasion, I'm far too busy to get out for lunch, but have visited a few spots that are reasonably close to the office.  Sometimes my visits to a new-to-me place have been on the way home.  My explorations have inlcuded new establishments, such as Davonti Enoteca, small bistros toying with food trucks, such as Flavor 180, and mainstays, such as Joy Yee Noodles.  Quite a few spots have been rewarding.

Cascabel - dinner daring desire - a dining experience like no other

A zesty Topolo margarita, a savory bite of king crab and guacamole atop crushed tortilla chips followed by a spoonful of liquid queso fundido with chorizo puree - all this before I found my seat amongst the wooden tables for Rick Bayless and Tony Hernandez’ production of Cascabel at the Lookingglass Theatre.

Hearing the rhythmic patter of a chopping knife hitting the cutting board– I found the cook, Rick Bayless, already busy in the center-stage kitchen. The hazy air, smoky sweet aromas and Carlo Basile’s flamenco guitar carried me away to a rustic family inn deep in the heart of Mexico.

At each place setting lay a carefully wrapped banana leaf sealed with a toothpick and a note reading, “Patience is a virtue. Do not open!” Diverting my attention from the hidden treasure, the waitstaff passed hints of passion: “not cherry Jell-O,” a cracker with a star-shaped shiitake-beet gelee and “burnt toast,” pork belly made to look like a plantain on crostini with a savory chipotle BBQ sauce. Has the show even started?

Birrieria Zaragoza – Goat & Fresh Tortillas.

I've read about this place a few times before, and I wanted to follow the herd to great food without the long lines, overexposed media hype, and high prices.   I read about this place a couple times on LTH Forum and Chicago Reader, and having some free time I wanted to make the long journey of discovery to the temple of goat meat on the Southwest Side.

I took the Orange Line down to Pulaski and Archer, an interesting mix of Mexican, East European, and old-school Chicagoans.    The area wasn't entirely an unfamiliar sight, having made numerous trips to Midway, but it's always been dark and I haven't had a chance to take in the scenery.   Archer Heights, the surrounding neighborhood, is in the bungalow belt of pre- and post-WWII middle class homes, and on Pulaski and Archer, a mix of sidewalk storefronts, strip malls, and even a Red Lobster.

A short walk up Pulaski, and I crossed 49th street, spotting the restaurant.  Walking right in I was staring at the menu trying to see what I needed to order, and a man kindly offered up his seat to me so I could talk to the people behind the counter.   Not knowing what I'm doing and being the only güero at the time I felt a bit awkward, but John and Norma, the owners, put me quickly to ease and recommended that I start with a quesadilla with a fantastic fire roasted salsa with smoky, nuanced flavors.  The menu was limited to quesadillas and goat:  focus is the key to success here as in many other places that don't extend their menu to the point where quality diminishes.  

Cinco de Mayo Specials

Happy Cinco de Mayo. There are plenty of events and restaurants to enjoy on this Mexican Independence Day celebration. Check out these events happening tonight and throughout the weekend.

Cinco de Mayo Festival

The Cinco de Mayo festival is held May 6-8 in Little Village. For three days you can enjoy food, drinks, and live music. There are also many activities for kids and families.

The event is from 6 p.m. to 11 p.m. on Friday and 2 p.m. to 11 p.m. on Saturday and Sunday.

Located at 26th Street & Kostner.

Tacos on Ashland: La Pasadita and Tierra Caliente

Chicago's food scene has won plenty of attention for its pizza and hot dogs, but I have often thought that the city's greatest unsung achievement is its Mexican food. Sure, we may not be in Texas or Southern California, but it is nearly impossible to throw a rock without hitting a corner taqueria in this town. We have legions of roving Tamale Guys who satiate our drunken cravings for tamales out of ziplock bags. We have Maxwell Street Market, where street food is served with the excitement of an open-air bazaar. Then, we have Mexican titan Rick Bayless to cover the haute gourmet end of things as well. Take that, San Diego.

However, fancy 30-ingredient mole sauce is not the reason we are gathered here today. Instead, we are here to celebrate the classic taco, elegant in its simplicity, difficult to master. With all the taco joints around town, how do you separate the fresh tomatillos from the canned? I will not pretend to have exhaustive knowledge of the city's taquerias, but here are two of my favorites, which happen to be conveniently located within a couple blocks of each other.

Restaurant Week: Topolobampo

With a PBS series, several cookbooks, multiple James Beard awards, and a prolific Twitter account under his belt, Rick Bayless is an undisputed elder statesman of Chicago's culinary scene. Despite my best intentions though, I never made it to either of his flagship restaurants, Frontera Grill or Topolobampo. There was always some new opening to see, another hole-in-the-wall to discover. Then last September, Bayless won Top Chef Masters, the lead time to get a reservation increased exponentially, and I put it off visiting some more.

But, strange things happen when you decide to move out of town. My normally procrastination-friendly mindset has evaporated and I am suddenly scrambling to check off items from an ever-growing bucket list. Should I be trying new restaurants? Revisiting old favorites? Should I be embarrassed that I've never eaten a burger from Kuma's? Is it really worth waiting in line for 4 hours at Great Lakes just to say I've tried the "best pizza in America"? I think I've covered a fair amount of territory already, but there are certainly missing Legos. Where would you go if you had two months left in Chicago? Anyway, the combination of impending deadlines and Restaurant Week was sufficient motivation for me to make a reservation at Topolobampo, 6 weeks in advance. And now that I have finally tried the Mexican maestro's work, I am upset that I didn't haul myself here earlier.

Frontera Grill – Profeta de Tierra Ajena

Por Ernesto Adduci

Es notable lo del Chef Rick Bayless: un Americano muy americano, que supera a los mexicanos preparando su propia comida. Considerando la extension y variedad de la comida mexicana, esto es un verdadero logro. Cierto, ganar Top Chef Masters lo ha encumbrado a la fama a nivel nacional, sus libros venden y la gente mira sus programas de tv, pero nada de esto se compara al triunfo de cada una de sus creaciones culinarias.

Hace tiempo queria ir a Frontera Grill, el restaurant que se transformo en su marca bandera, pero no fue hasta hoy que logramos encontrar una mesa en el bar. Probamos tres “Platillos Pequeños”: las empanadas de puerco, los sopes rancheros y del menu de Topolobampo, las mollejas de ternera en mole verde. Pedimos las flautas de pato, pero se habian terminado. El tener una mesa en el bar resulto beneficioso, pues pudimos probar platos de ambos menus, incluidas las deliciosas mollejas de Topolo, el restaurant formal de Bayless.

Chilam Balam: Local, fresh interior Mexican food

Only open for over two weeks at the time of this writing, Chilam Balam is an East Lakeview gem situated on the cellar floor of the former  La Tavernetta.  The brightly colored walls and exposed brick make for a very intimate feel that a lot of restaurants strive for but seldom live up to.  Co-owner Soraya Rendon greeted us, and her brother took care of our order.   We were instantly charmed by the friendliness and enthusiasm, and even the details, such as the menu that appeared to be wrapped in something like corn husks, were a welcome part of the atmosphere.

Maxwell Street Market

My first encounter with the Maxwell Street Market, I am ashamed to say, came in the heat of road rage. What on earth is going on, I said to myself, why did they block off traffic for this ridiculous display of dilapidated pick-up trucks and pirated DVDs? I fumed silently. A man with a walker surpassed me.

Later, I was informed that the mysterious road closure was due to the long-running Maxwell Street Market. Despite not being located on Maxwell Street for quite some time now (the market is now in its third location), the market has kept its name and stayed close to its original roots as Chicago's premier open-air bazaar and flea market. In over 100 years of operation, the market has always been a hotbed of immigrant vendors who will gladly "cheat you fair." This is the one place in Chicago where you can buy cherries, used books and a washing machine, all in one location.

NRA Show: Rick Bayless Demo

When you are tired of wandering through the 2,000+ vendors at the National Restaurant Association show, the Culinary Pavilion offers some respite for aching feet. This year's convention features a number of celebrity chefs, many of whom are hometown stars, like Top Chef winner Stephanie Izard and Lockwood's Philip Foss. Several other famous names are on hand for book signings, including Daniel Boulud and Art Smith. And naturally, the indisputable patriarch of Chicago's culinary scene, Rick Bayless, was on hand to give a cooking demonstration.

I had never seen Bayless cook before, on Iron Chef, PBS or otherwise, and was impressed at the amount of food history he packed into a 45-minute demo session. For those of you who love reality cooking shows, Bayless will also be competing on Bravo's Top Chef Masters (alongside Art Smith and Graham Elliot Bowles), which debuts on June 10 at 9 pm.

For this demonstration, Bayless created an old favorite at Frontera Grill, grass-fed flank steak marinated in salsa with fresh corn tamales and grilled knob onions. Though the menu at Frontera Grill changes every month, this dish is a constant staple. The salsa rojo recipe is also available online. Some Bayless thoughts on Mexican cuisine follow below:

Cocina Tarascas

While planning a birthday dinner for someone who enjoys Mexican food, I thought I'd hit upon the perfect location in Mixteco Grill. Unfortunately, I also severely underestimated the popularity of the restaurant because when I called to make a reservation, I was informed that the earliest time we would be able to get a table would be 9:30 pm. Oy veh, where else to turn on a busy Friday night for a dinner that was to take place in two hours? Someone suggested trying Cocina Tarascas instead, a Lincoln Park restaurant featuring "Mexican cuisine with a Caribbean twist." Oh, and let us not forget their most infamous claim to fame: the 45 1/2 oz. margarita. Well, I surmised that even if the food was mediocre, the excess alcohol would be enough to cover all sins. Cocina Tarascas it was!

Mariscos El Veneno

It was a warm and mild evening, with glorious puddles of melted snow on the sidewalks, but my heart was in despair. We were on a quest for pierogies and borscht in Ukrainian Village, hoping to knock back a few beers and leave smelling like cabbage. Alas, not one, or two, but three of the Polish restaurants we’d passed were closed for the night. (Apparently, it’s common for Polish restaurants to close their kitchens at 7 pm on Fridays.) Where to turn next? Our eyes alighted upon the glowing signs of Mariscos El Veneno (translation: “poisonous seafood”), and more importantly, the enormous platter of prawns being brought out by a server. We bit.

Taste of the Aztec World

If you're feeling motivated enough to venture out into the cold to try some exotic foods I can guarantee you've never had before, then be sure to check out the Taste of the Aztec World event going on from Sunday, January 11th through Saturday, January 17th. 

Local restaurants will be preparing Aztec inspired drinks and dishes to commemorate the opening of The Aztec World exhibition at the Field Museum.  16 restaurants will be offering Aztec inspired dishes that range from truly authentic Mesoamerican to more loosely interpreted Mexican classics.  For the classic, try Aria’s melt-in-our mouth chili-braised short ribs with tomato and cheese tamales. 

For the truly authentic visit Mundial Cocina Mestiza where owner Mario Cota took the challenge literally, working with chefs in Mexico City to create some rustic dishes from the past.  For starters you can munch on the Aztec version of nachos with your choice of topping; crickets, worms or prawns.  The crickets on top of salsa Cruda, a raw blend of tomatillo and avocado, have a great mix of sweet and salty crunch.

Real Tenochtitlan Restaurante: Dining, Catering, Classes and more

Here's a reader submission from Paula:

I recently had the pleasure of dining with friends at Real Tenochtitlan Restaurante, located at 2451 N. Milwaukee Ave. in Chicago, IL.  Jorge Piana is the President of this restaurant which does catering, consulting and provides cooking classes.

This restaurant was a real find!  I had duck in mole sauce with garlic mashed potatoes served in a colored taco shell.  It was absolutely perfect!  The mole sauce was smooth, sweet, and chocolaty and the duck melted in your mouth!  The service was impeccable and the waiter described the dishes perfectly and was very accommodating with substitutions.  The duck with mole sauce actually came with rice, but we asked if we could substitute mashed potatoes, and he said, of course.  

Cotija Cheese

I’ve recently discovered Cotija (ko-TEE-hah) cheese and I love it.  Actually, I’m certain that I’ve had it many times at various Mexican restaurants but did not know it by name.  I first discovered it on the menu board at Frontera Fresco where it is deliciously sprinkled on their salads and Huaraches. 

Cotija It is a hard, dry cheese that is typically sold already grated and has a very salty and robust flavor similar to Feta, Parmesan or Romano.  It also goes by other names such as Queso Anejo or “aged cheese” and Queso Seco or “dry cheese.”  Cotija is not the best melting cheese but it is extremely versatile and has a long shelf life, which is why I love it. 

You can grate it over any type of food and it works perfectly.  I’ve been using it as a substitute for Parmesan (similar in calories and fat) and grating it over pasta and lasagna. It works great on salads, vegetables, soups (especially tomato), chili, tacos and enchiladas.  The cheese is sold in grated form at Devon Market at Devon and Clark.  I'm sure you can also find it at any Mexican grocery store.  It truly is the most versatile cheese out there and now the only cheese you’ll consistently find in my refrigerator.

Adobo Grill – Old Town

I have a very hard time taking chain restaurants seriously. I’m barely even open to going to restaurants that have more than one location in the same city.  So I was extremely skeptical with a recent girl's-night-out that was set to start at Adobo Grill in Old Town (they also have locations in Wicker Park, Lombard and Indianapolis). That being said I’m a huge fan of Mexican food and can’t always afford to go stand in line at Frontera – which, in my opinion, is the holy grail of Mexican food.

Adobo was a surprising experience. The 10 of us fit comfortably in a very private table in the main dining area. Because of the large size of the group I was able to try many dishes on the menu and all of the dishes we ordered I found enjoyable and different than your standard burrito/taco Mexican joint.

Red Mole: 5 Hours of Love

Mae West says "Anything worth doing is worth doing slowly."

I'm trying to think of other instances where you trade hours of toil and effort for moments of enjoyment. We wait in line for a roller coaster ride... that might be the best "bang for your buck" example. You work all week for the weekend... that's trite. I think cooking is a good example but in reality the time it takes to make that pain-in-the-ass recipe seems to be 1/2 of the reward – especially a mole.

The sauce is notoriously time consuming and needs constant stirring, mixing, blending, searing, straining, etc. It's in 2 parts for most of the process. It dirties every kitchen utensil you have and smokes up your entire house. My dog went into convulsions which brought my wife to hysterics and they both had to go outside. It was kind of funny.

Chipotle vs. Taqueria: A Tale of Two Burritos

Ha! Dickens reference! But seriously folks, today I’m here to relate my recent experiences with two chicken burritos, one from a big chain restaurant and one from my local family-owned taqueria.

The first burrito I grabbed from the Chipotle Mexican Grill on N. Sheridan. Chipotle, as you are all likely aware, is a large national chain that has its ingredients all laid out behind a big counter, kind of like at Subway, and you can pick and choose what you want from those elements.

Adobo Grill: Regional Mexican

Adobo Grill in Old Town is a huge place.  Massive.  And crowded. There's a reason why:  they do Mexican food very, very well.  It's actually a small chain--if it can even be called a chain (Wicker Park and Indianapolis are the other two places). The bright, open airy place has splashes of rich red colors and Mexican folk art, a nice counterpoint to the crowds who pour in here on weekends, and it’s whimsical enough to not be a cliché of a Mexican restaurant.

Topolobampo for Lunch

The first restaurant reviewed on Chicago Foodies was Frontera Grill. I chose it subconsciously. It was a good place that I'd been to many times. Bayless is the periodic James Beard award winner for cooking, recipe books or television programs... so it was a very logical choice for my subconscious.

However the adjoining restaurant that shares the kitchen is Topolobampo, Bayless's high-end restaurant. It was a place I'd just never thought to visit. Why should I? Frontera has great margaritas, wonderful appetizers, a diverse and hearty list of entrees and a great atmosphere. Why mess with a good thing? Well the occasion came when I had a special lunch to take and why not. Frontera plussed up sounds pretty good.