Art's Drive-In

-Grubbing in Chicago
Greek Food and Banter in Bucktown

The corner of North and Elston is kind of a no man’s land in terms of the area and the neighborhood. It’s Lincoln Park according to the signs on the light pole banners but Google says it’s Bucktown. Really the only time people ever found themselves in this area would be when we went to Stanley's Fruits and Vegetables which was a retirement home for produce that closed suddenly in 2019. There was also Art’s Drive In located across the street from Stanley’s but it too closed abruptly when a fire blazed thru the building in 2022. Well the more things change, the more they stay the same. Stanley’s remains gone for good (the building was razed) but Art’s Drive-In is back and better than ever. Note: If you’re going to a concert at Salt Shed this is your spot to grab a bite before or after the show. 

Locals Favorite in Bucktown

Before the fire Art’s was a prototypical Greek owned Chicago style fast food shack. You could get breakfast, lunch, or dinner there and the menu had everything from pancakes to Greek salad to their signature skirt steak sandwich. There used to be a ton of spots like Art’s all across the city but these Greek owned fast food diners are starting to fade away as time goes by (many retired and or moved to Glenview). Enter Alex - new owner of Art’s. Alex is a Greek American Chicago guy whose wife’s family used to run Art’s. When the family decided they wouldn’t be reopening after the fire, they worked out a deal to have Alex take it over. It’s a perfect match as Alex is quite the character and these type of spots always seemed to be run by characters back when I was a kid. Not only is Alex a hoot but he’s a passionate food person who’s serious about putting out a quality product. He refuses to do gyros because he’s not a fan of the factory made cones. Though he has plans to put a made from scratch souvlaki on the menu. The fries are fresh cut and he uses beef tallow as his oil while the hash browns are also made from scratch. Both the cheesesteak and the chicken parm cutlet are covered in Cooper Cheese and the cheese fries get the Merkt's Cheddar treatment. When in-season he uses strawberries from Michigan in the milkshakes which are made the old fashioned way. Same goes for the donuts which are fried fresh on site and topped with delicious homemade frostings. 

Fresh Cut Fries

On my first return visit to Art’s I was immediately greeted by Alex like I was a longtime customer. We hit it off like we had known each other forever. Actually we know some of the same people as Chicago really is the world’s largest neighborhood. Alex grew up on the Northwest Side where his grandma ran a Greek bakery and grocery store called Hellenic located at 6056 W. Diversey. It was there where he would develop a passion for cooking as he often helped her in the kitchen. For my first meal here I had to try the skirt steak sandwich that helped put the previous iteration of Art’s on the map back when it first opened in 1967. I wrote a post about it in 2018. Honestly I’m not a big steak sandwich guy but the skirt steak at Art’s swayed me a little more towards their side. It was more tender than I remember most steak sandwiches to be and had a nice hot/cold element going for it with the lettuce, tomato, and grilled onions. The bread isn’t a typical Turano roll either so that was nice. It’s tough to go wrong with any of Alex’s sandwich creations - every one I’ve tried has been super satisfying. 

Skirt Steak Sandwich at Art's Drive-In

I knew I liked Alex right away when I asked about the Italian beef sandwich and whether it was made on site or pulled from a bag and he almost seemed offended I would ask. No hormone filled bagged beef here. Alex takes the time to roast his own fresh chunk of bottom round which is sliced on site and seasoned with a unique sweet tasting gravy that gives it a flavor unlike any other Italian beef in town and that’s exactly how it should be. Italian beef shouldn’t taste exactly the same from spot to spot. 

Italian Beef at Art's Drive-In

Art’s Drive-In opens at 6am Monday-Saturday and at 8a on Sundays making breakfast a big part of their day. It also makes Art’s a popular stop with the city’s working class just like the original iteration of Art’s was. Honestly I’m not the biggest breakfast guy. Usually my first meal of the day is lunch and sometimes it’s not until dinner believe it or not. But on one of my early visits I asked Alex what I needed to try the next time I stopped in and he was quick to tell me the pastrami. He was adamant that if I was there in the morning I needed to try the pastrami, egg, cheese on the burger bun (it’s served on French bread otherwise). If later in the day he insisted I try the pastrami burger which he told me is an ode to La Jolla, the neighborhood in San Diego where his dad lives. Alex and him often get pastrami burgers when he’s down there so he went ahead and put one on his menu here. 

Pastrami, Egg, and Cheese

Both the pastrami breakfast sandwich and the pastrami burger are delivered via an incredible bun that Alex has baked for him off site. Each of the top and the bottom bun are studded with black and white sesame seeds and they’re soft but sturdy enough to carry the load be it it thinly sliced extra peppery pastrami with egg and cheese or a fresh all beef patty grilled to order with the same pastrami plus lettuce, tomato, onions, and cheese. These made me wonder why pastrami hasn’t caught on with Chicago style fast food the same way it has out in Southern California. The only thing I would do different is I prefer when a breakfast sandwich comes with a runny yolk so I’d ask for that next time.

Pastrami Cheeseburger at Art's Drive-In

Art’s also makes for a great dinner destination with some super fresh Greek forward dinner plates. If it’s a nice day he has patio seating and it can be really chill to just sit outside and watch the cars ride by. I did this a couple weeks ago on what was a hot and muggy evening so I wanted to get something refreshing and a Greek Salad with skirt steak was the perfect call. As you should know this far into the post - all salad the dressings are made on site. The pork chop plate was equally satisfying with the hash browns being the perfect match for two Greek seasoned pork chops grilled to order. 

Greek Salad with Skirt Steak

Pork Chop Dinner with Hash Browns

I don’t think I’d had Biftekia before I tried it at Art’s one night when I was looking for something a bit more substantial and Alex told me I was having that for dinner. Biftekia are savory, herb-infused beef patties, similar to hamburgers but traditionally served without a bun. They’re kind of like a Greek version of Kofta. At Art’s you get two healthy sized discs of Biftekia served with rice, bread and salad making for a complete meal. You owe it to yourself and to Alex to go have a meal at Art’s. I can’t recall a restaurant with a similar setup where the owner was as passionate and welcoming as Alex is. Skip the hot dogs at Home Depot down the street and have one here - just $5.99 with fresh cut fries. 

Biftekia at Art's Drive-In

Art's Drive-In
1333 W North Ave
Chicago, IL 60642
(312) 500-2787
Website

Sliced Beef Sandwiches

-Grubbing in Chicago
Five of a Kind: Beefy Sandwiches

To Chicagoans like myself the term “beef sandwich” means something very specific - an Italian beef. But today’s post will feature more than just Italian beef as there’s an infinite number of ways you can go when starting out with some bread and some sliced beef. But because this is a Chicago based blog and it once had a sister site called ‘Beef with Hot’ I'll also share a couple of newish Italian beefs that have appeared since my ‘Beef with Hot’ blog disappeared. I feel like we’ve reached the peak of sliced beef sandwiches in Chicago and I’m here for all of them. Here’s five I’ve recently tried -

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Chef Ciccio

Navy Pier was the last place I would expect to find a legit Italian beef but that changed when Ciccio Beef opened in the food court last year. Props to the proprietor, Mario Ferraro, who’s doing things a bit differently at his foodstall found near the east end of the food court - no bagged beef here. Mario’s family was making Italian beef sandwiches at their banquet hall back in the 30’s and his recipe hasn’t strayed much from the one his predecessors used. I watched as Mario put a basket of freshly sliced beef into the gravy for a quick dip before going into a sturdy roll. The bread itself is a tad bit harder than the typical bread used for Italian beef but it gets up to snuff when dipped. It comes from Florida which is a bit odd but it works even if I prefer a lighter French roll. The beef here is thicker than your typical beef stand beef but it’s also tender so again it’s not my preferred style but it works really well. Extra points for the vesuvio like roast potatoes included on the side. I’d score it a 17/20 on da old ‘Beef with Hot’ blogspot and that means it’s more than worth a try, especially if you’re a tourist in Chicago doing the tourist thing and you want to get an Italian beef. So much better than Portillo’s.

Beef with Hot at Chef Ciccio Beef
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Phodega

This hip Vietnamese restaurant has moved since we first visited back in 2020. Phodega outgrew its Ashland location and moved to a bigger space on Division in Wicker Park where it fits right in. They make good pho and I love their take on the Loco Moco (hamburger patties and rice with a fried egg and their special “pho gravy”) but the Viet Dip is my favorite item on the menu. Thinly sliced ribeye is loaded into a sturdy French roll and dressed with cilantro, onion, jalapeños served with a potent bowl of au jus similar in taste to the broth in a bowl of pho. This is one of the best sandwiches in the city.

Viet Dip at Phodega
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Beer Temple

Last year at this time I hit up the Beer Temple in Avondale for some Oktoberfest sippin’ and also a smoked beef sandwich which I was informed of by a well informed reader. I never knew this top notch beer bar even had a food menu. The ‘Beefy Boy’ is a fantastic beef sandwich made with smoked beef that’s sliced nice and thin and piled into a Turano roll with sport peppers and grilled onions. At just $10 (as of October 2023) it’s the perfect sandwich to pair with one of the many excellent beers on tap.

Beefy Boy Sandwich at Beer Temple 
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Umamicue

Umamicue is a Texas bbq popup inspired by the owner / pitmaster Charles Wong's Vietnamese roots. This equates to killer mashups like their popular Smoked Brisket Banh Mi. Back when Umamicue was roaming from spot to spot he was also doing a kickass smoked brisket sandwich served with a Vietnamese curry used for dipping. The brisket Bahn Mi is still front and center at their current residency inside Spilt Milk Tavern in Logan Square but the brisket curry didn’t make the cut. Though he is doing a really creative take on the Italian beef called the 'Umami Beef.' Charles smokes a beef round roast until his desired doneness and then after an overnight rest it’s all sliced up and tossed into a groovy tasting gravy made from Chinese hot pot broth of which you also get a cup on the side for dipping. He uses bread from Be Le Bakery and adds a mild giardiniera to round it all out.

Umami Beef at Umamicue
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The Duck Inn

Chef Kevin Hickey’s Duck Inn has lasting power having been a part of the Bridgeport neighborhood for more than a decade. Impressive. I hadn’t visited in bit up until my recent visit which was for something very specific - an Italian beef. I’m not sure how long it’s been on the menu but I quickly put it on my hit list upon first learning of it. Hickey and his team roast all natural prime rib and slice it nice and thin before it’s bathed in a gravy seasoned with garlic, basil, oregano, Calabrian chilies, and rosemary. This chef driven beef hits all the high notes of a classic Italian beef with its tender meat, intoxicating gravy and a sturdy bun which switches between Turano and D’Amatos depending on what they can get that day. My only complaint with this one is the same complaint I have for most chef driven Italian beefs - it needs to be served a tad bit hotter in terms of temperature. I think the fact that restaurants like Duck Inn don’t move Italian beef throughout the day they don’t have the gravy warmed up until an order is placed. But other than that this is a classically constructed beef sandwich.

Italian Beef at The Duck Inn
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See ya next time @chibbqking

Empanadas in Chicago

-Grubbing in Chicago
Five of a Kind: Empanadas 

I brought a newfound love for empanadas back home with me when I returned from Argentina this past March. They really are the perfect snack as far as grab and go goes (it's a little harder to eat a taco while walking). But I've crossed paths with a diverse selection of empanadas since my return - 

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Thimi's Empanadas

Honestly the empanadas in Buenos Aires kind of ruined all others for me. Every single one of them could’ve been the best I ever had. That’s how good they were. I’m not saying that Argentinean empanadas are superior I’m just saying there’s so many awesome empanadas in BA. That said I had high hopes for the Argentinean empanadas at Thimi Empanadas at 1247 S. Western Avenue on the edge of Pilsen. It’s ran by a family from Uruguay that lived in Argentina previously. The South American countries are located right next to each other and they have similar cuisines so this isn't out of the ordinary. They make a variety of baked empanadas but with this being my first trip I had to try the beef which comes ground with onions, bell pepper, hard boiled eggs, garlic, scallion, and spices. One bite of this and I was ready to name these some of the best empanadas in town right now. 

Empanada at Thimi's Empanadas
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Taqueria Misantla

We’ll shoot over to Little Village to check out the next spot at 2455 S. Kedzie. Taqueria Misantla is named after a town in Veracruz and they offer a menu of regional snacks from the area including gorditas, tamales, and empanadas. You can choose between a few fillings but the friendly waitress suggested I get the chicken so that’s what I went with. These are fried and similar to Venezuelan style empanadas except they get topped with typical Mexican toppings including cotija cheese, sour cream, and shredded lettuce. You kind of have to eat these with a fork alike a plate of enchiladas.

Empanadas at Taqueria Misantla
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Viet Five 

Viet Five is a Vietnamese owned coffee shop at 1116 W. Madison in the West Loop. I’m not a coffee drinker at all but I was driven in by a sign I saw for fresh Vietnamese empanadas. I don’t think I’d ever had a Vietnamese empanada before this but a little online searching led me to a similar dish called bánh gối aka a Pillow Cake. Wikipedia describes them as “meat, mushrooms, vermicelli, and diced vegetables such as carrots, kohlrabi and jicama…sometimes boiled egg and sliced Chinese sausage are used and it’s wrapped into a thinly rolled piece of dough and deep-fried”. You’ll find most of those ingredients in the empanadas at Viet Five making them both different and delicious.

Vietnamese Empanada at Viet Five 
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Empanada Mama

Empanada Mama opened last year at 1703 W. Chicago Avenue in Ukrainian Village. It’s Minority, Woman, Veteran and Puerto Rican owned with a fully stocked bar and extended hours on weekends. I dropped by for lunch a couple months back and enjoyed a massive empanada stuffed with garlic pork and rice. These are fried so the ones without cheese are a tad dry but that’s easily remedied with an excellent salsa criolla. Also of note is the Puerto Rican rice which the courteous owner let me try.

Pork and Rice Empanada at Empanada Mama
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Roma's Italian Beef & Sausage

I’d venture to guess I hadn’t been to Roma’s Italian Beef & Sausage at 4237 N Cicero in more than a decade. Nothing against the place I just hadn’t been by for a sandwich in forever and technically I still haven’t as I recently stopped by to try their Italian beef empanadas. They come freshly fried with two to an order and are served with a little cup of gravy aka au jus. I think they must’ve got the idea to make these trying to figure out what to do with all of the beef debris that sinks to the bottom of the pot. It was fun to try these once but I still prefer my beef in bread lightly dipped with sweet and hot. Oh and I also got a gravy bread for the first time in forever. I’m always down for some old school nostalgia. 

Italian Beef Empanadas at Roma's Italian Beef & Sausage
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See ya next time @chibbqking

Santa Masa Tamaleria

-Grubbing in Chicago  
Chef Driven Mexican in Dunning

You already know this but ‘The Bear’ is back for a 3rd season on Hulu. What you might not have known is Santa Masa Tamaleria is also back. The story of this masa forward restaurant on Addison began back in 2020 in the middle of the pandemic when restaurants had to close. Chef Danny Espinoza had plans to open a Mexican seafood restaurant with his wife but they had to scratch that idea. Instead they pivoted to tamales which they sold out of a commercial kitchen in Avondale but when the city started to open back up they moved to the suburbs where they took jobs outside of the restaurant world. As time went by they missed cooking and yearned for those interactions that working in a restaurant can bring and with that they opened Santa Masa Tamaleria at 7544 W Addison.

Recently Opened in Dunning 

Classic tamales made with corn husk are front and center here as their old pop up helped spawn the restaurant. Both Danny and his wife Jhoana come from tamale making families, his from Michoacán and hers from Mexico City. The menu lets you choose from five tamales including the classic red and green varieties made with chicken in tomatillo sauce and chicken in Guajillo Chile sauce. 

Tamale at Santa Masa Tamaleria 

They also feature a Tamale Del Mes which takes us back to my previous mention of the The Bear. This month’s special is an Italian beef tamale that pre-dates the show but they brought it back to celebrate the release of the third season. If I'm being honest an Italian beef tamal sounds like something you would make for clicks on TikTok but this is hardly a gimmick. Chef Danny shows off his food knowledge and fine dining training by pulling off one of the most surprising bites of the year. He starts by roasting a piece of top round which also produces the gravy which is seasoned with the essence of Ancho and Pasilla chiles, Mexican oregano and more. The beef is sliced and mixed into fresh masa which goes into grilled banana leaves the same way a Oaxacan tamale is made. “Escabeche-esque” giardiniera is added behind the counter and a little cup of the gravy (au jus) is poured over when served. High quality ingredients throughout make for a fantastic snack. I asked Danny if he’s ever considered putting his beef in some sort of torta roll as it would easily be one of the best beefs in the city. I have no idea if that’ll happen but he did seem intrigued. You have until the end of the month to try the Italian beef tamale as its August replacement will be Corunda tamales - a regional variation from Michoacán.

Italian Beef Tamale at Santa Masa Tortilleria 

Tamales aren’t the only thing Danny is passionate about. I asked about the green chorizo used in one of the tacos and Danny explained how his love for it stems back to the first time he tried this regional recipe from Toluca. He told me a story of how enamored he was when he first came across it on a trip with his uncle. Upon learning of chorizo de verde estilo Toluca he became obsessed with making his own and as time has passed he's developed a recipe which he plans to package and sell to restaurants and supermarkets across the city thru his other venture called Santo Chorizo. But for now you can try Chef Danny’s delicious green chorizo in a taco dressed with fried breakfast potatoes and pickled onions on a fresh pressed corn tortilla. The chorizo is deep green due to all the earthy ingredients used to make it. The potatoes were a nice touch as this taco reminded me of a popular stand in Mexico City called Ricos Tacos Toluca that puts fries on their green chorizo tacos. 

Green Chorizo Taco at Santa Masa Tamaleria 

On my initial visit to try the Italian beef tamal Danny had waxed poetic about his weekend special pozole so I made plans to go back for some of that when the weekend rolled around. Although his family makes a red version Danny has come up with his own recipe which is green. It’s pretty traditional in the sense of the dish but a few chef driven tweeks like chunks of soft and tender pork butt and fresh grilled tostadas make this one stand out. I think it might be the best bowl of pozole in town right now. 

Pozole 

Santa Masa Tamaleria
7544 W Addison St
Chicago, IL 60634
(312) 982-9306
Website

Rosie's Sidekick

-Grubbing in Chicago  
Italian Deli Fare in Logan Square

The Bear is back for a second season on HULU / FX so I figured now was as good of a time as ever to share some Italian beef content. As longtime readers know I used to have a sister blog to S’C’&C called “What’s Your Beef?” where I reviewed all of the Italian beef sandwiches in town. Ok maybe not all of them but all of the ones worth trying which are the spots where they make their beef from scratch as opposed to taking it out of a bag. Eventually I ran out of places to review as there's been a long period where we’re losing more Italian beef stands than we’re gaining. I’m talking about the specialist spots and not places like Portillo’s or the mom and pop hot dog stands that use beef from a bag. I’m referring to places like Rosie’s Sidekick on California which has been making Italian beef in house since they first opened which wasn’t that long ago but it was at least a couple years before The Bear made Italian beef trendy on a national stage. For the first time in what feels like forever, Italian beef is getting its due and new school spots like Rosie’s are slowly starting to pop up.

Locals Favorite in Logan Square 

Rosie’s is an Italian deli that makes their Italian beef in-house. There tends to be two types of Italian beef, three if you include the factory produced stuff. Beef from Italian beef stands and beef from Italian delis each have their own characteristics with deli beefs tending to be a thicker cut similar to roast beef. Rosie’s does what I would describe as a deli style beef. Another characteristic of deli style is sometimes to slice the beef to order before giving it a quick bath in the gravy. The beef stands tend to have more traffic so it doesn’t sit in the gravy as long and thus doesn’t need to be dropped to order. Rosie’s beef is very similar to hot roast beef. I’ve had it as is with hot peppers and it’s pretty good but I prefer “The Couch” which is a lesser seen combo when it comes to Italian beef. The Couch consists of beef and meatballs plus marinara and cheese and your choice of peppers. Rosie’s makes great meatballs (baked not fried) and the beef works well with them. I’m not sure it makes a meatball sandwich any better but it doesn’t make it worse. But if I had to pick between the two I would get the meatball over the beef. Then again meatballs just work better with marinara and cheese. 

The Couch Sandwich at Rosie's Sidekick 

While all of the hot sandwiches I’ve had here are of a high quality it’s the pizza bread I've been most impressed with. They take baked on site muffuletta bread and top it with marinara and mozzarella and your choice of any two toppings before a trip to the oven. I decided to try one with meatballs and giardiniera and came away with a new neighborhood option when I want pizza or something similar. I wouldn’t call family owned Italian Delis like Rosie’s a dying breed but they’re certainly close to going on the endangered list so make sure to support your local spots while they’re still around as they’re fading fast.

Muffuletta Pizza 

Rosie's Sidekick 
2610 N California Ave
Chicago, IL 60647
(773) 697-3000
Website

Pizza House

 -The other Chicago-style pizza: Tavern Style

Summer is fading fast so we recently took advantage of the sun and went north up Lake Michigan, for some beach and pizza. To Illinois State Beach and Pizza House in Zion (Lake County) to be exact. 

Locals Favorite in Zion

Pizza House was the first stop as it's only a 10 minute ride from the beach so we wanted to grab our pizza and bring it there. The last time I had been out this way I was given a hot tip in the form of homemade Italian beef in these parts. This was news to me as I’ve had most of Chicagoland's home-made beef offerings but never from here where they’ve been slicing it thin since 1975. But first a pizza bc I liked how the online pictures looked and it came out looking even better. Instagram don’t lie, ok it does, but not here as this was as good as it looked hitting all the high notes as far as thin crust in Chicagoland goes - thin and crisp with a fennel forward sausage, exactly how I like them.
 

Sausage Pizza at Pizza House 

As for the beef I ended up with one of them on garlic bread as they use a Turano roll so I figured why not. Pizzerias are the spots to get a beef on garlic bread and this was a really good one. The beef was the best part which is always a good thing. I was surprised to find their house hot pepper blend was the fresh jalapeño and celery style made popular by spots like Pop’s on the South Side which is pretty far from here near the Wisconsin border. It shouldn’t be a surprise to find tavern pizza this good halfway between Chicago and Racine but the beef is as good as I’ve had in these parts.

Italian Beef on Garlic at Pizza House 

Pizza House 
2409 Sheridan Rd
Zion, IL 60099
(847) 872-4868
Website

Eating BIG in Mexico City Pt. 2

Eating like a local:
Regional food specialties
- Return to CDMX

After a few days in Puebla it was time to head to the big city. Big city as in the fifth largest city in the world - Mexico City aka CDMX. It had been more than five years since we last visited. Hopefully that's the longest stretch in between visits bc Mexico City is one of my favorite places in the world. Of course it starts with the food which is a melting pot of regional Mexican food. The street food in Mexico City is commonly mentioned as some of the best anywhere and it is but as I would learn on this trip the fine dining is equally awesome. Me and the wife were joined by my aunt and uncle so I made sure to have a handful of reservations in place so we weren't running around trying to find a spot where we could get seated. Mexico City's size means there's never an off night. Reservations are highly recommended at any spot you really want to check out that takes them. Last trip in I ate a ton of tacos and other street food favorites but we didn't get a single reservation so you don't need them unless you plan on checking out the city's nighttime dining scene which you most definitely should. 

 

Sights from CDMX

Mexico City is a magical place. The type of spot you could just walk around for days on end and never do the same thing twice. It's a huge city in both population and size. Tourists tend to stay in a few specific neighborhoods but they don't feel very touristy. Trendy and developed, yes, but it's an actual city and not a resort town. Cities this size always have an electric feel and CDMX is voltaic. One of the things I love about it is you could make yearly visits that are never the same as before whether it's the sites you see or the restaurants you eat at. There's something for everybody and for me it starts with the food but I also love the country as a whole. The people, the music, the natural beauty, and yes the food. Mexico City is without a doubt one of the worlds best eating destinations.

Sights from CDMX

CDMX is the type of spot that gives me crazy FOMO (fear of missing out). What I mean by that is there's literally 1000's of spots I want to check out. As always I tried to get to as many as I could but I also tried not to go too hard (easier said than done for me). Actually for the first time in all of my trips to Mexico my guts of steel were penetrated and my appetite was lost completely. This would last for only a day but it was the day I'd made reservations at Quintonil which is one of Mexico's most critically acclaimed restaurants.It's a hard reservation to snag so I was sad to miss it but what can you do. I ended up losing a day basically but was able to recover by the next morning so I was thankful for that. We stayed in Roma Norte which is one of those neighborhoods I mentioned as being popular with tourists and it is but it's also popular with younger locals which means there's some great places to eat and drink. My favorite non-food experience of the trip was a visit to the Mercado de Jamaica (the flower market). It's well worth exploring with all sorts of sights and smells to take in.

Sights from CDMX
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Migrante

On our first night in town there weren't as many dinner options as it was a Monday and many spots were closed. But it was also my wife's bday and a place that was open was Migrante which was one of the spots near the top of my list as far as reservations go. So it was a no brainer to do our first dinner in CDMX at a place people call a Michelin level restaurant. They have an ala carte menu but those that praised Migrante all did so in the name of the tasting menu which is nine courses. Exactly how much per person I forget but under $100 which was a steal of a deal. The young chef stepped out of the kitchen to describe each dish to us to the best of his ability which was pretty damn good. Most people in Mexico speak better English than we do Spanish. Nonetheless you should totally trust this young chef bc I thought this was the best meal of the trip and one of the better, more interesting tasting menus I've ever had the pleasure of trying. You could tell the chef is well versed in food as a whole as each one of these dishes had hints of another cuisine with Asian food being an obvious influence. While each course was as interesting as the next his signature duck dish was out of this world. I'm not even a big duck guy but that might've been the best thing that I ate on this trip.

Course One: Crispy Prawn (eat like a taco) inspired by the street food of Thailand

 Course Two: Pan con Suadero y Kimchi

 Course Three: Churro with Foie Gras and Truffle

Course Four: Melon, Tuna, Ikura, XO, Yuzu, Melon Consomme

Course Five: Ensenada Scallop wrapped in Shiso Leaf with Kefir and Sake Broth

Course Six: Carpaccio, Pistachio, other delicious things wrapped in mystery leaf (my Spanish sucks) sitting on top crispy fried potatoes

Course Seven: Local Ensenada fish, dry aged, robata grilled, saffron foam. Inspired by fish stews of Morocco

Course Eight: Aged Duck Breast, Charred Carrots, Plum Puree, Sake, Yuzu

Course Nine: Totally forgot what this one was. But it was awesome. It all was.
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Mi Compa Chava

Some of you might be familiar with LAtaco. For those that aren't it's a "major source of news and information covering food, culture, and community in the metropolitan area." It's ran by an A+ team that's led by Editor Javier Cabral who's a good dude whom I know through the food world. Javier knows a ton about about food and I totally trust his judgement so I knew a trip to Mi Compa Chava was going to be really good as he called it the best place in CDMX to get mariscos at the moment. This was probably the number one spot on my hit list which might seem odd since Mexico City is landlocked but Chilango's go crazy for seafood and Mi Compa Chava has been welcomed by them with open arms. It's ran by a chef with Baja connections which is where all of the product comes from. This was the best seafood I've ate in a non-coastal place. I wish we could've returned for more as there was lots of stuff worth trying but whatever you get make sure theres an order of Camarones Zarandeados with it.

Baja Chopped Clams + Pepper

Costra Taco de Camarones

Ceviche estilo Sinaloa

Camarones Zarandeados

Chicharron de Pescado
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Restaurante Rosetta

Rosetta is the type of spot you want to make a reservation for if you really want to go. It's always busy and it's the type of place you'll find lots of groups dining out. The food is Italian but it's rooted in a deep respect for Mexican ingredients. The menu is constantly changing with what's local and in-season but you can always expect a few pasta options one of which was really interesting on our visit. But first up was an order of "tacos" bc I always have to try the tacos even when they're a metaphor for whats really an interesting dish made with both romeritos and pistachio pipian verde sitting on top of a piece of savoy cabbage which is used like a tortilla. Romeritos are what Mexicans call the edible plants that also go by quelites. I read that they spring up in agricultural fields in a weed like manner so I'd imagine it's abundant but I'd also bet most people don't make them taste this good. Since we had such a big lunch we went easy on the ordering but a couple of pastas were both on point with the pappardelle and papalo with duck being an awesome combination of Mexican and Italian.

Savoy cabbage, pistachio pipián and romerito tacos

 Pappardelle, pápalo and duck

Ravioli, ricotta, fennel and tarragon

 Pears, elder-flowers and tarragon
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Masala y Maiz 

Speaking of fusion don't miss Masala Y Maiz if you're a fan of the mingling of culinary traditions which is what the duo behind this place calls it. The marriage of Mexican and Indian cuisines here is stunning. I’m not talking about stuff like butter chicken burritos, this isn’t that (which can also be good). This is the result of two people who share both a love for food and each other as well as each other’s food. Her family is from Mexico and his from India and together they've set put to decolonize the industry. It's a fascinating spot where the menu is frequently changing but never uninspiring.

Crudo (pesca del día) con leche de tigre de coco, chilacayote, chutney de coco de Shazia y pappads

Samosas de Suadero y de aloo pepita

Paratha Quesadilla con queso Oaxaca, queso de montaña, salsa machaar, ensalada de hierbas y jitomate heirloom

Camarones Papelar con ghee de vanilla y chile morita

Tetela de jaiba suave con pachi pulusu
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Merotoro

Mexico City is home to a number of spots serving up the food of Baja which is very popular at the moment. Mexico's westernmost state has an action packed cuisine that draws inspiration from the Mediterranean as well as Asia and is rich in seafood. Wine is also a major player with the Valle de Guadeloupe calling the state home. The humble fish taco might be it's most famous dish and it's also where the Caesar salad was born (Tijuana) but these days Baja is breeding some of the country's best chefs many of which are taking their talents to Mexico City. Merotero is a newish spot with lots of glowing reviews. They're an upscale place in an upscale part of town but all the fine dining down here is at a very discounted price compared to up here. A shrimp risotto inspired dish was one of the best things we ate with perfectly al dente rice and the most creamy concoction of uni and pumpkin. We also had a fantastically cooked piece of bass that they split for us (two plates). Huge portion.

Creamy Rice with shrimp, pumpkin, sea urchin

Pan Seared Seabass, kohlrabi puree, bok choy, chili oil
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Arroces Del Baby Face

Return to Arroces Del Babyface! The food scene in CDMX is really starting to turn out interesting Mexican and Asian fusion spots but this little street stand is one of the OG’s on that front. Guadalupe Fuentes Ochoa aka Baby Face is a retired Lucha Libre who was so popular in his heyday he traveled abroad to places like Asia to do wrestling shows. Over the course of time he visited Japan a high number of times and fell in love with the food while there. So he brought it here. As a result more than 25 years ago he opened a street stand in Mexico City where classic Mexican ingredients like hot dogs and chorizo get fried up with shrooms, onion, bell peppers, soy sauce, and white rice. I visited this stand last trip and it was one of the best experiences I had in CDMX and I’ve recommend it to anyone that asks “where I should I eat in Mexico City” since. This is a one of a kind Chilango experience down to the food and Baby Face himself, he said he remembered me but I think he’s just really good at schmoozing with customers. Probably my favorite Culinary Backstreets hot tip over the years. Pictured is the Friday special mariscos fried rice (fish, shrimp, scallops, mushrooms) which goes quick so get there early. They only buy enough ingredients for the day so you know it’s fresh bc they always sell out. Best ate with a few scoops of extra spicy roasted tomato based salsa on top.

Arroz Frito con Mariscos at Arroces Del Baby Face
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Chicago Bernie's Beef Bike

I was surprised to find a made from scratch Italian beef in CDMX. As one of the worlds leading experts on this sandwich I felt it was my duty to stop in at Chicago Bernie's Beef Bike. So much so I visited twice as the first time they were closed due to a power issue. So how was it? Like I said, this is the real deal. So much so I felt like I was transported home as I lifted the sandwich to take that first bite. Near sensory overload for a Chicagoan in Mexico. Even the bread is really good (similar to birote). It’s hard enough finding spots that do made from scratch Italian beef in Chicago so color me red when I came across one in Mexico City. Complete story coming somewhere, sometime soon.

Italian Beef at Chicago Bernie's Beef Bike
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Los Pambacitos Benjamin Franklin

Next stop up was a place I found reading a locals blog. Mexico City is known for massive torta sandwiches and also the much smaller pambacito. This is an antojito that’s not as popular as some others but still popular with people that live near the old time spots that still make them. Places like Los Pambacitos Benjamin Franklin. It’s the fresh fried pieces of bread that makes these what they are. Closest thing I can think of in terms of something similar is a Frybread taco as the bread in these is stuffed with your choice of filling with shredded lettuce on top. The name comes from the original location on Benjamin Franklin in the Miguel Hidalgo neighborhood. Desde 1947.

Pambacitos at Los Pambacitos Benjamin Franklin
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Joe Gelato

If you find yourself in CDMX on one of it's hot and humid days you'd do good by heading over to Joe Gelato in the Juárez neighborhood. It's only been open since 2018 but they have a loyal following for their creative flavors many of which are made with lesser known local ingredients like cempasúchil flower blossoms which bloom every October. I like the fruit flavored gelatos more than others so I went with a couple of those (mango / strawberry) and they were extra refreshing on a hot and sunny day.

 

Gelato at Joe Gelato
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Cariñito Tacos

Here we have the winner of closest spot on my google food map to our AirBNB. Cariñito is a newish spot in the Roma Norte neighborhood. Some CDMX locals would call this a hipster spot and maybe it is but they make some really hip and delicious tacos that I'd gladly eat just about any meal of the week. It’s a classic neighborhood setup with a small but mighty menu. They do three types of tacos de panza and one daily veggie offering, all of which have some Asian influence including the Thai which was my favorite of the bunch. Crisp chunks of pork belly go into a warm corn tortilla topped with a handful of super fresh Thai herbs. Perfect paired with a cerveza on a hot and sunny day in the city. 

Asian Tacos at Cariñito Tacos
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Tres Galeones 

Tres Galeones was another spot on my map right around the corner from where we were staying. It's a "Taqueria de Puerto" meaning seafood tacos are on offer. All of us enjoyed the fish tacos and the costra de camaron I got was just awesome. We had plans to return for more but it never happened. 

Tacos at Tres Galeones
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Tacos de Hamburguesa de Don Toño

There's no shortage of unique tacos in this town and the tacos de hamburguesa at Tacos de Hamburguesa de Don Toño would certainly qualify as so. Hand formed patties of beef are studded with onions and cooked on a hot flattop just like some of the best burgers out there except these go into tortillas instead of buns and get doused with killer salsas instead of ketchup and mustard. These had a greasy factor going for them that reminded me of the diner burgers of yesteryear. Desde 1990.

Tacos de Hamburguesa at Tacos de Hamburguesa Don Toño
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Garrido Mixiotes Estilo Hidalgo at the Tianguis Condesa Market 

I had a few repeat visits one of which was the Tianguis Condesa Market which runs every Tuesday in the Condesa neighborhood. As is the case with most open air markets in Mexico you'll find some good food at this one. Last time in town we were also there on a Tuesday and we were staying near here so I walked over to try some of the lamb mixiote tacos which ended up being one of the top tacos of the trip and with it one of the best tacos I'd ever had. So I went back this trip and brought my aunt and uncle with. I loved them just as much this time as nothing seems to have changed. The family makes their barbecued pit lamb back home in Hidalgo and drives into the city on Tuesday's to serve it. It's not gamey at all. In fact it's some of the most succulent meat of any kind I've ever tried. 

Lamb Miniotes Taco at the Tianguis Condesa Market
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Tacos El Güero

I made a point to try as many different tacos de suadero as I could on this trip. I'm not ready to say I prefer them to Mexico City's other taco specialty, tacos al pastor, but I think I'd pick suadero over al pastor four days a week. Tacos El Güero is a fairly common name for a taco spot so important to note that this Tacos El Güero is in the San Rafael neighborhood. It's one of that areas most popular spots judging by the 1000's of mostly positive reviews on google. In many of those reviews it's the suadero being praised so I made it a point to stop in when I was in the area. All the tacos de suadero I ate were great. I'd recommend them all based on where you are when you want some. 

Tacos de Suadero Tacos El Güero
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Taqueria Gabriel 

There's no shortage of hip taquerias in CDMX. They're found all over town. Taqueria Gabriel in the borough of Cuauhtémoc is a good example of the type of spot I'm talking about. In the States these type of taco spots tend to miss more than hit but tacos in Mexico City in general tend to hit more than miss so don't be turned off by the newness of some of them. Actually I stopped here one day bc it was pretty damn hot and I needed a cold beer to cool down with. Taqueria Gabriel is known not just for the their tacos but their big schooners of beer. I'd already ate at a couple spots before stopping here so I only tried one taco which was a trompo de asada (spit roasted skirt steak) topped with a couple spoonfuls of guacamole. Char grilled steak and gauc is always a perfect match.

Trompo de Asada at Taqueria Gabriel
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Tacos El Vilsito

Return visit to what some call the best tacos al pastor on earth. They're a contender for sure which is why I returned for more, this time with my uncle. Though we had just ate a ton of food these were so damn satisfying. I've had spots that are just as good but none of them match the atmosphere you'll find here. Located in a former tire shop Tacos El Vilsito is the nighttime spot for Chilangos in need of the city's signature snack. Tacos El Vilsito excels bc they draw big crowds and have enough trompos (3) to keep a steady flow. Don't miss the Volcanes which are made by toasting a corn tortilla until crisp and loading it with sliced pork and lots of cheese. I wish these would take off in the States.

 
Volcanes de Al Pastor at Tacos El Vilsito
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Tacos Tony

Right around the corner from Tacos El Vilsito you'll find Tacos Tony. Together they make for a great 1-2 punch as Tacos Tony specializes in Mexico City's other signature offering, tacos de suadero. While all the spots around town prepare suadero similarly it's still a bit different from spot to spot. Tacos Tony leaves it in larger chunks than most. It's just as tender as others but different texturally.

 
Tacos de Suadero at Tacos Tony
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Street Tacos 

I got a chance to meet up with a Chicagoan turned Chilango who I knew from the twittersphere. We made plans to check out a couple of his go-to spots and I was planning on getting a pizza from his place but this was right when I was sick and without much of an appetite. Even so I scarfed down a couple of tacos from a nameless street stand in the Condesa neighborhood. After that we walked over to a spot called Xel-ha for some snacks from the Yucatan. Both a cochinita pibil taco and also a panucho reminded me that I really need to go to Merida. I'm thinking maybe later this year.

Carnitas and Cochinita Pibil in CDMX
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Tacos Los Alexis

Did you know there's a 'Day of the Tacos' in Mexico? While I'm not sure of it's origins I just so happened to be in town on the day it was going down. I'd read about a newish spot in Roma Norte where you can find some of the city’s finest tacos served up by some fine dining vets that previously worked on the Taco Omakase menu at Pujol, which some people say is the best restaurant in Mexico. Pictured below is real deal carne asada on the left and the taco taurino with longaniza, cecina, and chichharon on the right. Crispy cheese crust on both. There’s all sorts of levels to the tacos in this city and these are up there. Big ups to Chef Gino (SP?) for the hospitality.

Tacos at Tacos Los Alexis
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Taqueria Don Frank

There's always a few spots that are found when passing by. Places that aren't on the list but look like they should be. That's what we have here with Tacos Don Frank which caught my attention with it's bright in the night orange awning advertising both tacos and jugos. I couldn't resist stopping in. More so for a refreshing agua fresca than a taco but I figured I might as well try one of them too. I chose the steak bc it's by far the most mentioned on google reviews. Taqueria Don Frank offers the traditional onion and cilantro on their tacos as well as a couple handfuls of other things like mashed potatoes and nopales. One taco was a meal in itself after I decorated it with a bunch of free toppings. My melon juice was also good and when I was ready to head back I learned they have a second location one block down as my uber arrived to pick me up there as I'd put in that location as the pickup spot.

 
Taco and Juice at Taqueria Don Frank
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Las Más Altas Montañas at the Mercado de Jamaica

My favorite taco experience of the trip took place here at the Mercado de Jamaica (the flower market). I'd read about some killer chorizo verde over at Culinary Backstreets which is a site that's never failed me as far as food recommendations while traveling goes. Chorizo verde is a product of Toluca which is only an hour or so drive from Mexico City. The owner of this sign-less stall at the market makes his green chorizo back home in Toluca and sells it every day but Tuesday at the market.You can buy it raw or cooked and served as a taco. The chorizo is green from the use of cilantro, green peppers and pumpkin seeds with pine nuts, peanuts and almonds also making an appearance in this recipe. Not only was the taco outstanding but the market itself was also quite amazing with all the flowers, plants and snacks on offer. If staying in an AirBNB you should make it a point to come here your first full day in town and buy a huge flower bouquet for next to nothing to keep in your rental while there.

Chorizo Verde Taco at the Mercado de Jamaica
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Tacos El Paisa

If you find yourself in the San Rafael neighborhood there's a very popular taco stand called Tacos "El Paisa" where you'll most always find a crowd. They make the popular CDMX style where it's all cooked in a big pot and taken out and chopped before being placed into tortillas. I believe the old man in the picture up above is the owner. He seemed to know everyone and greeted each customer with a smile. The tacos de suadero from here were as good as any I've had anywhere and thus memorable.

Tacos de Suadero at Tacos "El Paisa"
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Taqueria Los Huarchines 

This prototypical CDMX style taqueria wasn't far from our AirBNB. Each night that I walked by I witnessed a good crowd of people enjoying the moment. On my last night in town I stopped in for some tacos al pastor as I didn't get to enjoy as many as I would've liked on this trip. So I figured I'd stop based on the fact most places in town do a good al pastor product. The taqueros weren't as fast or as flashy here as elsewhere but the tacos were just as good. I could eat them all day.

Tacos al Pastor at Los Huarchines
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Taqueria Los Cocuyos 

The last time I was in town I really liked the tacos on offer at Los Cocuyos in the busy Centro area. They were a favorite of Anthony Bourdain and ever since he visited they've been a very popular spot, especially with tourists. I arrived in the evening to a line that was about 10-15 minutes long. It was pretty funny watching the reaction of people driving by, you could tell this place is polarizing. They do Mexico City style tacos where all the meats are fried up in the same vat which some call a charola. The taqueros here are very friendly but the tacos weren't as good as I'd remembered them to be. 

Surtido, Cabeza, Cachete at Los Cocuyos
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Taqueria El Torito

My other favorite taco experience of the trip took place in the heart of it all, Centro Histórico. I stopped by Tacos El Torito which is nothing more than a small stand in the wall but it’s popular enough that they have two locations within a few 100 feet of each other. The menu is as simple as gets with your choices being tripa, suadero, or both aka campechano. I watched as the master taquero put out plate after plate to a locals looking crowd. First he scoops up the meat via the tortilla, and then taco by taco he places them on the hot humps of the vats of fat that it all cooks in. They’re placed meat side down which crisps up each taco perfectly. These had great taste and a terrific texture. Desde 1957.

Tacos Campechanos at Taqueria El Torito
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That's it for this trip. see ya next time @chibbqking. 

Eating BIG in Mexico City Part 1

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