Eating in Aurora

-Grubbing in Chicagoland
Five of a Kind: Aurora Food Stops

My bad on the slow posting cycle of late - I was out of town for a couple weeks and then I had a couple busy weeks upon my return. So I did some digging into my folder and I'm throwing up a 'Five of a Kind' post that just kind of came together based on previous visits out to Aurora. I’ve posted from Aurora before but it’s been quite a while so today is as good of a time as ever to head out west and check out some spots. Aurora is Illinois’ Second City with a population of over 180,000. I’ve been exploring the area for years now as it's only around 45 miles west of Chicago. It has a different footprint now than it did a decade ago. Back in the day it was mostly Mexican worth trying but these days Aurora is more diverse with an interesting mix of options. Here's five more spots worth a stop. 

Pics from Aurora, Illinois
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Sri Venkateswara Swami (Balaji) Temple (Aurora)

The Sri Venkateswara Swami (Balaji) Temple is a beautiful, 20-acre sanctuary in Aurora. It was built in 1986 and it's modeled after traditional South Indian architectural principles and stands as a major cultural hub for the Midwest's Hindu community. But beyond its stunning marble floors and beautifully adorned deities, the temple is widely known for its vibrant, volunteer run basement canteen. This cafeteria serves fresh and remarkably affordable vegetarian Southern Indian cuisine. This past summer I was joined by two friends directly from Southern India for what ended up being one of the best breakfasts I’ve had in quite some time. We arrived around 10:00am and just beat the rush which started flowing around 11a. You walk up to a dedicated counter where there’s a token kiosk used for payment. You order your food and receive tokens that you exchange for your food in the cafeteria. 

Menu at the canteen

I let my friends do the ordering and we ended up with a feast. First up was a Pongal-Vada combo ($7). The former is a comforting, porridge like South Indian dish made from rice and yellow moong lentils. It’s heavily seasoned with clarified butter (ghee), black peppercorns, cumin, ginger, and crunchy cashews and similar in texture to Dominican Mangu. Pongal a staple comfort food in Southern India and at Aurora Balaji Temple canteen where it’s served steaming hot alongside a spicy lentil stew (sambar) and a cool coconut chutney. The latter (Vada) is a South Indian fried snack that resembles a small, crispy donut. It’s crunchy outside and soft and fluffy on the inside. Vada is a breakfast staple across Southern India. The Pongol didn’t look like much but it's great dunked into the sambar which is a vegetable soup with lentils. Sambar reminded me of minestrone soup but with a heavy hand of South Asian seasoning. There’s also a cup of tamarind rice on the trey pictured below and it too is a must try. The rice is tangy and savory and really flavorful from the use of tamarind oil. 

Pongal-Vada Combo with Sambar and Tamarind Rice

Next up was the Masala Dosa ($9). This is probably the most well known Southern Indian dish from an international standpoint. Dosa refers to a large and incredibly crisp South Indian crepe made from a fermented batter of rice and black lentils. The batter is spread thin on a hot flattop grill and drizzled with oil or ghee until the bottom turns golden brown and gets paper thin and crispy like a cracker. Masala is a savory potato stuffing (aloo masala) consisting of boiled and lightly mashed potatoes commonly sautéed with onions though all the food served at the temple comes without onions and garlic entirely so there’s turmeric, mustard seeds, green chilies, fresh curry leaves and more mixed into the mashed potatoes. The dosa acts as the texturally pleasing part of the dish while the masala holds the flavor which is upped another level with cups of Sambar ($3) and a yogurt sauce served on the side. This was an incredibly satisfying meal and a very cool experience to boot. There are some dress code rules including no shorts but they do have garments guests can use. But easier to just wear pants. Food is served daily, although it’s a limited menu during the week and full menu on weekends. 

Masala Dosa at Sri Venkateswara Swami (Balaji) Temple
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Alice's Corner (Aurora)

Did you know Aurora is home to the only Bolivian restaurant in all of Illinois? Well now you do. Bolivian food is actually pretty rare as a whole in the States. Of course you can find spots serving food from the heart of South America in New York City and there’s a few spots in South Florida but that’s about it save for a few random places like Alice’s Corner in Aurora. Bolivia is referred as the heart of South America due to its location in the middle of the continent. Alice’s Corner is ran by Alicia Button, a welcoming Bolivian chef who owns and runs the restaurant with her husband, Oscar, and son, Carlos. Before opening her restaurant in a beautiful downtown storefront, Alicia spent nearly 10 years cooking and selling her home baked Bolivian empanadas and salteñas at local indoor markets plus outdoor markets like the Aurora Farmers Market and the Geneva French Market. 

Salteñas at Alice's Corner

I enjoy Salteñas which are considered Bolivia’s national dish and the crown jewel of Bolivian street food culture, and maybe empanadas in general. They look similar to standard baked empanadas from outside, but they’re unique because the inside is filled with a piping hot, intensely savory beef and potato stew, instead of dry meat. The process of making Salteñas is similar to Chinese soup dumplings in that the filling (usually beef mixed with potatoes, peas, and raisins) is cooked the night before with gelatin. The stew is chilled until it completely solidifies into a firm jelly and scooped into the dough cold, and as the pastry bakes in a scorching hot oven, the filling melts back into a rich, steaming broth. The Salteñas at Alice’s come four to an order which means it’s best to go with a group so you can try some other things but I decided to get them because even though I was rolling solo they would be good for leftovers. The flavor on these leans slightly sweet due to the dough and there’s an art form to eating Salteñas so that you don’t end up with soup all over your shirt. Hold it upright and nibble a bite off one end and sip the broth out before finishing the rest of it. Good stuff. 

The insides of a Salteña
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Chi Noodle (Aurora)

There was a time when if I was in Aurora I was getting tacos if not a South African meat pie but over the last five years there’s been a number of Chinese restaurants to open in the area. For example you can find ten different food stalls in the Park 2 Shop supermarket and while they’re not all Chinese, they’re all Asian in one way or the other. I tried Chi Noodle a while back due to glowing reviews of their wonton noodle soup and I was not disappointed. It wasn’t quite to the level of Mak’s (iykyk) but it was good enough to make me think of Hong Kong’s most famous wonton shop which is really all you can ask for in these parts. The noodles were bouncy and had some good chew while the wontons were plump and texturally pleasing with loads of shrimp and pork flavor. Even the broth was extra aromatic. I’m not telling you to drive to Aurora if you want wonton noodle soup but you might have to if you want some as good as this as I haven’t found any bowls within the city limits that can match it. 

Wonton Noodle Soup at Chi Noodle
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La Jaivita (North Aurora)

For as many Indian and Asian restaurants that are opening in Aurora and Naperville, there’s still a ton of taco spots that continue to come and in some cases go. La Jaivita in North Aurora seems to be one of the more popular taco spots to open in the last few years or so. It was really busy on my visit with what seemed to be a steady stream of locals (close to 40% of Aurora’s population is Mexican). The menu has an emphasis on seafood blending taqueria staples with vibrant Mexican coastal seafood dishes in a dining room adorned by slot machines. I stopped in to try their signature dish - the Taco Mixto or the ‘Surf & Turf Taco’. It starts with a corn tortilla blanketed with melted cheese which is followed with diced skirt steak, crispy bacon, a scoop of guacamole and a couple of sautéed shrimps. This was a damn good taco further enhanced by lime and a fiery red salsa served on the side. 

Taco Mixto at La Jaivita
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Afghani Box (Naperville)

Last stop is actually in Naperville at Afghani Box - a fun little family owned spot sitting in the River Valley Plaza near the border of Aurora. This halal restaurant puts out Afghan comfort food served in pizza boxes that make it perfect for takeout. It has a small interior with just a few tables but has gained a good local following for generous portions, warm hospitality, and its witty packaging. Being a first time visitor I tried the signature “Afghani Box” which is a good way to go on your first visit. It comes loaded with a bit of everything including Lubiya (a savory kidney bean curry), Mantū (steamed meat dumplings topped with yogurt, lentils, and dried mint), a minced beef Chapli Kabob (mixed with herbs), and a pile of sweet and fragrant Qabuli Palow rice with raisins and carrots. Plus fries, bread, and green chutney. You get a nice amount of food for under $20 and it’s all pretty good. The Mantu dumplings were my favorite and the beans and rice hit the spot. Chapli kebab was a tad dry but the chutney helped with that. I would happily go back and will do so next time I find myself out this way. 

The Afghani Box at Afghani Box
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See ya next time @chibbqking

Mazor

-Grubbing in Chicago
Masa Specialties in West Town

I always get backed up with posts this time of the year as summer is really busy as far as going out and about. After a bit of a slow start we’ve had a nice run of really nice openings too. Today’s post will highlight yet another one of them. A place that has yet to really take off but should do so very soon.

Recently Opened in West Town

Mazor opened in June on Milwaukee Avenue near the border of West Town and Fulton. It’s helmed by Chef Cristian Orozco, who previously worked at Chicago restaurants like Acadia and Tzuco. Orozco grew up in Guatemala and his food has both Mexican and Guatemalan influences - the food at Mazor is described as MesoAmerican. It’s a casual spot focusing in on fresh, nixtamalized corn masa and the menu is a breath of fresh air compared to your typical Mexican restaurant. For starters the tostada de atun was one of the most refreshing bites of the summer. A crisp fried corn tortilla is topped with bluefin tuna, avocado and salsa macha and it’s only $9. I could eat a few of these and call it a meal. 

Tostada de Atun

Tacos have become way too generic for my liking. Too many spots are doing the same uninspired stuff - steak, chicken, marinated pork that’s never seen a spit but they still call it al pastor and so forth. Then many of them use the same tortillas and top them the same way with standard onion and cilantro. The tortilla is a blank canvas and more spots should be trying to stand out with their tacos rather than fit in. The tacos here aren’t anything that hasn’t been done before but they’re clearly made with care and not just meant to be a menu filler. First off they’re all served on handmade corn tortillas and they come dressed differently depending on which ones you order. The winner for me was the ribeye taco - thinly sliced ribeye meat with a kiss of smoke goes on a corn tortilla with a cheese crust and is joined by potent grilled onions and crispy potato strings that add a really nice crunch while salsa macha makes it nutty and spicy. Again I could make a complete meal out of a few of these. 

Ribeye Taco at Mazor

I’ll always browse the menu of new to me restaurants looking for things that stand out and the tetelas caught my eye at Mazor. Little triangular pockets of corn masa are filled with chorizo and cheese and served with beans, crema, queso, and an avocado mousse. Just like the previous dishes this is driven by the use of nixtamalized corn which gives off that wonderful aroma that sticks to your fingers when you touch it. This is a signature dish of sorts for Chef Orozco and I think in time it will be the signature dish at Mazor too as the taste of the fresh masa really stands out in this dish. I look forward to seeing where this place goes from here. They’re currently offering a tasting menu for around $50 and based on the regular menu it seems like it would be well worth the entry fee. I'm already planning to go back.

Tetelas

Mazor Chicago

485 N Milwaukee Ave

Chicago, IL 60654

(312) 238-9792

Website

Hacienda Memos Restaurante

-Grubbing in Chicago
Bargain Bites ft. Tacos de Discada in Galewood

It’s been awhile since I had a worthy taco spot to post about but I do have a few posts in the works. In the meantime I recently got reacquainted with a place that stood out back when it was operating on Grand Avenue. Hacienda Memos Restaurante has been open on North Avenue just past Oak Park Ave for three years now. They moved there from way west on Grand Avenue where they were popular for their tacos among other things. I had seen a friend post online from their current location and immediately put two and two together when I saw the tacos and Memos in the name of the place. 

Locals Favorite in Galewood

It took a little time to ride west and check out their new digs but I liked Memos when it was on Grand due to a really diverse taco selection that included tacos de discada which you don’t see in Chicago too often. Tacos de Discada are a specialty of northern Mexico in states like Chihuahua, Coahuila, Durango, and Nuevo León. They feature a mix of finely chopped meats all cooked together on a large steel plow disc ("disco") repurposed into a cooking surface over an open fire. The name comes from the cooking method rather than a recipe. Vaqueros reused worn-out plow discs to make a large outdoor griddle. Over time, the seasoned surface developed flavor, much like a well-used cast-iron skillet. Tacos de Discada typically include steak and other inexpensive cuts of meat such as bacon, chorizo, ham, and sausage mixed with onions, tomatoes, and peppers among other things. They come served on smaller tortillas and are ordered a few at a time. Memos has some other interesting tacos and they’re all under $2. The Taco de Indio is made with marinated beef and pineapple and the taco de alambre with pork, bacon, onions, green peppers and cheese. The salsas are also of note - both a green and a red plus a thicker one with roasted peppers and onions are equally spicy. 

Platter of Tacos at Hacienda Memos

Hacienda Memos Restaurante
6822 W North Ave
Chicago, IL 60707 
(773) 889-9999
Website

Eating BIG in Cabo

Eating like a local:
Regional food specialties 
- Bachelor Party in Cabo San Lucas

For as much as I love Mexico I never had much interest in visiting Cabo San Lucas but friends come before food so I made my way there to celebrate the marriage of an old friend last March. With Cabo being a big time resort city it’s more-so known for its beaches, water based activities and nightlife than it is for its food. But it’s still Mexico and it’s also in Baja which has an incredible food culture thus there’s still good food to be found for those willing to leave the resorts. Here’s where to find it.

Sights from Cabo

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El Arrecife

First stop in town was a rooftop mariscos bar called El Arrecife. “The Reef” caught my eye when I saw they were serving Callo de hacha which means scallop in Spanish. This specific breed of bivalve is known for its hatchet-shaped shell and is commonly found in the Sea of Cortez and used in various dishes like ceviche, tostadas, and aguachiles - they serve a super fresh version here. It’s sweet and tender and a bit more intense than a regular scallop in terms of the ocean flavor it gives off.

Callo de Hacha at El Arrecife
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Birreieria Los Paisas

We just so happened to be passing Birrierria Los Paisas which was packed with locals so we decided to stop in and get a taco. They had a huge pot of beef birria cooking out on the open and it smelled so good and there was an empty table right in front allowing us to pop right in. I got a quesabirria which went from good to really good when dressed with all the salsas and condiments that it came with.

Quesabirria at Birreieria Los Paisas
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Salvatore G's

Next stop was not my call but I’m including the details on Salvatore G's in case any of my readers have to play along with a meal from here. This is where the bachelor and his uncle with a house in Cabo wanted to go for our first dinner. A few of us weren’t happy we were eating Italian food on the first night in Mexico but we played along. “Uncle Bob” ended up doing most of the ordering which ended up being entirely too much food for a group that was more interested in drinking than they were in eating. Honestly I thought this place was pretty mid but both Uncle Bob and the bachelor liked it as did one of the bachelors friends from Arizona who called it the best pasta he’s ever had. I got a nice laugh out of that and did enjoy the mound of lasagna so it wasn’t a total loss in terms of a nice meal.

Lasagna at Salvatore G's
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La Esquina Choyera 1

The next morning I was asked to find a legit spot for a real Mexican breakfast to make up for dinner the previous night. I found us a spot away from the hustle and bustle in a quieter part of town. La Esquina Choyeria 1 is a real locals place. It's basically the Mexican equivalent to a diner. I finally felt like I was in Mexico when we sat down in the open air dining room. Even though Cabo is all the way south in the local food scene here reflects the North in terms of the common dishes you’ll find at local establishments. The menu at La Esquina Choyeria is made up of burritos, empanadas, quesadillas and Huevos with options like Machaca and chorizo as far as the fillings go. I got a couple of burritos which are the classic Norteno variety made up of a slick lard laced flour tortilla spread with beans plus the filling of your choice. Size wise these are like large tacos and not the huge burritos we’re used to in the States. Both the Machaca (dried beef) and the desabrada (shredded beef) hit the spot.

Breakfast Burritos at La Esquina Choyeria 1
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Los Cabos Fish Tacos

Let’s say you’re stopping thru Cabo on a cruise and you only have time to seek out one spot - make it this tiny taco stand hiding behind the marlin statue at the marina. The menu at Los Cabos Fish Tacos is small but mighty. Everything is cooked to order with cheese quesadillas joining grilled or fried fish tacos served on wonderful made to order corn tortillas. Baja California is home to many great fish taco stands and Los Cabos Fish Tacos is among the very best. The tacos here are served bare and meant to be dressed at the salsa bar which is loaded with a bunch of different topping options including a few different types of cabbage plus lots of salsas. Fish tacos are a daytime snack so this place makes for a great lunch. These might’ve been the best tacos I ate on this trip which included a stop in CDMX.

Fish Tacos at Los Cabos Fish Tacos
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Tacos Marissa

When the fish taco spots close for the day, the grilled meat spots open. Tacos Marissa specializes in steak which is grilled over charcoal in their open kitchen. You can try the flame grilled bistec in a variety of ways including these awesome little grilled burritos they make stuffed with meat and cheese called ‘Chuy-Kun’. As I mentioned earlier the food in Cabo reflects that of Northern Mexico so the tacos here are served on flour tortillas. Whatever you get here make sure to pair it with a cup of the Frijoles Alterados which are charro beans with carne asada and cheese - simple but sensational. 

Snacks at Tacos Marissa
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Taqueria el Paisa

Taqueria El Paisa is located right in the middle of the chaos in Cabo so it’s a popular stop post drinks as it’s open until 3am during the busy season. I stopped in here a couple times when we were in the area as you can do much worse when you're in these parts. They slice the pastor to order and make a tasty batch of frijoles charros. You can also get a pretty good Vulcan here. Vulcans are similar to tostadas but the tortilla is grilled instead of fried and topped with meat and cheese resulting in bite that’s both crisp and chewy. If you must eat late night in the downtown area El Paisa should suffice.

Late Night Snacks at el Paisa
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Burritos el Miguelon

Burritos el Miguelon is another good option for a locals breakfast. I came here with a few others and we all ate well on the cheap in the form of breakfast burritos, eggs with Machaca, and Chilaquiles.

Burritos at Burritos el Miguelon
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Mi Compa Chava (Todos Santos)

Our group took a daytrip to Todos Santos where a few of us were able to sneak away from lunch at the tourist trap that is Hotel California for some of the freshest and most flavorful ceviche and seafood tostadas in all of Mexico. Mi Compa Chava was about a 15 minute walk from the main square in a very residential part of town. It's very cliche to say eating somewhere felt like being at someone's house but this open air restaurant sits in the backyard of the family that runs it so it really is like going to somebody's house. The kids were even running around in the yard right next to the dining area. We started off with some fantastic mixed seafood tostadas before moving onto two different types of ceviche. First up was the Pescado Especial which was made up of different types of fish, cucumbers, peppers, and more. This was one of those dishes where your eyes roll back a little bit upon first bite. That's how good it was. It tasted about as fresh as it gets and it only got better from there.

Mixed Ceviche at Mi Compa Chava

The Ceviche Lavantamuerto is the best ceviche I've ever had and I just got back from a trip to Peru. It came recommended by our waitress when I asked in Spanglish what the specialty of the house was. As far as I could tell it was a mix of thinly sliced fish with equally thinly sliced red onions and jalapenos all mixed with a darkish red sauce - likely a combo of soy sauce and Maggi Jugo. "Levantamuertos" or sometimes spelled as two words, levanta muertos, translates to "raises the dead" and is a Spanish colloquial term, primarily used in Mexico and other parts of Latin America, for hangover food. Mi Compa Chava is the type of spot that might get me back to Todos Santos. It's destination dining. 

Ceviche Levantamuerto at Mi Compa Chava
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El Mirador (Todos Santos)

We spent a good chunk of the day hanging out at Faro Beach Club in Todos Santos and that was a ton of fun. They had a pool and all sorts of lounging opportunities right there on the beach plus bartenders to serve you whatever it is you want. From there we had dinner plans up the mountain at El Mirador. It started off wonderfully as we had drinks and good times while watching the sunset over the ocean but I suspected something was off when everyone but us left once the sun went down. We were the only group of people eating there. The truth is I feel like this is the type of spot you come to for a drink and then go elsewhere for dinner. I thought the food was average at best. We got a grilled fish dish that just wasn't all that well cooked. I could tell the temp of the grill was low just by how it looked. I had a creamy seafood pasta that was very average as is but not bad when I added the salsa macha they had at the table. The company and the views here were great but the food was just ok. 

Grilled Fish at El Mirador
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El Pollo de Oro

The smell coming out of El Pollo de Oro pulled us in for some ribs and chicken. We managed to grab a table right before the lunch rush which seemed to be mostly locals. Both of the grilled meats were good as expected at these Mexican grilled chicken shacks commonly found throughout the country. The chile rellano was a pleasant surprise. This place is just a couple blocks off the strip and worth walking over to for lunch one day if you want some stick to your ribs type of food - no pun intended.

Lunch at El Pollo de Oro
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Los Claros

Los Claros is commonly mentioned in the conversation of the best tacos in Cabo so I marked it down as a possible stop and we ended up making it here for a snack on the last day. This place specializes in Tacos estilo Sinaloa which means plump fried shrimp paired with rich and savory smoked marlin and so forth. Not the best seafood tacos I’ve had but they hit the spot as far as a quick snack goes.

Seafood Tacos at Los Claros
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Tabasco Beach Bar & Restaurant

We did a ton of beach lounging on our last day in Cabo and that included taking a long walk from one end to the other and seeing what was going on. We met up as a group at Tabasco Bar & Restaurant as a friend of a friend insisted we stop in for some cerveza and the shrimp tacos that he and his wife stop in to get every time they come to Cabo. These tacos ended up being a good metaphor for a trip to this very touristy part of Mexico. Chopped up shrimp is mixed with peppers + onions in toasted flour tortillas and they it the spot as the setting was spectacular and the company kept was wonderful. 

Shrimp Tacos at Tabasco Beach
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Mother Flower

The restaurant scene in Cabo seems to be lacking in the creativity department. There’s just not a lot of spots doing interesting or at least elevated takes on the local cuisine. Mother Flower was the one exception I found to this. It’s a trendy but casual place with good sunlight and a cool open air kitchen parked right behind the bar where they make very good drinks. It feels like a Southern California spot. The menu is mostly made up of tacos but there's also items like clam chowder, burgers, lamb chops, and seafood pasta. Clam chowder is commonly mentioned in online reviews and it caught my eye seeing as how it’s not a dish you commonly come across at a Mexican restaurant. But it’s served with Salsa Macha drizzled on top and that intrigued me. It ended up working really well as Salsa Macha tends to do when used with a creamy base like clam chowder. The soup itself was a classic version that I think most New Englanders would be happy with. As far as the tacos go they were also excellent. The fish and steak tacos are about as good as you’ll get in Cabo and octopus tostadas are a must. I feel like Octopus can be hit or miss but these tostadas with chopped octopus, smoked oyster pate, avocado, and salsa macha were a big hit with the table. We walked in around opening time but you might want to get reservations here as it’s not a huge space and it’s rightfully popular.

Dinner at Mother Flower
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ICYMI:

Eating BIG in Baja (2016)

Eating BIG in Riviera Nayarit (2020)

Eating BIG in Mexico City (2025)

See ya next time @chibbqking