Yoland's Hot Tamales

-Snoopin' around
a peek into my favorite food sites/reads

If you haven't seen or read 'The great tamale migration' piece by Mike Sula in The Reader you're probably just a handful of people. Or at least that's the vibe I'm getting having stopped by a few times since it was printed to see Yoland, the man featured in that article. People are coming up from all over. Just the other day as we were chilling talking kool-aid pickles, a guy stopped by who had rode the bus all the way from the southside of the city in Englewood after reading about his "favorite treat from back home". Article in hand when arriving, the old timer looked like a little kid on Christmas.

Yoland Cannon: Chicago's Other Hot Tamale Man

For those unfamiliar with Delta Style style tamales I'm going to lead you to this piece I did about a trip thru there me and a couple friends made that to this day might be my favorite foodventure I've taken. It was full of rich history and wonderful people and those amazing hot tamales which you can find just about anywhere down there. With Chicago having a rich connection with Mississippi you'd think we'd have more options for them up here but that's not the case. I'd met Yoland a few years ago when word on LTH spread that Delta Style Hot Tamales were found. Then the liquor store where I tried them no longer offered any and just like that, they weren't available...to those not in the know.

 Found again!

A couple of friends who had originally found him, found him again on accident when one of them butt dialed him. Best pocket dial ever! They passed the news onto Mike (Sula) who in turn spread the wonderful word that Yoland is indeed still around. You can find him at 909 N Laramie in the Austin neighborhood where he also serves bright red Magnolia sausages and offers his tamales two ways - traditional beef and also chicken, which comes shredded inside. If you ever need a large order he'll do that for you. I bought 120 to bring to the LTHforum annual picnic and they went like they used to back when the great migration from the south first started and men could be found selling hot tamales on the city streets. "Seasoned to your tastes, nothing goes to waste, it's all good in the hood" is Yoland's saying and "all good" is what these little treats are. I'm very happy to have him back on the radar. As are the constant flow of cars driving by honking to say hi. Mississippi stand up!

Delta Style Hot Tamales

Yoland's Hot Tamales
909 N. Laramie
Chicago, IL
(773) 809-2412

Smalls Smoke Shack

-Grubbing in Chicago  
New to the 'Scene'

One of the hottest restaurant openings in the past six months has been a little BBQ place that integrates Asian flavors called Smalls. You may remember the Brown Bag Lunch truck which was ran Joaquin Soler, he's one of the men behind Smalls Smoke Shack. This is a place that lives up to it's name over in the Irving Park neighborhood. Why? It's small. There's maybe space for four to eat inside but that hasn't stopped the masses from stopping by to try some of their smoked meats and fried chicken, both of which come with plenty of heavy praise these days. Important to note that all food can be brought over to Lizards Lounge on the corner.

Smoke Shack in Irving Park Neighborhood

From the second this place opened up shop it's been getting lots of love. Whether over at LTHforum, on my twitter timeline or in articles written by the cities top food writers, everyone seems to lust for it. Well I've been a handful of times and am confident in saying it is indeed pretty damn good. I've gone thru the menu and the only thing that didn't do it for me was the ribs. I really like the pulled pork, especially when its on. My first batch of it from here was some of the best of its kind I ever had. Another trip for it wasn't quite as satisfying but this is how it is for most all BBQ spots. Consistency is tough to master.

Pulled Pork Platter

The oddest thing about Smalls for me, is my love for their sides. Rarely is this the case at a barbecue place. I wont call Smalls the best BBQ in the city, although it's very, very good, but I will say they take their sides more serious than most and boy can you taste it. They offer a grilled veggie of the day (always great) and also have some seriously good elotes that come with the perfect kiss of char in each order. Their garlic rice is flat out addictive. The fries are love/hate with their 5 spice powder. I actually kind of like them, surprising since I usually like no seasoning but salt on my fries. Having just come from Texas, I now compare all brisket with the stuff I ate in the Lone Star state. 

Brisket Dinner

Smalls had good brisket. My only problem with theirs is the same problem I have from everyone else outside of Tejas. Whats up with the small ass slices? I know everything is supposed to be bigger in Texas but at least make the slices more than a few inches long. The garlic spread Texas toast with the brisket meat in between makes an excellent sandwich offering. But my favorite thing here so far has been their Bi Bim Bop. They use brisket and a maple based sauce that makes for some of the most amazing BBB I've ever ate.

Brisket Bi Bim Bop

Then there's the chicken. This is what many have gone ahead and proclaimed to be the best not just in the city but the best they "ever had". I cant go as far as to say the fried chicken here is the best ever but it really is some of the best in the city. Its well seasoned and cooked to a perfect crisp. I dont know how they make the breast stay so moist but amen for figuring it out. In a city where fantastic fried chicken isnt something you can find everywhere, Smalls is one of a few trying to switch that notion. So all in all...I like Smalls too!

Fried Chicken

Smalls, Smoke Shack and More
4009 N. Albany
Chicago, IL 60618
(312) 857-4221
Website

A day in Geneva

Eating like a local:
Regional food specialties
-Eating and drinking in Geneva, Illinois

Field Trip Time! Today the class heads out to the beautiful little town of Geneva, IL which sits in the Fox River Valley. Sometimes we need to ditch the city to find some inner peace of mind. Geneva is one of my favorite little places to do and since it's only about a 45 minute ride, it's a trip that can be done in a day. I've never stayed overnight but one day I imagine I'll rest my head at the Herrington Inn and Spa. The popular beautifully designed boutique hotel on the river is just one of a few things that make this place a popular weekend destination. Shopping, Outdoor activities, eating and drinking being the others.

Geneva, IL

There's two main strips in Geneva. You got State street which serves as the towns hub. It goes right over the Fox River and is host to a ton of business' ranging from popcorn shops to bike rentals. Starting off on State Street you'll notice the awesome awning for the Geneva Theater which shares a space with the Geneva Ale House. This is where guys can go chill if their girlfriends or wife's allow them too while they go shop. Good cold beer is served here as well as some really tasty calamari. An Asian blend topped with Thai basil and peanuts that I really liked it paired with my beer flight.

Chilling at Geneva Ale House

The other main strip in town is 3rd street. It meets State street and goes all the way to the Metra line. In between you'll find plenty of locally owned places offering an array of different things. Geneva is definitely more for the girls than guys so lots of the shops reflect that. Right on 3rd you'll find The Latest Crave which is one of those shops geared towards the hoards of woman and children that invade the town each weekend. They do up cupcakes, toffee and other popular baking trends so I'm sure they have cronuts, doughssants or whatever they're called as well as a nice selection of cupcakes. I remember liking the carrot cake version.

The Latest Crave

Further down a few miles on State street, in a shopping mall, like most suburban spots, is Josef's Meats & Deli. I've stopped thru here multiple times when I've been in town and can always appreciate their subs and homemade Italian sausage. I particularly like the blend made with red wine and green peppers and so does everyone else who has had some when I throw it on the grill at parties and such.

Excellent Italian Deli

My reason for going out to Geneva somewhat often is Bien Trucha which is onr of my favorite restaurants in all of Chicagoland. I've already featured them over on an Aurora Area Mexican Eats feature that you can check out if you want to get a good idea of them. I pretty much love everything they offer and so do the rest. Expect a line on the weekend and even on most weekdays too.

Battered Shrimp and Pescadilla Tacos from Bien Trucha

With the huge popularity of Bien Trucha the people behind it decided to open up another place next door. It goes by A Toda Madre which is urban slang for really cool. Well for a while I just wasnt sure ATM was as cool as Bien Trucha was and neither did most others. The place would sit half full while folks waited to eat at BT next door. But on my most recent visit to the area I was handed a menu from ATM which had been switched up since the last time I saw it. The first time around nothing on there caught my eye. So they must of switched it at some point bc now there's a few favorites from next door as well as other tempting options no previously seen. One of our favorites from BT is the flautas. We always have to order them. Well now they have similar ones at ATM except they make them with pork and use a different sauce on top. Still so good.

Shredded Pork/Potato Flautas and Shrimp Doraditos

So where's a good place to go if you dont want Mexican food or cant stand to wait somewhere? I might suggest Foxfire. Important to note I dined here with a groupon which cut the price down some which I came to appreciate. It's a really nice space inside with an open kitchen in the middle. They have an outdoor patio in back which is where we sat on  nice summer night. This place gets an A for atmosphere.

Modern American Cooking

We enjoyed some reasonably priced drinks on the patio and decided to split a few things for dinner. Not pictured is the calamari we ordered which was good just not up to par with the rest. The French Onion soup to start off the entree was respectable. I've had stringer broths but I've also had weaker. My favorite of the stuff we tried was the sesame encrusted ahi tuna served over a bed of micro greens with a really good Thai ginger dipping sauce. She really liked the Shrimp Scampi which is a favorite dish of hers, here it came with some beautiful big tiger shrimp and plenty of garlic to boot. Big enough for leftovers to be brought home later. Overall this was a really nice dinner, service was fantastic and the atmosphere was very nice.

Dinner at Foxfire

and this is where our trip ends...safe travels back!

Geneva Ale House
319 W State St 
Geneva, IL 60134
(630) 262-3877

The Latest Crave
227 S 3rd St # 109 
Geneva, IL 60134
(630) 262-8200

Josef's Meats
716 W State St 
Geneva, IL 60134
(630) 262-1878

Bien Trucha
410 W State St 
Geneva, IL 60134
(630) 232-2665

A Toda Madre
416  W State St
Geneva, IL 60134
(630) 845-3015

Foxfire Restaurant
17 W State St 
Geneva, IL 60134
(630) 232-1369

Aurora Taco Tour

Eating like a local:
Regional food specialties
-The Tacos of Aurora, Illinois

In honor of Mexican Independence Day I'm taking all my loyal readers on a little taco tour thru Illinois' Second City, Aurora. Taco Time! Excellent! Chicago has long been a hot spot for amazing Mexican eats but as the years go on and many families flock to the suburbs for peace of mind and they bring their restaurants and recipes with them. Aurora is an area that continues to expand on its close to 40% Hispanic population. I have work out there now and then and am always keeping an eye and ear out for some good taco options. I don't know why it happened, Mexican food has always been my favorite, but of late I've been a taco binge like none other. So here it is! A half-year in the making. Ten Taco Spots worth a trot out to the town that gave us Wayne's World.
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Taqueria Durango

Downtown

Important to note that much like the big city, there are what seem to be a countless number of taquerias in town. Just like here they come and go so fast you might not even of known one was around before it's gone. So how does one establish what spots to try? First place I check is LTH but not much of late. Then I go to Yelp and see what people say. This place tends to get good biz when I've been by and a common mention of al pastor on Yelp put it on the map.

Al Pastor Spit

Durango has had their spit up and running on both visits I've made. One a weekday and the other over the weekend. As we continue on here you're going to see that there's a few types pf tacos the fine taqueros of Aurora do well and al pastor is a popular one. I think that like Chicago, many of the Hispanic families who came here, did so from the Jalisco region and Mexico City. Hence the love for heavily spiced roasted pork on a spit. Tacos al Pastor can be a real hit or miss but these were at least a triple. Properly spiced pieces came out crispy on the outside while still retaining some juice inside. Not to dry, not too wet, just about perfect. Another popular taco in this area is the Dorado version aka hard shelled. I liked Durango's chicken offering but have had better elsewhere.

Chicken Taco Dorado and a Taco al Pastor

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Taqueria Arandense

Downtown

Not far from Durango is Arandense. Another welcoming place where they have the whole family pitching in to make sure the place runs well. Housed in what was at some point a diner they have a full menu here and I heard its popular for breakfast. I'd driven by and noticed a little crowd inside and said what they hey and went on in and took a seat at the counter.

The View at the Counter

Just like the last stop it was the spit in motion that made me stop into Arandense. It only got better when next to the said spit was a charola for deep frying tripas in. They had just sold out of tacos de suadero but I was more so intrigued by the other two anyway. Both were very solid. The al pastor was again spiced right. Sometimes places under season theirs but not the case here. Extra props for the slice of charred pineapple they put on top. The tripas tacos were fried to a perfect crispiness and brought me back to the streets of Aguascaliente, Mexico where I enjoyed this style of taco morning, noon and night. As I mentioned most places in town serve tacos dorados but they aren't deep fried as a whole. The spots have this little gadget that lets you fry tortillas fresh and then stuff them with stewed meats. Every single place offers two fillings of choice for their dorados, deshebrada and stewed chicken.They had pretty good ones here but I like the other two offerings much more.

Crispy Tripas and an Al Pastor Taco

Taco Dorados

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Jalisco Tacos

Up on High Street 

As seen in the Aurora Area Mexican Eats post. My favorite place to grab a taco dorado in Aurora is Jalisco Tacos which has a few locations. Sadly this place named after the great Mexican state that gave us Carne en Su Jugo does not offer it on their menu. They do however have some pretty damn good goat consomme on weekends. They claim the al pastor is their specialty but there's better to be had around town. What I like are their taco dorados with deshebrada aka heavily spiced and shredded beef. The combination of crunchy shell (freshly fried) mixed with the juicy beef makes for a messy taco that you have to eat right away but are rewarded with some great flavors when you do.

Taco Dorado w/ Shredded Beef and a Taco al Pastor

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Tacos Maria

Also on the Hill

Tacos Maria was put onto my radar by Sir Kevin Pang at the Tribune. He gave love to their taco alambres and so I too wanted to try.. This is the other popular taco found around town. Alambre translates to "wire" or to be rendered as a skewer where food is involved. Every region has their own story on how these tacos came to be named. I think that much like al pastor, these came from Arabic immigrants. Alambre tacos are always served removed from the skewer, if the place is even using one to begin with. Some say the name derives from stir fry. Typically these tacos consist of steak, bacon, chopped green peppers, onion which is all melded together with melted cheese. Just like a shish kebab, the flavors work well. Maria's has an excellent offering.Really, good. Nice call @pang.

Maria's Taco Alambre

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Taqueria Muniz

Lake Street

One of my favorite taco stops in town is this wonderful family run place. I swear they have three or four generations of family inside and they've all remembered me since my first visit when they were extra curious, a good way, as to why I was taking pictures. One of the pretty younger members of the family asked if they could use my pictures on their FB page and I was more than happy so please note, these tacos were free, my third trip around anyway. They wouldn't let me pay, so I tipped triple. Here they make their alambre with poblano peppers which creates for a nice little kick. But my favorite offering is their cochinita pibil. This is a specialty of the family back in their original home of the Yucatan Peninsula where the dish is very popular. Traditionally pibil is cooked in a pit inside banana leaves and served with pickled red onion. The pork is marinated in a healthy combo of juices and spices before cooking long enough to shred easily. For just a buck and change I can eat quite a few of these little treats each trip.

Cochinita Pibil (L) Taco Alambre (R)

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Taco Movil

From Taco Truck to Brick and Mortar Business

Another stop I really like here. Taco Movil has both a truck and somewhat new restaurant where you can find their signature offerings. Not to sound too repetitive but you know the drill, its all in the family and really welcoming inside. The taqueria is attached to a grocery store and its a popular place for folks just getting off work. I stopped in here with the Grub Seeker and another guy so we got try a little of them all, since they all looked good. First up their specialty of the house is tacos al pastor and they do those well. Small crispy bits are loaded into the tortilla and served with their amazing array of housemade salsas. I'm partial to grandmas avocado salsa which is a smooth creamy mix that worked great on their weekend special lamb barbacoa tacos. Movil also makes a mean alambre. Only taco I wasn't that impressed with was their carnitas which was good just not great, I think we got the gringo pieces.

Taco al Pastor

Lamb Barbacoa Taco

Taco Alambre

Carnita's Taco

But we noticed something you don't see too often on the menu here. Those of us in Chicago who have been lucky enough to indulge in Cemitas Puebla's Taco Arabes know whats up. "Arab Style Tacos" took Chicago by storm before and then definitely after Guy Fieri's appearance there. I haven't seen them anywhere else but noticed a paining inside the plce showing their mobile taco truck in a square in Mexico with a "taco arabes" sign on it. The fun little painting made me further explore the menu which led me to seeing Tacos Arabes  listed on it. So of course one had to be ordered.

Taco Arabe

When they brought this out I thought it was a burrito. I'm used to the fact that this style is rolled in a puffy flour tortilla but this offering looked more like a Norteno burrito than the taco arabes I'm used to. Opening it up to peek what was inside revealed an entire different look too. Here they use marinated and chopped pork with grilled onions and spinach and of course lots of cheese. I loved it. It was almost like a Philly Roast Pork sandwich in a tortilla. Totally different from the awesome offering at Cemitas Puebla, my heart is big enough to hold them both near and dear. Best $2 I've spent on a taco in a while, at least as far as taste and size go.

The insides

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Rico's Tacos

A stand on the Hill

I'd read about Rico's when it turned up in a google search for best tacos in Aurora. It's a little trailer that permanently sits in a lot next to a grocery store and across the street from a car repair shop. I believe all three are owned by the same people. I see "Rico's Tacos" offered alot around the city. I've always wondered what exactly they are and think I might of found out, or at least I have my own theory. All they do here are tacos and they're each $1. The steak and al pastor came praised so I tried one of each and was presented with some cute little tacos that could be taken down in one bite. Which is where my idea of the name comes from. The grocery store in the city I tried "Rico's Tacos" at served them the same way. I think it's just slang for mini tacos. These were really good. No spit but the steak and pastor were both finely chopped and well crisped up on the griddle, a style I'm not opposed to at all when done properly like they do here.

An Al Pastor and Steak Taco

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Taqueria Los 4 Leones

Parked in a church at the corner of 5th Street and Farnsworth

I spied this little taco truck while cruusing around town hoping to find something worthy of a try. Obviously this was it so I pulled up and hopped out. There was a little bit of a wait since one guy ordered 10+ tacos so I got to talk with Luis Leon the owner while I waited. They're open Mon, Wed, Fri, Sat and Sun from 3p-9p and serve a variety of tacos. You got the usual suspects plus fillings like cabeza, chicharron, lengua and tripas. I asked what his two most popular tacos were and got a couple awesome off the menu offerings. When you see a Taco Campachano on the menu somewhere it usually means "many meats" and that's what Luis says is most popular. "It's a little bit of everything" and it was awesome. As was his other popular taco which mixes steak and chorizo. I was with a work associate for a few of these stops and this was his favorite. He's since brought his wife who's from Mexico and she loves it too.

Taco Campachano and a Steak/Chorizo Mixture

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El Buey Pando

Located in a lot along East New York Street

Another place I just so happened to find out of luck. As me and the aforementioned associate were riding I spied this place and made a U turn to go check them out. I've been back and past it a couple times since and they always seem to have a nice crowd of locals fresh off of work and hungry for tacos. It seems like both a place to eat and engage with fellow neighbors. If I spy a Especialidad de la Casa on the menu of a place I'm at, then that's what I'm getting (special post coming). I saw one for both a huarache and "taco bravo" which was described by the nice lady taking orders as steak marinated in a very spicy salsa. I got one regular steak and one bravo. Both were great, particularly the Bravo which while tongue tingling, was also really flavorful from the green chile salsa it was cooked in. I gotta back for some more.

Steak (L) and a Taco Bravo (R)

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A Toda Madre

Last but certainly not least is a favorite of mine. Ok so it's technically not in Aurora city limits but its a quick 10 minute drive up the river to Geneva. A Toda Madre is the sister restaurant to Bien Trucha which we stopped at when going on a tour of Mexican eats in the area last May. Bien Trucha is one of my favorites for "Fancy Mexican" and part of that is because they don't get too fancy. They just do really good homestyle food thats always beautifully presented . They opened a 2nd place recently and like it's urban dictionary translation, it's totally awesome. I think A Toda Madre switched up their menu because the first time around I wasn't  tempted by it but then I was when I saw it a half year later. More on them in another post but man are their Shrimp Doradito tacos sensational. If you're a taco aficionado like I am you probably have tried or have had the deep fried shrimp taco at Mariscos Jalisco in Los Angeles on your radar. One day I'll try them but until then, these mini ones from toda madre will definitely do. Hope you enjoyed the ride! Check out our Chicago Taco Tour HERE.

Shrimp Doradito from A Toda Madre in Geneva

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Taqueria Durango
101 S Lasalle St
Aurora, IL 60505
(630) 859-2947

Taqueria Arandense
1 N. Broadway Ave
Aurora, IL 60505
(630) 770-5623

Jalisco Tacos
560 High St
Aurora, IL 60505
(630) 801-1261

Taco's Maria
733 Aurora Ave
Aurora, IL 60505
(630) 844-9050

Taqueria Muniz
518 S Lake St
Aurora, IL 60506
(630) 896-8727

Taco Movil
470 Hinman Street
Aurora, IL 60505
(630) 800-1502

Rico's Taco Stand
On Hill street near 5th
Aurora, IL 60505

Taqueria Los 4 Leones
Corner of 5th St. and Farnsworth ave
Aurora, IL 60505
(331) 454-0521

Tacos El Buey Pando
Located on New York Street
Facebook

A Toda Madre
416 W State St
Geneva, IL 60134
(630) 845-3015