Ms. Smarty Pants Know It All

This review is now a part of the Carnival of Cities for July 19, 2008 and the Carnival of Food and Travel #3.

1601 W. Montrose
312-523-0923

The boyfriend and I arrived at around 7:00 pm on a Friday. There were two spots open at the four-seating counter. A small crowd congregated along the sidewalk waiting for tables. They quoted us a thirty minute wait but we have no problems eating at the counter so we sat down.

There are, of course, certain risks you take when getting a bar seat. One of those came into play this night. But I’ll get to that in a bit.

The boyfriend had read a positive review about this restaurant in the Reader. I found out later that the Mixteco Grill had also been glowingly received in Time Out that same week. Perhaps this resulted in the rousing turnouts that weekend but I don’t think their boon is going to fade any time soon. The restaurant only seats thirty-five, is BYOB, and has excellent food. Definitely make reservations.

The chef, Raul Arreola (no, we didn’t try to pronounce his last name either), came out of Rick Bayless’s Topolobampo and Fonda del Mar. I’ve been to both, and they are excellent. Mixteco is also outstanding.

Their AC was out this particular weekend but luckily, there was a strong breeze on this warm night. The temperature inside didn’t bother me, and it didn’t appear to bother the other diners either.

Every member of the wait staff was friendly and courteous. Often, service is the weakest aspect of a newly opened restaurant, but these folks worked quickly and politely amidst all the bustle and heat.

The chips came newly fried and warm. The small cup of green salsa was pleasantly tasty and spicy. I was able to spoon a nice daub onto my chips and not kill myself. Some places have very hot salsa that, while good, burns your mouth before the entrees even get there.

When you sit at the counter, you know you’re going to be in the back of the minds of the wait staff. I had accepted this. When the runners saw that we were waiting a while, one of them took our order to place it. Again, I knew this had the potential to go wrong, but I really was ok with it.

One, I wasn’t hungry, which makes a huge difference in my temperament. Two, it was a Friday night so I was not operating at a high mental level. Call me old, but I am just wiped out by the end of the week. Three, this was a new place, and I was ready to experience and enjoy it. The waiting crowd outside was growing ever larger so if our food came right away, I would have felt pressured to eat it and go to free up the space. And finally, every else seemed to be having a good time. I figured the meal was going to be worth the wait.

So yes, they forgot about us. While they rushed to prepare our order, they brought us a complimentary appetizer of guacamole and chicharrones. Thanks to Top Chef, I knew what chicharrones (fried pig skin) were and was excited to try them. I found these chips to be a little too salty for my taste but I have no reference as to what they are supposed to taste like. For something that was breaded and fried, they crunched airy and lightly. My poor comparison would be to a Funyun. Sad isn’t it?

The guac was delicious. It was rich and creamy with a spicy kick. Again, not too much but just enough for you to know it’s there and to dance in your mouth. I’ve never had guacamole like that and really enjoyed it. I didn’t eat too much because I wasn’t hungry and wanted to save room.

(to be continued in part 2)

Tags: Chicago, Food //