Mexique Chicago
Wednesday, January 8, 2014 - Posted by Bethany
For drinks our waitress recommended the Sangria, so we went ahead and ordered a pitcher of it. It was fantastic Sangria. A wonderful blend of fruit and wine!
For starters we tried "Betabel." Betabel is Spanish for beets. It was described as "Honey/Truffle Mascarpone, Beet Guacamole, Roasted Golden Beets, Orange-Pernod Espuma." Now, neither my husband or I are huge fans of beets, but the honey truffle mascarpone had me hooked. So since our friends liked beets we decided to give it a try. Unfortunately, I still can't convince taste buds to like beets but the mascarpone was delicious, just a little honey-sweet and a hint of truffle. It was good enough to eat by itself.
Our second starter was "Pescamal." It was described as "Corn Tamal, Seafood Mousse, Crab Fricassee, Spiced Bouillabaisse Broth, Lemon Confit." I really enjoyed this fish dish. The seasoning from the spiced broth complimented the mousse wonderfully. The overall flavor was such a nice mix.
My favorite of the evening, and our third appetizer (yes, we came with big appetites!), was "Tartara De Carne." "Beef Tartar, Caper Guacamole, Poached Eggs, White Truffle, Crostini," with that description there was no doubt that we just HAD to try this. We were not disappointed! The beef was well prepared and had the perfect amount of truffle. It pretty much just melted in your mouth.
For our main dish, my husband and I both ordered the Asada. It's a "NY Steak, Yukon Gold Potaotes, Calabazitas, Goat Cheese Fondue, Grilled Green Onions." The meat was perfectly done to medium like requested and was flavored nicely. All the sides complimented the main dish. I was very happy with my choice, even though many other dishes on the menu looked great as well.
Our friends tried the Pozole Verde De Dorado (Chicharron Crusted Mahi Mahi, Hominy, Pozole Verde Broth, Radishes) and the Pork (Cocoa Chili Rub Pork Cheeks, Pumpkin Risotto, Mole Teloapan, Brussels Sprouts, Pickled Butternut Squash). Both stated they enjoyed their dishes, and as you can see, they look amazing.
Now you can't forget about dessert! We decided to go all out and try three of the four items on their small dessert menu.
Probably considered their specialty dessert was the Enchiladas. They are crepes filled with a chocolate ganache, toasted walnuts, and ancho chili-chocolate fondue served with a side of creme anglaise vanilla bean ice cream. These were perfect for chocolate lovers and have a surprising spicy kick at the end.
The Creme Brulee, made with classic Grand Manier-vanilla bean custard, was a sweet treat. A nice twist to a classic dessert.
Now for the most interesting plate of the evening... Guacamole. It was an avocado pastry cream and strawberry compote with a crispy tortilla. It was good, but very different. I don' t know that I could get over a sweet avocado.
The evening was complete with great service from our waitress. We also enjoyed having a table next to the kitchen/ pass through where were we could keep an eye on the busy chefs hard at work. I'm thankful for this fun food experience with friends!