we didn't have big plans for Cinco de Drinko this year, and actually had no plans at all (for once!) on Saturday. after people-watching from an outdoor table at Einstein Bros on Clark Street, we wandered through the Lincoln Park farmer's market, swung by a sneaker store, and took a nap. we are lucky enough to live within three blocks of two (TWO!) restaurants of former Top Chef contestants, and had been itching to try Chilam Balam, an upscale-ish, tapas-style Mexican place focused on sustainably- and locally-grown ingredients. Chuy from Top Chef Texas (season 9) was a founding owner (and a Cali boy by birth!). Their menu changes with the season, and the restaurant is teeny tiny. seriously, its barely twice the size of our living room. we'd read that unless you show up right at 5pm, to count on a two-hour wait. we showed up at five on the button, and were seated right away, noticing that a couple that showed up just six minutes later was quoted a decent wait...
as with many restaurants in Chicago, it's BYOB. here though, if you bring tequila, they'll mix it up with their virgin limeade to make killer margaritas ... or if you bring a bottle of wine, they'll make proper sangria from their virginal version. neither of us know squat about tequila (any other alcohol, however, and we're self-appointed professionals...duh), so we grabbed a fifth of the only non-Cuervo option at a little market on the way. proportionally, it was a good choice...and the tequila itself was pretty decent too (with no wicked hangover!).
we chose four dishes and a dessert to share, and waddled away stuffed. first up was artichoke soup with fried artichoke leaves, lime, chives, and serrano. you read that right: artichoke. soup. it tasted like a happy place in cream form: a little earthy and like blended up artichoke meat. the serrano pepper added just a touch of perfectly-timed heat. even Rob could handle it (!) and said that it 'just faded out' at the right moment. I've already looked up a recipe and made a couple notes of how to add the extra flavors. it took every ounce of my limited decency not to lick the bowl.
our second dish was bay scallop ceviche, with tobasco verde, english peas, red onion, and tobiko, served with plantain chips. again, the kick was just right. microgreens made us feel fancy and added a little extra freshness, and we both swore there was avocado in the dish somewhere because it was so smooth. the plantain chips added a little crunch, but were more complex than regular ol' tortilla chips.
a big ol' beef short rib tamale was served next, with pasilla tomatillo sauce, bbq bean salad, and mole sauce. this place does spice right. I can't say it enough. and the bbq bean salad was no ordinary backyard-bbq salad. this was like barbequed black beans and chick peas. didja hear that?!?! chick peas! in a Mexican dish. deadly. the textures were spot on, and the mole added just the right oomph. I'd order this again, fo sho.
Rob loves loves loves carnitas, so when the server offered up lamb carnitas, braised overnight in what can only be described as unicorn tears and granted wishes. it was served with homemade corn tortillas and a little pickled veggie salad with thinnnnnly sliced serrano peppers (what's the name of that stuff, anyhow?!). this is one of those things where, individually, each part was awesome, but the sum of the parts was amazing.
after all that delicious and savory goodness, we wrapped things up with sweet empanadas with creamy peanut butter filling, served with a seasonal rhubarb compote, and Oaxacan chocolate dipping sauces. I can think of few things better than silky peanut butter, crunchy cinnamon sugar, and slightly cinnamon-y Mexican chocolate. Rob didn't love the compote because it fooled him by initially looking like it'd taste like strawberries, but housed his share of the empanadas in a hurry, so he must have liked those! I tried (key word, there) to savor mine and make 'em last, and spooned out every last bit of the chocolate.
this place was so rad. I'd say it ranks in the top three restaurants in which we've eaten out here, and the bill didn't hurt as badly as I'd feared. we'll be back, definitely. it was a damn good, perfectly mellow weekend.
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