Post 97: XOCO - Discovering Rick Bayless One Plate at a Time (Chicago: Near North Side)

On my first business trip to Chicago, my friend Jen and I made a full fledged attempt to make reservations at Rick Bayless' Frontera Grill.  During a layover at O'Hare on family vacation, I tried out Tortas Frontera, the order-at-the-counter version of the Bayless experience.  I vowed to return for a meal at one of his sit-down restaurants during my next visit to Chicago.  But alas, Frontera Grill was not taking any more reservations... so Jen and I crafted up Plan B for my second business trip to the city.  We decided on XOCO, the order-at-the-counter-and-then-sit-down Rick Bayless restaurant experience.  I believe it was a good compromise.

As an avid viewer of his show Mexico: One Plate at a Time on PBS, I have seen Señor Bayless work wonders with Mexican cuisine.  He brings to light obscure regional Mexican dishes that help remind us that tacos, quesadillas, and enchiladas aren't all there is to Mexican food.  His dishes are truly authentic in flavor and preparation, but there is always a touch of creativity and showmanship that he employs to connect down home Mexican comida with the contemporary American food lover. 

The combination of authenticity and showmanship shined through in the chicharrones.  The pork skin was deep fried hard exactly the way that Mexican street vendors do it... truly crispy inside and out.  They were topped off with the Bayless showmanship of Tamazula hot sauce, onions, cilantro, crumbled queso añejo, and fresh, squeeze-it-yourself lime.  Tamazula hot sauce tastes similar to the bottled Tapatío hot sauce in that it is thick and slightly smoky and peppery in flavor.  It is deep red, and it is full of flavor rather than simply spicy, and it is far from the peppery vinegar that we know as Tabasco.  The añejo cheese added a complex saltiness to the chicharrones too because its rind is rolled in paprika.  There were only so many deep fried pork skins that we could eat though.  There were many more starters to be had. 

Our starting drinks included the XOCO margarita, made with Cazadores Blanco, Combier, house made lime bitters, fresh lime, and cucumber.  The margarita was salted on the rim and shaken by the cashier himself.  When was the last time you got a margarita made at the cash register by a cashier-bartender? That was awesome.

If you're like Jen, and you happen to be on your lunch break and need to refrain from consuming alcoholic beverages, perhaps the bean-to-cup chocolate or the chocolate coffee on the menu is the proper selection for you.  The chocolate coffee is exactly what Jen ordered.  If you are expecting a piping hot cup of Joe or a mug of sweet milk chocolate, you will be disappointed.  The typical cup of coffee is not what XOCO serves.  The temperature is far from boiling, and it is most likely due to the addition of chocolate.  If you are expecting a soothing cup of genuine chocolate flavor, then you will be quite delighted.  The beverages are nothing short of extraordinary.   

While perusing the menu at the counter, I knew immediately that I wanted to try the pickled pigs' feet tostada.  Surprisingly, the pork was chilled as were the jalapeño pickled vegetables that topped off the handheld toasted tortilla.  But not surprisingly, the blend of cool crema and cilantro complemented the chilled pork.  It made for a refreshing bite especially when the tostada chip itself was thin and crispy.  But biter beware, if you take a big bite like I did, get ready for a flurry of cubed pork rainfall.

At the recommendation of Jen's co-worker, a XOCO regular, I ordered the pork belly torta, which just so happened to be the special of the day.  Packed at the center of the crusty bread was a cut of fatty and tender pork belly.  And... well, this is the part where I tell you how ridiculously delicious this Mexican pork belly panini was.  But guess what... I'm not going to.  You can use your imagination and let your wildest dreams of pork belly take over.  All I am going to say is that when I tasted the pork belly I felt my eyes roll back a little bit.  I had an urge to kidnap the sandwich to a secret hiding spot, perhaps under the table, to enjoy it selfishly so that no one else could share my guilty experience with me.  I completely ignored the arugula and whatever else was inside the sandwich... except... the... bacon.  Yes.  There was BACON.  Lying sinfully next to the pork belly.  What the... hell.  Who thinks of this deliciously heinous combination? Gracias, Rick Bayless.  Te quiero, torta rica.

We also ordered the chips and guacamole, which came with both salsa roja and salsa verde.  All three condiments were great additions to just about everything on the table including the torta.  But whatever.  I just bit into a pork belly and bacon torta.  Holy shit.

Jen ordered the pork belly vermicelli or fideos, the Spanish word for noodles that are most commonly used in soups.  This includes Asian style noodles used in Mexican and Latin cooking such as vermicelli.  The pork belly in the soup was equally as succulent and tender as the cut that was in the sandwich.  However, the texture of this pork belly was a bit more crisp on the outside.  A spicy salsa negra was in the broth base, which gave the soup a fiery taste that was abusively addicting.  The diced up avocado that peaked up through the gleaming pork belly broth was an added plus.  Its smooth and creamy texture contrasted the spiciness from the soup.  Jen and I agreed that we preferred authentic Chinese and Italian noodles to the fideos here, but no matter... the pork belly, once again, was eye-rolling delicious.

What better than a sweet dessert to help cool down the spicy kick of salsa negra? Well, three desserts, of course.  I let all my inhibitions go and ordered all three churros on the menu.  The trio of churros for that happy hump day were the chocolate/peanut, the margarita/almond, and the pistachio.

While the chocolate glazed churro suffered no faults, the margarita glazed churro with almonds actually enlightened my taste buds with its sharp tang and tartness.  The pistachio churro, however, was hands down the most memorable of the three.  If there was one word to describe it, the word would be fragrant.  The churro really was fragrant.  An explosion of pistachio passed through our nasal passages and jumped from taste bud to taste bud... and I'm almost sure that not one taste bud was skipped over.  Who knew pistachios could be so potently powerful? In a good way, of course.  The Disneyland churro is in a class of its own, but this Rick Bayless pistachio churro in all its glorious, green glaze was damned good.  Es la verdad.

After this stomach stuffer of a meal, my good friend Jen had to return to her corporate duties.  And I had digestion on my to do list.  But don't think for a minute that after all these chicharrones and churros, tostadas and tortas, pigs feet and pork belly, that I was done eating my way through Chicago.  There was still some time left before I needed to head to the airport, and one thing I had not accomplished just yet was... find a bakery.  Thanks Rick for showing us some flair with your take on Mexican cuisine.  I loved each plate at XOCO, and I will definitely be back for Frontera Grill next time.  Hasta luego, let's all get S.O.F.A.T.

ML - 20121114

Post 52.2: Hello Orange, Part 2 - Hello Potato Tacos (OC: Orange)

Now that I have been spending more time in the Orange County area, I have been able to wander around and discover some new food findings, the first of which is located right under my nose.  Okay, so 'right under my nose' isn't quite the exact GPS location, but this discovery did occur in the same plaza where the office is located... so it's really not that far from whatever is under my nose.

Pepito's Mexican Restaurant is not quite El Torito, not quite King Taco, but not quite El Pollo Loco either.  It's more like the kitchen and dining patio of your best friend's, little sister's, boyfriend's abuelita... just an open kitchen with counters made of tile, a cross between a restaurant and a café that serves authentic Mexican fare to locals.  It is not the kind of place that foodies would deliberately search and try, but it definitely is the kind of joint that gets the unsuspecting hungry coming back as regulars.  Pepito's is not a chain... it doesn't even have its own website.  But what it does have is an expansive menu complete with breakfast burritos and enchiladas... there are daily specials, Taco Tuesdays, a friendly staff with easily recognizable faces, cold cerveza, a fresh salsa bar, and holy hell... there are potato tacos.

So what is this infatuation I have with these newly discovered potato tacos? Well, you'd never know until you try.  I have come to love potato tacos because they are the most indulgent kind of tacos there are.  I mean... you can never go wrong with the house asada or the pastor that's made just right, but there's no amount of meat and tortilla that will make you feel like you're truly guilty.  If you polish off a 32 oz. rib eye with a side of mashed potatoes... you're a bad ass.  But if you polish off just two or three crispy shell potato tacos... hey, you're just bad.  

The root of your guilt stems from the potato itself.  Commonly made into French fries, tater tots, and bacon topped skins, it's not really thought of as the healthiest of vegetables.  Even though they are full of fiber, you know that it wasn't quite what your mom was referring to when she said, "eat your vegetables."  Whether or not you think potatoes are vegetables or corn tortillas are actually part of the vegetable food group, the lack of a true leafy green or a browned protein in your taco connotes a message that your meal is lacking some sort of nutrient.  

No matter.  Guilt is guilt.  If you get a chance to indulge in a crispy shell filled with a fluffy white vegetable more commonly thought of as carbs, then please don't let anything stop you.  You haven't lived until you've bitten into this ingenious invention.  It's one part grilled hash brown, a second part velvety mashed potato, and another part steamy baked potato... all wrapped within a crispy tortilla and doused with whatever salsa your heart desires.  (Not into spicy? Pepito's makes a Gringo salsa for the japaleño adverse.)  Oh, and did I mention the shredded cheese that comes on top? If you order the tacos for takeout, the cheese will melt in the container by the time you reach your destination (across the office plaza).  Ahhh... delicious, heavenly guilt.

Hola, Naranja.  Thanks for introducing Pepito's potato tacos.  I have a feeling Orange will be good to me.  Until the next carb-filled discovery, let's all get S.O.F.A.T.

ML - 20110411+0526

Post 11.2: Grand Central Market (LA: Downtown)

Although our afternoon plans were to run errands, they were quickly changed to partake in some cupcake (Plan B).  However, we decided to round the corner and head toward Grand Central Market on Broadway & 5th.  I guess you could call this Plan C now...? Oh, what are plans for a lazy, rainy, Tuesday afternoon anyway?

The name fits the bill.

The marketplace's grandeur sits in the center of Downtown.

So what's at Grand Central Market? Just about everything.  Fresh produce, a butcher and his fridge of fresh fowl, taquerias and pupuserias, smoothies and froyo, a liquor station, a multi-cultural apothecary (Mexican medicines and spicy Salonpas included), cheap Chinese massages, and even a stand that specializes in two dozen different chili peppers.  From serranos to poblanos, you name it... it's there.

Take a deep breath.

I can feel the air fill my lungs when I first step in... each time and every time.

While strolling through the market, we caught a glimpse of a spicy shrimp ceviche that put twinkles in our eyes.  We ordered the ceviche on a tostada... for the extra crunch. Crunch. Crunch. Crunch.  There's nothing like the heat from a Mexican salsa that refuels the appetite.

 What the fork? 

Eating the ceviche without utensils is a difficult task.

Rina couldn't resist but to grab some yogurt on the way out.  (I don't go one week without being asked if I am Japanese or Korean for some reason.)  The froyo attendant was the one who so boldly asked me this time.

Attendant: Are you Korean?

ML: No... but she is! (pointing at RK)

RK: (smiles) Are... you... Korean?

Attendant: I'm Mongolian.

ML/RK: (pause) uh...

Attendant: ... from independent Mongolia.

ML: Cool... (awkward)... thank you! Bye!

Well, that was a first.  Mongolian! I think she really wanted to chat.  (No one was buying any froyo from her, so I think she was finding ways to cure her boredom.)  My genuine interest in Asian culture, history, and politics prompted me to stay and find out more about Mongolia and its people, but my genuine interest in more food prompted me to jump along to our next stop in our gastronomic gluttony of an afternoon.  Next time I return to Grand Central Market, I really think I'm going to stop and have a little chat with her.

So until then, let's all get S.O.F.A.T. 

ML - 20100304/20100209