The Great Tampiquena Hunt

Hello all,

I've been a long time lurker of LTH and this is my first post.

A freind and I have been scowering the city looking for the best Carne Tampequena. The best we've found thus far has been at Nopales followed closely by Nuevo Leon.

We have found that we enjoyed most the thicker cut of steak offered at Nopales, rather than the thinner cut more typically offered. This thicker cut was also offered at Don Juan, Pancho Pistolas and Las Palmas. Also a rich mole on the enchilada rather than the more traditional red sauce pleases greatly.

Places we've tried in no particular order include (please forgive any mispellings):

Nopales
Garcias
Los Cazuelas
Nuevo Leon
Don Juan
Taxco
La Finca
Las Palmas
Platiyo (Not on menu but they made it for us anyway)
El Cid
Lalo's
Ferandos(Not on menu)
Pancho Pistolas
Luna
Picante Grill (Again, off menu)
Campeche


I'm certain there are a few more I'm missing here.

Anyway, I'm curious where you think the best Tampiquena in the city is and why you think so?

Bonus point for a good margarita too!

Thanks in advance for your response.

I'm a Tampiqueña lover as well, and Rique's on Sheridan Rd., just north of Argyle, is probably the best I've found to my liking.

While not in the city, my favorite Tampiquena is at El Molino in Carpentersville. The sauce over the steak is chipotle based and can carry quite a bit of heat. Theirs is served with a small portion of chicken chilaquiles with a salsa verde. I think it is fantastic, but I have also been eating it since I was a child
Jamie

The last time I was at Sol de Mexico, the waiter informed us that Chicago Magazine (I think?) had proclaimed their Tampiquena to be the best in the city. I don't normally give much creedence to "best of" lists, because it is impossible to have tried EVERY Tampiquena in Chicago. However, since the enchilada part of the dish comes smothered in SdM's wonderful red mole, I don't doubt the veracity of that ranking.

I did not personally try the dish, but one of my fellow diners did. He seemed very impressed, cleaning his plate in record time. Since this was a business dinner, I can't vouch for the guy's Tampiquena credentials, but he did say he was a big fan of Rick Bayless and had eaten at FronTopo many times.

http://lthforum.com/bb/viewtopic.php?t=9213

Last night we tried to Tampiquena at Oxacaquena.

While "Tampiquena" was not on the menu per se, the Carne Asada came with a cheese enchilada. The only thing that was missing was rice and some guacamole. Easy enough to fix with a side order.

Anyway, I really loved the three salsas that come befoe the meal and the margaritas were really good as well.

The steak was juicy and properly cooked, the enchilada was great. The mole (bonus points for the rich brown mole here) was delicate and complex but I have to admit the mole at Nuevo Leon had a bit of heat on the back end that was really nice.

All in all I'd say the tampiquena at Oxacaquena is solid and in the top three or four we've had thus far.

Thanks to all for the recomendations and I'll be sure to try those in the city soon. The ones in the burbs will have to wait untill I venture their way.

Thanks again and I'll keep you updated on my Tampiquena Hunt.

While I don't seem to have tried all of the Tampiquena versions you have, one of my favorites is just down the street from me at Azteca Tacos (on Blue Island, just south of 18th Street). We also love the chile rellenos there. The service can be slow at times and they don't have margaritas, but a good Bohemia will do and the price can't be beat.

My favorite is Las Cazuelas.....carne asada using skirt steak, and a cheese enchilada with the best mole I've ever had. And, great margaritas made with fresh-squeezed lime juice.


Las Cazuelas
4821 N Elston Ave
Chicago, IL 60630
(773) 777-5304

choppcs wrote:My favorite is Las Cazuelas.....carne asada using skirt steak, and a cheese enchilada with the best mole I've ever had. And, great margaritas made with fresh-squeezed lime juice.


Las Cazuelas
4821 N Elston Ave
Chicago, IL 60630
(773) 777-5304

Oddly, while I have always loved Las Cazuelas, their Tampiquena was among my least favorite thus far.

I really was dissapointed by this since typically everything they send out of their kitchen is of a really high quality. Their tampiquena will not sulley my opinion that they are a really solid place.

Las Pinatas, North and Wells. Yes, it's a yuppie-infested tourist trap with Second City marked-up prices. But if you address the proprietors politely and demonstrate interest in their culinary heritage, you're going to get a mess of cebollitas asadas on top of delicious lime-marinated skirt steak and a very tasty enchilada, and they'll probably comp you flan as well. Their table salsa is fiery and excellent and the margaritas are almost straight tequila, if slightly oversweetened.

Martha, we have a winner.

If you want the absolute best tampiquena in the city it's at Sol de Mexico.

The perfect steak, cut thick, the amazing mole on the chicken enchilada, the awesome guacamole and the fabulous beans.

It saddens us a little that we no longer have to hunt the perfect tampiquena but it makes us happy that we know exactly where to find it.

If you're a fan of tampiquena you'll find the best at Sol de Mexico.

I've never heard of, seen or eaten a "thick cut" tampequeña before, can you tell us more about the entree?

Bill wrote:I've never heard of, seen or eaten a "thick cut" tampequeña before, can you tell us more about the entree?

I'm with Bill, my tocayo, on this one. The classic is made with a piece of beef fillet that has been butterflied into a thin piece. The experts (not me!) do it in a single, deft motion in which they roll the meat along the cutting board with one hand while slicing with the other - both hands moving in the same direction. Hard to describe, but fun to watch.

Bill/SFNM

I have seen it prepared both ways, depending on if it is made with skirt steak (as at Sol de Mexico), or the more traditional thicker and tougher next door neighbor, flank steak . I think flank steak is typically butterflied (and sometimes mechanically tenderized) whereas skirt steak is usually not.

Not a rec, but I'm wondering if there is any intel on Tampiquena from La Quebrada? This seems to be along the lines of something they'd do competently, if not well.

Some restaurants are serving "Bistec a la Tampequeña" and others "Carne Asada a la Tampequeña" and some presentations of the Tampequeña's fall short of what you see being served in much of Mexico - which, from what I've experienced, is the type my tocayo Bill/SFNM mentions. If someone set down a plate of a "thick cut" Tampequeña in front of me I'd send it back to the kitchen and order something else, or, probably walk out the front door. Each lof us has his/her own preferences.