Mexican Republic, Forest Park [was: Axcan]

I enjoyed an inaugural visit to Axcan (aXcan) in Forest Park enough to bet it'll be a thing around here if they can get the momentum going. Maya del Sol has improved over time to the point where I no longer take a second look at New Rebozo's hospitality or Fuego Loco's favorable pricing; it's my local go-to for full-service Mexican with great bar. Axcan could change that; it combines some of the house-made regional hits I go to Cicero or Melrose for with a Baylessian slickness in presentation and room design, all for pricepoints that are currently a nice value, Groupon aside. Enrique Gomez and Sylvia Ximenez have designed the menu well and don't seem to be taking any shortcuts, to my simultaneous delight and concern.



The physical setup is striking - a spacious front covered patio that will be grand in the summer, a tiled bar area with rough-hewn tables, and then a surprisingly deep main dining room going back to a big window into the kitchen. The attention to glass is particularly fun - rustic pendants at the entry, Chihuly-style bowls on the walls, and really hefty, primary-color-speckled glassware on the tables, nice prisms for the bright colors and parietal folk art. It is an inviting and comfortable space that feels somewhat like a walk-in humidor, appropriate for smoky notes on the menu, from mezcal to liberal use of pimenton.



With some places charging near $5 for a taco, I don't expect an appetizer of flautas in that ballpark to provide three packed pipes rolled and fried to order, sauced and studded with sesame seeds, and finished with a simple salad of bitter arugula, lime, and assertively smoked paprika, but Axcan delivers. This is a straightforward plate with no flashy herbal flavors, earthy shrooms, or caramelized vegetables I've had in some favorites in D.F., but the balance is just right. The sopa classica is indeed textbook: long shreds of chicken in a rich stock with tomato, lime, chile oil, a crown of tortilla strips and dried peppers. It tasted fresh and simple and was just slightly oversalted, easy to cut with more citrus. Complimentary chips were warm and plentiful, and salsas were a strong effort, from smoky red to smooth green.



Horchata was unusual - how many places mix one up with condensed and coconut milk along with the rice, and top with fragrant shreds of canela bark; this approached a milkshake or colada, but I loved it. Again, a different level of commitment than your average suburban Mexican concept. In addition to their own tequila and mixers, they are preparing scratch tamales and empanadas in a different variety each week. Brunch looks appealing. I'm not sure they have everything to fill the Xni-Pec sized hole in my heart, but I'll be returning to explore soon.

Axcan Mexican Grill
7404 Madison St.
Forest Park, Illinois 60130
708-689-8870
http://www.axcangrill.com/menu.html

After a great lunch here today, I heartily second Santander's review of Axcan. I also had the Sopa Clasico and think it is a great version. The salt level is very present, just up to the line, but not too salty for me... I read on the website that the exec chef spent nineteen years with Rick Bayless, who also has a heavier hand with NaCl.

I had a trio of tacos, two al pastor and one rajas. The al pastor was great, not sure if it was from a trompo, but full flavored with roasted pineapple onions, cilantro crispy bacon and with a smoky red salsa. The rajas were spectacular - roasted poblanos, mushrooms, caramelized onions with an avocado / tomatillo salsa...

They're really doing a great job here, which is evident from the precision of the white onion dice in the fantastic green salsa to the freshly fried tortilla threads and griddled pasilla chili chips in the sopa clasico. I look forward to trying the Cochinita Pibil - habanero salsa and pickled red onion for your Xni-Pec jones - and the crab ceviche from the dinner menu on my next visit!

Very excited to check this joint out. Was the soup the only thing that you'd consider to be on the salty side, or was everything generally salty-ish?

On my visit, the soup had the highest salt factor, but I'll reiterate that in marched up to the line, but didn't cross it. The other items were spot on...

I've been twice now, and really want to like the place. The flavors in everything I've had are great, and the service has been solid. I will certain go again. All that said, it certainly hasn't been perfect. To my taste the salt level in the sopa classica is over the top - not quite inedible, but high enough I certainly couldn't finish the bowl. Some of the other dishes have been similarly marred by execution issues that made otherwise appealing food hard to eat. I'm really hoping that gets better in time - the location, price point, and cuisine make this somewhere I'll stop at least weekly for lunch if they can sort it out.

I had the tamale ($5.75), served in a tomato sauce with crema and a side salad of arugula. The tamale was good, with a lot of masa and a little beef, which is fine with me, as the masa was lushly soft and lightly flavorful. Re: the saltiness of the food: man, these tamales were salty but the salad, sheesh, the salad had oceanic levels of salinity. Now, I understand the word “salad” actually derives from the word for salt, so I expect some salt in my salad, but this was crazy salty. I actually used tortilla chips to swab the crystalline deposits off my tongue – and this from a guy who salts his pizza! Salt is my favorite condiment – I have like eight varieties at home – but this was way, way too much salt.

David Hammond wrote:Salt is my favorite condiment

Ketchup is going to be very upset to hear that!

stevez wrote:

David Hammond wrote:Salt is my favorite condiment

Ketchup is going to be very upset to hear that!

Ketchup is the world's favorite condiment, and I like it, but there are limits to what it can be put upon: chocolate, watermelon, licorice (all of which benefit from salt). There are limits.

David Hammond wrote:Ketchup is the world's favorite condiment, and I like it, but there are limits to what it can be put upon: chocolate, watermelon, licorice (all of which benefit from salt). There are limits.

Actually, ketchup is second fiddle to Mayo, according to this recent report.

Sorry for the thread derail. I promise to got to Axcan and give a full report.

I snuck back for dessert with company this weekend. Mezcalrita is not quite the balanced equal of the Zipakna at Maya, but is spicier and with nice fresh cucumber flavors. Hot chocolate was rich with canela and had two torched rectangular marshmallows on a long white plate, a beautiful presentation. The stars were the duo of flans - one coconut, one coffee, both exceptionally creamy and flavorful without being cloying (the piloncillo sauce was actually helpful here). Dehydrated apple, fresh mint, and berries rounded out that plate, unnecessary but artful touches. Chips weren't quite the basket o'magic as the first run but the place was full to brimming so they were working ahead.

Santander wrote:Chips weren't quite the basket o'magic as the first run but the place was full to brimming so they were working ahead.

I liked the chips just fine and the salsas were very good, and correct me if I'm wrong, but I believe those chips were store-bought and warmed (which is nice) but not made in house, right?

I'm planning to give it another try for lunch on Tuesday - does anyone have anything to put on a "must try" list? I've had the the tamal (from last week),tacos (almost all the varieties), sopa classica, flautas, and the kid's hamburger - and I'd rank them in that order (best to worst). I really want to find some things to love here, so please advise.

Surprisingly, I liked the creamy Poblano soup, which is the "soup of the week" this week. My server warned me that it would be hot with chili heat, and it was, but that heat balanced out the creaminess and the taste of the pepper was nicely complemented by fried onions floating on top of the soup. This is a very good soup, and if I go back for lunch, I may get just a bowl of this soup and some tortilla chips (along with two good salsas: a garlicky green one and another that I’m guessing had a chili Arbol base).

David Hammond wrote:

Santander wrote:Chips weren't quite the basket o'magic as the first run but the place was full to brimming so they were working ahead.

I liked the chips just fine and the salsas were very good, and correct me if I'm wrong, but I believe those chips were store-bought and warmed (which is nice) but not made in house, right?

That's quite possible (or perhaps they've settled on that solution for dinner service). My lunch basket was piping; the dinner barely warm and clearly pre-cooked (though still fresh and tasty).

My lunch here was OK, though better than average by average Mexican standards. But there's definitely a lot of potential, especially once they work through the salt issue. My three tacos (al pastor, carne asada and baja) were a bit of a letdown considering I could go a bit farther out and get excellent gas station tacos at Carnitas Don Alfredo. Next time here I'll be sure to try some of the more substantial entrees.

I did make it back, and had the same cream of poblano soup. It was very nice, although again on the salty side - I wonder if there's a homemade stock base that is at the root of the salty soups. I agree that, unlike earlier visits, the chips did not seem freshly fried. They were fine though, and the two salsas very good. Service was also good. I still hold out hope this will turn into a place I eat often, the area could really use solid and authentic Mexican ( the carne en su jugo thread is making me miss the city. Even more, I miss good tacos.)

There's not a nicer patio on Madison than Axcan. Food is getting better from the pickled onions on the ahogada to the sopa classica with less salt. The horchata is a delight, always slightly different, today's with coconut milk and shredded coconut. Not from a bag, or at least unsweetened and house toasted. The canela they use completely fills the palate with a perfume of distant clean trees and Christmas in the tropics. If you don't trust the food yet (go entree / appetizers / sides, avoid tacos), pull a Kow Kow, order the horchata, crunch at the cinnamon bark, meditate, and then say you've been paged to an urgent appointment (does anyone page now other than Beyonce? "texted?") and won't be ordering lunch.

Finally made it to Axcan. I was a little hesitant to go because of the comments about the salt levels, but after the first visit, I cannot wait to return. Nothing I had seemed on the saltier side of the spectrum, and I sense some serious promise of things that could be. Perhaps it was the light-headedness after splitting a pitcher of Margs with one tablemate, but I thought all in all, it was worth every penny, and if you only knew how damn cheap I am...

Guacamole Del Dia - Totally competent. They threw some mango chunks in it to make some people say ooh and aah. Whatever. It was decent guacamole with some mango in it. It wasn't special, but don't get me wrong - it was totally competent, just not amazing or anything.

Queso Fundido - Chorizo and sauteed onions, I believe. The chorizo was kinda lost in the mix, but not in a bad way. My take was that the melty, gooey cheese, was fantastic. I didn't really need chorizo, but I guess it added a tiny but of that greezy chorizo essence for a background note. The cheese however, just fantastic. And not in a fancy way, either. It was just salty, nutty, chewy - actually reminded me of really good mozzarella. Loved it. Again, nothing fancy at all, just bubbly, good, chewy cheese with some crispy browned parts. I took two bites, and told the tablemates to take it away from me. I would have taken a fork, twirled the whole thing up on the fork, and chomped it in one bite. (My mouth is watering right now thinking about it.)

Fish Taco - The sauce approached "salty" but that was because there was a goodly amount on it. I'll be ordering at least one fish taco every time I go back. I can adjust the sauce level easily on my own. Loved these. Nothing fancy here, either. Just good. But not too many fish tacos around town this way, so "good" really stands out.

Brisket Taco - I wasn't enamored by this, but it was still good. Tender brisket slow cooked in a red chile sauce that wasn't assertive in any real way. Again, not BAD by any means at all, just nothing popped out. I need to get another one to make sure of my opinion. I won't have any regrets if I order another and it's the same, I'd just prefer the fish taco.

I ordered the pork loin special at the server's advice. The pork loin special was cheaper by about 7 bucks from what I told them I was trying to choose between, so I took the advice and ran with it. The server was pretty staunch on their opinion. The special was basically what appeared to be half a pork tenderloin in a pool of a really decent tomato brothy, garlicky sauce studded with avocado bits and chunks of slow cooked pork shoulder. Loved it. It wasn't all wine and roses however. Here's the quibble - for as good as it was, it was served on a bed of refrieds, which, about halfway through the dish, just seemed to be about as creative an addition as a Ramones guitar solo. I'm sure they were homemade, but they just started weighing everything down. So, I finished everything else, but the end plate that was taken away had what appeared to be a mound of refried beans about the size of a half of a standard 14oz can, and that was AFTER I had eaten plenty. So my only knock is that something like a flippin' vegetable could have replaced at least half of those monotonous beans - simple roasted cauliflower, some garlicky sauteed calabaza - not even anything that would cost real money, or take a huge amount of prep. Would I order that dish again? Probably, but I might even say, "hold the beans." Seriously. Other than that, I was digging on the flavors.

So, my thought is this:
I'm guessing that for the price point, I'm hoping to go back and be fully impressed by a few standard platillos. Definitely wanna try enchiladas in red sauce, and something in mole. Fingers are crossed. The tablemates all ordered tacos, so I didn't get to try too much in the way of sauces. I can't blame them for going the taco route though. They have two platters which you can choose 6 tacos so you can sample the tastes, and all of the tacos are definitely uniquely flavored and thought out - most of them had different toppings and sauces no "cilantro/cebolla" as the only option going on here. And the tacos were all standard size, too.

We rocked the churros for dessert. Fried, sweet, dough. Warm chocolate with very present cinnamon, warm caramel, warm caramel with pecans, and a scoop of vanilla ice cream topped with strawberries were the dipping options. You can go ahead and guess if anyone at the table loved it or not.


Any intel on enchiladas or mole here? I should hopefully be able to report back within a few weeks.
I can't wait to go back to this joint.

Made it back or some early Sunday evening al fresco dinner. A more reserved thumbs up this time around, but still pleased that this place exists.

Queso Fundido of the day was with carnitas. Who in their right mind can turn that down? Never heard my 7 yr old boy swoon like that before. It was good. REAL good. Same salty, nutty cheese, flecked with strands of soft, porky carnitas. Topped with pico de gallo, served with warm homemades. I'll have to inquire about better salsas next time we go. Salsas have been a weak point. Definitely tamed for the crowd, but, I'd hope there is a bowl of something nice in the fridge for those who ask. The standard house red/green served with the basket of chips when seated are just not assertive in any way. Not bad, just...TAME. I do not like tame when it comes to salsa. The boy even said they were way too tame, but he takes after his old man. <insert mailman/milkman/fullerbrushsaleman joke here>

Ensalada Fresca. Get this too if you go. Jicama, pineapple, and probably something else I'm forgetting in a very light vinaigrette, with a decent dusting of a chile/lime seasoning, probably that stuff that starts with a 't' I see everywhere (taijin?) Simple, refreshing, fantastic for crunching on for a palate cleanser.

Enchiladas Mexicanas. Mole Negro was disappointing, imo. If I didn't know any better, I'd say it was straight up Dona Whateverbrand, or Rogelio Bueno (I really think it was Rogelio B.) We opted for chicken, and I'm pretty sure it was dark meat, so it wasn't ALL bad. The mole was waay too sweet and one note, for me, though. Glad we tried it, and got that out of the way. I was hoping for much better, but there's plenty of other stuff to eagerly try, and the mole negro won't deter us from coming back soon.

I went with the 6 taco platter, and only had one disappointment. I went for 3 fish tacos, one octopus taco, one pork belly and one that didn't matter, I think it was the tongue? Whatever that one was, it was totally forgettable, but not BAD. The pork belly though. Way too sweet. The chunks o belly were just fine, but the sauce was like a sweet teriyaki, and it was not for me. Revelation, however - the octopus taco. FANTASTIC. It was a few chunks of battered, and fried octopus with a green sauce which needs to go on every frickin taco I get from now on. They call it "serrano mayo" on the menu but it was more of a sauce - whatever - it needs to go on everything. It wasn't spicy as far as I could tell, but it had a really nice salty/sour/tangy (NOT SWEET) thing going on, and I can be a happy camper no matter what with 3 fish tacos, 2 octopossum tacos, one wildcard taco, and a side of serrano mayo for drizzlin on everything. This place might actually come close to supplanting a few of our hole in the wall joints for enchilada / taco night once in a while. Axcan hast the best fish taco I've come across in the hood so far, though I've heard from questionable sources that Miller's Ale House has a decent fish taco. More to come on Axcan though. Diggin' this place.

New name...

Mexican Republic Kitchen & Cantina
7404 Madison St, Forest Park