El Palmar, late-night in Uptown

Last night we went to the final show of this year's Chicago Improv Festival at the Athenaeum (verdicts: 3 for All from San Francisco, short-form improv, exemplary, they really showed what improv's all about, and they gave away free CDs, too; Chairs from Chicago, long-form, an improvised one-act play, decent, with an interesting concept; and Big News, news-based sketch comedy from L.A., not really funny even though I approve of their politics -- I think they're too angry to be humorous; Emo Philips was hilarious in a guest stand-up segment, though).

Afterwards, we weren't in the mood for diner fare (S&G and the Golden Apple) or bar food (Lennox Lounge), all that was still available after 10 p.m. on a Sunday in the immediate vicinity, so we got in the car and did the usual "what do you feel like?" and "what's near here?" and "what's still open?" thing until we finally sorta settled on Taqueria Caminos de Michoacan in Uptown, where we've enjoyed the mild but flavorful al pastor pork with bits of pineapple in it. When we got there, we decided to go to El Palmar (also mentioned in the link) instead, because we hadn't been there before.

This two-room storefront is bright and bustling with orange and white-tile walls and colorful tapestry tablecloths under glass. When we entered, it was about half-full of a mostly Latino crowd. We sat down to two smooth, medium-hot sauces, green and red, and a basket of rather hard, thick chips, gratis, and very pleasant, welcoming service.

The menu is longish, seafood heavy and opens to an extensive picture section. Other posters have commented briefly on El Palmar's menudo, gorditas and carne asada Tampaquena.

The plot of the improvised play we'd seen revolved around a woman's terror of shrimp, so naturally we had to had to have some. That influenced our shared starter, a ceviche-topped tostada, very nice and citrusy cubes of cilantro-flecked shrimp under sliced avocado, served, oddly, with a dollop of tartar sauce on the side.

For his main course, Himself opted for a quartet of tacos. These were fine, but nothing special. The steak was a bit dry, I thought. The al pastor pork had very good flavor but a gristly texture. The tortillas were kind of chewy and thick.

I went with the Rene G-recommended cordoniz frita. This is translated on the menu as quail, but was instead a whole, butterflied Cornish hen, deep-fried to crispiness and blanketed in vibrant salsa verde (my choice) or salsa roja, and served with bland refried beans and yellow rice. I'd go back for the bird, and to try more seafood, but I think Caminos de Michoacan makes better tacos.

(Note: Although El Palmar is typically open 8 a.m.-3 a.m. daily (and till 5 a.m. weekends), they are closed today in support of the Day Without Immigrants march.)

El Palmar Mexican Restaurant
1008 W. Irving Park Road, Chicago, 773/404-5969
Second location: 4258 N. Western Ave., Chicago, 773/463-4899

Taqueria Caminos de Michoacan
3948 N. Sheridan Road, Chicago, 773/296-9709
Second location: 4651 N. Clark St., Chicago, 773/334-6441

I am a huge fan of El Palmar. I live very close to this homey establishment and can comment on many of their dishes:

- Their chicken enchiladas with salsa verde are incredible (this coming from someone who has never ordered this dish at any other establishment---I saw my brother's rder from EP and had to try). The chicken filling is made of large chunks of dark meat (not the stringy shreds of white meat I always associated with this dish). The chicken seems to be roasted first and torn/chopped by hand-- every now and then a bit of drumstick cartilidge might sneak its way through, but it is more than worth it to have such moist and flavorful chicken as a filling. The refried beans and rice that come with are fine, but nothing special. I do enjoy the morsels of avocado that they serve with each entree.

-The deep fried quail (maybe it is cornish hen?!) could vie with LTH's fried chicken for an example of simple crisp juciness without a taint of grease. I get the sauce on the side as i find they tend to oversauce (drown) the crispy bird here.

- The tortas here are also good. The al pastor is a bit messy with plenty of smoky and crispy pork, lettuce, avocado and cheese but is worth the mess. I also had a very good fried beef cutlet sandwich here (the name escapes me but I'm sure it started with an M). Egg and chorizzo made into a scramble is another great sandwich to be had.

- I love the menudo. The tripe is tender and chewy in a bright lightly spicy broth with no trace of foul smell (something I encountered at another nearby place, "camino de michoacan" that caused me to understand for the first time why some people were disgusted by tripe... to be fair, this place does serve an incredibly crispy and delicious tripe taco--stay away from their menudo though)

- Horchata...I am not well traveled enough to say whether or not theirs is the best, but $2 for a 32 oz icy glass of refreshing creamy spiced goodness cannot be beaten by much. For those who have had not had this drink, imagine rice pudding somehow made into a refreshing summer drink and you pretty much have it. Better than a milkshake in summer: it is more refreshing and less heavy but still has all the sweet and creamy decadance.

I highly reccomend El Palmar to all.

Not to get too picky, but I always considered this Buena Park, or at least the very north edge of Lakeview.

Anyways, if I had to pick I'd go El Palmar over Michoacan. I recall a very good enchilada suiza from El Palmar, but Michoacan has the nice touch of screamingly loud Telemundo at all hours.

A really good Uptown taco joint is a little hole-in-the-wall place around the corner from the Broadway Grill and the Green Mill-can't remember the name for the life of me, tho. Amazing chicken tacos with cilantro and onion, homemade red sauce, and a lot fresh lime to squeeze all over 'em. Oooh, good.

Some joint whose name I can't remember
Broadway and Lawrence
Across from the abandoned Furniture USA

There was another string a few years back lauding Palmar. I think it's good, for the neighborhood. Don't forget the other outpost, on Western north of Irving.

The breaded fried steak is Milanesa. The other taco place in Uptown is probably either Carmela's, an al pastor specialist, or Taqueria Uptown (one of many), both on Lawrence near B'way.

Carmela's is the one. Thanks.

Carmela's Taqueria
1206 W Lawrence Ave
Chicago, IL 60640
773 275-5321

whiskeybent wrote:Not to get too picky, but I always considered this Buena Park, or at least the very north edge of Lakeview.

I suppose it depends on whether you're buying or selling. Are you a Realtor?

Irving Park Road is the official boundary between the city-designated community areas of Uptown and Lake View, and El Palmar is on the north side of it. You could call it Buena Park, which as a neighborhood inside Uptown has more loosely defined boundaries, but it's still Uptown.

hantav wrote:-The deep fried quail (maybe it is cornish hen?!)

The bird I got seemed much larger than a quail, which typically weighs 6 ounces.