Mexican in Rogers Park

Hi: What do you recommend as far as Mexican in Rogers Park (N of Devon): Tacos/Burritos (el-pastor/barbacoa especially), good weekend pozole. Also, good lunch places would be great.
Thanks in advance.
Elie

Have you done a search?

I think you will find info on at least: Chorrito, Dona Lolis, La Cazuela, Las Islas Marias, Uptown etc. There is also excellent Peruvian, Venezuelan, and Cuban. But you weren't asking about that.

JeffB wrote:Have you done a search?

Jeff, you can be counted on more than about anyone to pip in with a response, both here and on that "other board " when someone asks something. So, note, I put "Mexican Rogers Park" in the search box and got 24 pages. And nothing on the first two pages was directly obvious by the terms in the subject lines. The reality is that searching is not perfect here. It would be nice if we had a way to cross-reference posts by type of food or location, but this is a forum not a database. Sometimes, the best way to get what you want is to just ask.

And the answer, well, it's been a while since I've last been, but I always thought of Dona Lois as one of the better and more interesting Mexican restaurants in town. They specialize in fresh made quesadillas that they stuff.

Rob

That being said, typing "rogers park mexican site:lthforum.com" into google returns a ton of useful results

but, of course, that requires people to remember how to do that.. or that it's even better than the built in search. but i digress.

-ed

gleam wrote:That being said, typing "rogers park mexican site:lthforum.com" into google returns a ton of useful results

but, of course, that requires people to remember how to do that.. or that it's even better than the built in search. but i digress.

-ed

Yes it does!

gleam wrote:That being said, typing "rogers park mexican site:lthforum.com" into google returns a ton of useful results

but, of course, that requires people to remember how to do that.. or that it's even better than the built in search. but i digress.

-ed

Ed, thanks for reminding us of this. I was trying to recall the sequence of elements (words site: lthforum.com) the other day and couldn't get it right. I don't think I'll use our search function again -- it works okay, but not as good as Google.

Hammond

Thanks for the google tip. I searched this forum but I am always a little impatient having to go through many pages.

Anyhow I did try La Cazuela (which was good) and also tried Taste of Peru (after reading the great neigh. restaurants) and was great. But I was really looking for say a sunday lunch of pozole and al pastor and I am hesitant to just walk in on a place. But, I will now use google and will keep you posted. Thanks for the help (I always thought there is more to google )
Elie

here are some specific links beside the islas marias one (though that is not a pozole lead)

To be truthful, I am not much of a pozole eater, but I've noticed a number of the groceries do carry pozole and menudo on the weekend - One i've been meaning to ask about is taqueria susupuato#2 on broadway a little south of devon, next to bornhofen's - anyone have experience with that one?

http://www.lthforum.com/bb/viewtopic.php?p=16241#16241

http://www.lthforum.com/bb/viewtopic.php?t=3163


anyway, would love to hear the results of your pozole quest

Last night, a visiting friend asked if I had ever heard of eating "corn fungus". So we all strolled up to Clark st. for huitlacoche and flores de calabaza at Doña Lolis. When we got there, the restaurant was completely empty. The dearth of business was especially noticable in contrast to La Cazuela next door, which had live music and was packed. I felt a little guilty that it had been well over a year since I last dined at Doña Lolis. Frankly, the last time I was there it was just so-so. Anyhow, maybe it was nostaglia, or the excitement of introducing a friend to "corn smut", or maybe I was just hungry, but last night, the food was spot-on. The quesadillas de huitlacoche were especially tasty with a generous load of the delicately flavored fungus mixed with finely minced onion and chewy kernels of red corn folded inside a moist masa pancake (3 different corn preparations in one dish). I also had a Bompaso (a grilled sandwich), which was very good. I noticed they had covered over part of the menu with taped 3x5 cards that bore handwritten additions. One new dish that caught my eye was Albondigas with chilis negros. Anyhow, if you haven't been to Doña Lolis recently, or have never experienced the wonderful flavors of corn smut and squash blossoms, you should go. They could use the business. Besides, the ceiling alone is worth the visit.

Dona Lolis, kinda always looks empty, has been in all the time we've been going there

In terms of the new stuff, I've had the albondigas, which were really IMO nothing special, however the tlacoyos which they don't always have, especially the requeson are pretty nice

zim wrote:Dona Lolis, kinda always looks empty, has been in all the time we've been going there

In terms of the new stuff, I've had the albondigas, which were really IMO nothing special, however the tlacoyos which they don't always have, especially the requeson are pretty nice

I know that they have never done landslide business, but last night, the place was empty when we arrived, empty when we left and not a single customer arrived while we were there. That seems pretty bad for prime-time on a friday night.

I am sorry to hear the albondigas aren't that great. Obviously that item must have also piqued your interest. What are tlacoyos, exactly? I always thought they were similar to huaraches. I didn't see them posted yesterday.

Since you are from the neighborhood, have you ever been to Siete Mares? I have eaten there only twice in 4 years, but it was surprisingly good both times. However, judging by the somewhat grungy appearance of the place, I just can't help but think that I was lucky. I had a very bad experience once with Mexican seafood, so I shy away from places that are not very busy. When we ate there, the waitress spoke absolutely no english. When my slightly less than adequate command of spanish failed, she got the cook to come out and translate. He looked like he was about 18 years old. We were totally surprised at how well he cooked for his age.

UPDATE: I saw that the Siete Mares was closed on a saturday night. I think they have gone out of business.

Vital Information wrote:Sometimes, the best way to get what you want is to just ask.

I concur. Searching by neighborhood is one of the more problematic searches, whether you use the onsite engine or Google, because not everyone puts neightborhood names in their commentary.

While I do encourage people to search first, if you ask, other people point you at useful posts that might not have come up in your search, as well as, often, providing more current info.

d4v3 wrote:
I am sorry to hear the albondigas aren't that great. Obviously that item must have also piqued your interest. What are tlacoyos, exactly? I always thought they were similar to huaraches. I didn't see them posted yesterday.

The albondigas aren't terrible just don't really stand out (other than having a very strong garlic component), and the rice at dona lolis always, IMO leaves something to be desired.

the tlacoyos (and a couple of other non-menu items are are still posted, on a yellow sign near the grill windowup front (can be partially obscured by a high chair stack)

I've had tlacoyos at a couple of places and don't really have a good handle on what they should look like or what they would look like if you ordered them in mexico, every version I've had had little resemblance to the others. In the case of Dona Lolis, what they are smallish sort of empandaish things filled with filling (in this case requeson) and then topped with some cilantro onion and cheese. The masa for the litle pouch does not seemed baked or deep fried, rather the same griddle texture of tortillas etc. for $1.99, its well worth a try.

d4v3 wrote:
Since you are from the neighborhood, have you ever been to Siete Mares? I have eaten there only twice in 4 years, but it was surprisingly good both times. However, judging by the somewhat grungy appearance of the place, I just can't help but think that I was lucky. I had a very bad experience once with Mexican seafood, so I shy away from places that are not very busy. When we ate there, the waitress spoke absolutely no english. When my slightly less than adequate command of spanish failed, she got the cook to come out and translate. He looked like he was about 18 years old. We were totally surprised at how well he cooked for his age.

UPDATE: I saw that the Siete Mares was closed on a saturday night. I think they have gone out of business.

Actually I'm not from the neighborhood but I do eat in the area fairly often, though I never tried siete mares.

I did spy a couple of new places which If I had digital image capability I would have posted merely for their names:

"El Pollo Frito: home of the southern fried chicken"

and a place serving burgers and middle-eastern - "Big Buns and Pita", which I'm sure any number of bad puns can be fashioned from

I actually tried El Pollo Frito a week or so ago. Like you, intrigued by the prospect of Mexican Southern fried chicken.

It was... acceptable. I wish it was better, because after I'd been there about ten minutes someone came in and started chatting up the girl, and she started bragging about how her boss does fried chicken versus whatever was in the space before, and though the details escape me I was kind of impressed that they care and are trying.

But, not that I'm a huge fried chicken fan anyway, but this was just okay. (The microwaved biscuit was not even that.) Competent, acceptable, if I lived close by I'd hit it once in a while, all those things.

ADDENDUM 9/6/06: Pollo Frito is no more.

Mike G wrote:ADDENDUM 9/6/06: Pollo Frito is no more.

Drove past tonight and saw that TLFKAPF is in the process of being reborn as Harold's Chicken #44.

I guess I never thought about exactly where it is, but it's on the west side of North Clark street, somewhere between Pratt and Lunt, roughly.

Just in case you wanted to know...

That's great news, I've been wanting one a little closer. If anyone has an address and/or an ETA I'd love to learn it.

We were in Chicago this week end and after Mass we walked by the new Harolds. It will be on the west side of Clark just north of Morse.
We ate at a new Mexican restaurant. It is called Jesses. It is on the north side of Western just south of Lunt, 6950 N Western ave. He grills his own meat. It was very good and the next time we are in Chicago I would eat there again. Hubby had steak tacos and I had a combination with a enchilada, taco and a tamale. The tamale had a grilled flavor to it. Jesse was a butcher at a Rogers Park store on Clark and has now opened his own restaurant. Good basic Mexican food that we can't get in north central Wisconsin.

WIGIRL56 wrote: He grills his own meat.

I'm glad to hear that he is not buying that processed pre-grilled meat like the other Mexican restaurants.

Sorry. I couldn't resist.

Dona Lolis was on their A-game today - went with a friend, for $11 had a Quesadilla de Flor de Calabaza, taco de tripas and a Gordita con chicharron. Excellent, if a bit greasy in a good way; the gordita in particular was deliciously crispy on the outside.

I went to Jesse's Mexican Grill back in May of this year and I can't recommend it. The wait staff seemed inexperienced and the management inattentive, the soup and meat were heavily salted - offensively so, and the meat was as tough as I imagine shoe leather to be (can't say I've tried that entree anywhere, yet). The salsas were "ok" and the flan tasted as if a couple of days old. The glass of horchata was good.

Here are some photos I took the day of the meal:





Sopa de Tortilla



Carne Asada a la Tampequeña



Flan



Jesse's Mexican Grill
6950 N Western Ave.
Chicago, Illinois 60645
Phone: (773) 856-6050

Sorry you had a disappointing experience at Jesse's. Jesse seems like a great guy, and really knows his meat. The Evanston Lunch Group™ went there a few months ago and had a very good experience. Check this thread:

http://www.lthforum.com/bb/viewtopic.ph ... 9a28649436

Mr. X and I recently tried Jesse's Grill and enjoyed our meal. I had the carne asada that was flavorful, juicy and prepared medium rare as requested. I didn't try any of Mr. X's taco dinner, but he seemed to enjoy it. Because of the carne asada, I would return. It was great leftover the next day.

-Mary (The GP)

I've got to echo the GP here. I've had Jesse's carne asada a couple of times, and was very pleased with the quality of the meat, which was cooked perfectly to medium rare as ordered. I thought the meal was a very good value, and I'd like to return with a larger group for some of the mixed grill items like sweetbreads, which are hard to find anywhere these days.