Mexican Pop-Up Tribute Dinner at Lillie's Q on Tues, Jan 24

Hey all,

Below is the info on a Mexican Pop-Up Tribute Dinner @ Lillie's Q on Tues, January 24. The link to buy tickets and more info is at http://lilliesqmexicanpopup.eventbrite.com . (Even though I'm the publicist for Lillie's Q, I did a tasting of this menu last month and I was pretty amazed by the flavor combinations. It's definitely worth checking out.)

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Lillie’s Q, where chef/owner Charlie McKenna serves award-winning competition BBQ along with Southern favorites and sides in Bucktown (1856 W North Ave), will turn over the kitchen to sous chef Jose Landa for a six-course Mexican dinner pop-up dinner where Landa will cook his favorite childhood dishes on Tuesday, January 24.

“This dinner is a way of me saying thanks and honoring not only Jose and the other Mexican and Hispanic members of my current staff at Lillie’s Q, but for every one of them I’ve worked with throughout my career – everyone from chefs, to cooks, to dishwashers,” McKenna said. “I’m going to prepare a ceviche as the first course, and then hand off the meal to Jose and serve as his sous chef the rest of the night.”

“Even with my background in fine dining, BBQ, and Southern food, my favorite cuisine is Mexican food. Jose’s been cooking our staff meals that come from his family recipes he learned as a kid growing up in Mexico since we’ve opened, and they’re something I always look forward to. Jose cooked us a preview of the menu we’re offering for the pop-up dinner last month, and we were all pretty blown away by the food and flavors. I’m excited for the public to taste Jose’s Mexican food.”

The six-course (including an intermezzo) Mexican Pop-Up Tribute Dinner costs $45 per person. The optional and additionally priced beverage pairings cost $20 per person. Four of the courses are paired with Chicago-based 5 Rabbit Brewing Company beers. Additionally, 5 Rabbit, which calls itself the "nation’s first Latin craft brewery”, will exclusively launch the release of “Superstition” -- a strong blonde ale that’s made with hibiscus, ginger, Illinois honey, Thai palm sugar, and chamomile – during the pop-up dinner that will be paired with intermezzo.

There will be six different seatings for the Mexican Pop-Up Tribute Dinner at Lillie’s Q on Tuesday, January 24 (6pm, 6:30pm, 7pm, 8:30pm, 9pm, 9:30pm). There are 18 seats available for each seating time. Please make sure to select the actual time and seating you want. Also, if you would like to purchase the separate alcoholic beverage pairing for the dinner, you must buy that ticket online here as well. Ticket sales end at noon on Friday, January 20.

The full menu with the optional and additionally-priced beverage pairings are below. No substitutions are allowed on the menu.

1st Course
Ceviche
Pairing: Fortaleza Tequila neat

2nd Course
Chicken Tinga and Chorizo Quesedilla
Pairing: 5 Rabbit Golden Ale by 5 Rabbit Brewing Company

3rd Course
Green Pork Pozole
Pairing: 5 Lizard Latin-Style Witbier by 5 Rabbit Brewing Company

4th Course
Shrimp Chile Rellano
Pairing: Lillie’s Q-Rita (moonshine, tequila, orange liquor, Lillie’s Q Smoky sauce, and housemade sour mix served in a mason jar rimmed with Lillie’s Q Carolina Dirt rub)

Intermezzo
Mexican fruit sorbet
Pairing: Superstition by 5 Rabbit Brewing Company

5th Course
Duck Breast Red Mole with Banana Leaf Tamale
Pairing: 5 Vulture Oaxacan-Style Dark Ale by 5 Rabbit Brewing Company

6th Course
Coconut Flan
Pairing: Vida y Muerte by 5 Rabbit Brewing Company

This sounds cool, but I gotta ask: if this is a meal being cooked & served at a restaurant, is it really a "pop-up"? I thought a "pop-up" is when a restaurant-like meal is served someplace other than a restaurant, like an art gallery, store, abandoned warehouse, etc., on a one-time or very limited basis. Wouldn't it simply be a special menu or special event? Or is "pop-up" just a hip way of describing any special event nowadays?

Khaopaat wrote:This sounds cool, but I gotta ask: if this is a meal being cooked & served at a restaurant, is it really a "pop-up"? I thought a "pop-up" is when a restaurant-like meal is served someplace other than a restaurant, like an art gallery, store, abandoned warehouse, etc., on a one-time or very limited basis. Wouldn't it simply be a special menu or special event? Or is "pop-up" just a hip way of describing any special event nowadays?

I think that was the original intent of "pop-up", but in the last year or so it seems to have morphed to include one night concept changes or visiting chef meals at existing restaurants.

jfibro wrote:

Khaopaat wrote:This sounds cool, but I gotta ask: if this is a meal being cooked & served at a restaurant, is it really a "pop-up"? I thought a "pop-up" is when a restaurant-like meal is served someplace other than a restaurant, like an art gallery, store, abandoned warehouse, etc., on a one-time or very limited basis. Wouldn't it simply be a special menu or special event? Or is "pop-up" just a hip way of describing any special event nowadays?

I think that was the original intent of "pop-up", but in the last year or so it seems to have morphed to include one night concept changes or visiting chef meals at existing restaurants.

Sorry it took me so long to get back to you guys on this. I totally missed Khaopaat's post. And, yes, what jfibro said is the reason why they called it a pop-up -- different chef, different cuisine, one-night only deal.

FYI, there's only 1 seat left for 6pm, 5 seats left for 9pm, and 18 seats left for 9:30pm. The 6:30pm, 7pm, and 8:30pm seatings are all sold out.