Evanston Lunch Group™ Wed Dec 16, 12:30 pm @ La Principal

¡Vamos a La Principal!

La Principal is a new restaurant featuring Mexican street food, primarily tacos, tortas (sandwiches), and pozoles (soup/stew). It is at Main and Custer, in the location that formerly housed Lupita's. It's convenient to public transit (the Main Street stop on the CTA Purple Line and the Metra UP North Line). The Evanston Lunch Group™ is going to check it out on December 16. Come join us - all are welcome!

Please reply below if you will or might attend, and note any plus one's if you are bringing a companion. ¡Nos vemos entonces!

La Principal
700 Main Street
Evanston
(224) 307-2444

Attendees:
1-2. nsxtasy+1
3. nr706
4. moetchandon
5. GAF
6. EvA
7. nukegirl
8-9. rgl201+1
10. lougord99
11. tarte tatin (yay!)

I'll do my best to make it.

I think I will be able to make this one.

I'll be there.

I will be there.

I might actually be able to come to this one. Haven't seen anyone in an age!

We hope to be able to make it. Count us in for the time being, but we will let you know if we have to cancel.
Robert and Catherine

I will join you.

Tarte tatin will join us.

Yay!

They will be expecting us. I gave the secret code name "Ken" for our reservation.

Normally with our lunch group lunches, anyone arriving early can just ask for the big table, but apparently someone from Northwestern (presumably not someone here...?) also called to let them know about a big group for lunch, so there could be more than one large group.

See you tomorrow! (And anyone else who would like to join us, speak up, it's not too late!)

Outstanding meal. However......

At $3 for a few chips and a small amount of salsa. $4 for a few chips and a small amount of guacamole. $4 per taco. $10 per very small torta. $20 per person when the meal was done with almost no alcohol and very few drinks other than water. I consider this restaurant significantly overpriced and will not go back.

It is true that La Principal is very much an Evanstonian restaurant, rather than a storefront taqueria. The space (near Chicago Avenue and Main Street) is quite stylish, given the surprisingly small menu of tacos and tortas (and pozole), this is aimed at Evanston's well-heeled population. From the menu you might imagine La Principal as an "ethnic" restaurant. It isn't, in our usual use of the term. As a result, the quality is high, but the prices are not as cheap as places on North Clark Street.

My biggest surprise was in how fiery all three hot sauces were. I enjoy heat, but I found even the mildest sauce too much for me. Given the target audience, I expected a wider range of "heat."

The food was delicious. Furthermore, I thought it was a decent value, and not overpriced at all. I was quite full at the end of the meal, and the person next to me said she was too. The amount we spent today - $20 including tax/tip - is about what we usually end up spending for lunch. Other ELG™ lunches I've been to this year consist of Convito Cafe ($23), Tsim Sha Tsui ($17), Ten Mile House ($21), Tava ($20), and the Funky Monk (whose price I didn't write down). So the price was right in line with those other places. I thought this was easily the best of those lunches, and I'd go back in a heartbeat. I'd especially like to try their pozoles, which we didn't get a chance to try today.

It's also worth mentioning that they use the same menu at lunchtime as at dinner, so what may be a fair price for lunch may turn out to be a bargain for dinner.

It reminded me a bit of Taco Diablo, which burned down, but will be resurrected in the new building on Davis Street (Evanston) going up across the street from its former location. Quality ingredients, tasty, but nothing that really stood out as exemplary. I think La Principal would be a great option for anyone going to Piccolo Theater (about 1/2 block east) and in the mood for Mexican food. And I agree with Ken, that even though it might be a bit more expensive than some of the taquerias on Clark Street in Rogers Park, it offers a nice environment, well-curated beer and wine lists, and a very attentive and obliging staff.

GAF wrote:It is true that La Principal is very much an Evanstonian restaurant, rather than a storefront taqueria. The space (near Chicago Avenue and Main Street) is quite stylish, given the surprisingly small menu of tacos and tortas (and pozole), this is aimed at Evanston's well-heeled population. From the menu you might imagine La Principal as an "ethnic" restaurant. It isn't, in our usual use of the term. As a result, the quality is high, but the prices are not as cheap as places on North Clark Street.

I agree. The food is good (I thought the lengua tacos were great), but it did seem pricey for Mexican "street food."

lougord99 wrote:Outstanding meal. However......

At $3 for a few chips and a small amount of salsa. $4 for a few chips and a small amount of guacamole. $4 per taco. $10 per very small torta. $20 per person when the meal was done with almost no alcohol and very few drinks other than water. I consider this restaurant significantly overpriced and will not go back.

Not having been to La Principal, I can't comment on food quality or quantity, but can say something about expectations regarding a restaurant with tacos as a primary focus.

At $4 each the pricing seems high, not just in comparison to North Clark Street, but also compared to Highland Park which is certainly as well-heeled as Evanston. Tacos run around $2 at Los Mogotes de Michoacon in HP. Similar pricing at Tacos El Norte in Highwood which is on HP's northern border. There are pricier / fancier places in the area, but not necessarily better.

I can go to either with Wife #1 for lunch and pay $20 or less total.

I've checked menus at a few Evanston Mexican places and have begun to think of Evanston as land of the $3 taco. Seems now that I was low. Could this have anything to do with real estate taxes / land costs in Evanston?

Is there anywhere in Evanston one can get a good taco for around $2? Do I have to go to south to Clark Street or north to Highland Park to get a cheap taco fix?

George R wrote:At $4 each the pricing seems high

Note, some of the tacos at La Principal are $3, while others are $4.

nsxtasy wrote:

George R wrote:At $4 each the pricing seems high

Note, some of the tacos at La Principal are $3, while others are $4.

Thanks for the correction. I was relying on earlier comments.

I just looked at La Principal's on-line menu and see that the Al Pastor, carnitas and chicharrones are indeed $3 each, while the sweet potato and chili relleno (both vegetarian) as well as several others are $4 per.

Which does leave me scratching my head as to why some meat tacos are priced less than vegetarian tacos.