Galapagos Cafe & (uh oh) Sushi

In a space that has seen restaurants disappear as quickly as rice bags off a Costco shelf, one wonders why the new owners of Galapagos Cafe have taken on such an incredibly ambitious menu. Galapagos has a multi-page tome that consists of a few dozen Latin-fusion dishes with Ecuadorian slant along with - bizarrely - a dozen or so maki and nigiri items. Sushi in a place that I can't imagine will have a significant volume of day-to-day business seems like a strange undertaking to me. They've also thrown in a burger and some deli sandwiches to round out the menu. Eh, why not?

I stopped in today, and the owner was nice enough. I planned to order something to go, but he said they were still setting up for the evening, and weren't ready to offer anything. I wish Galapagos Cafe luck, but I've got to wonder if they've really thought this through.



Try to say "Softh Shell" 5 times fast:


More evidence that perhaps Galapagos has taken on a bit much:


Galapagos Cafe & Sushi (THIS ADDRESS NOW CLOSED)
3213 W. Irving Park Road
Chicago, IL 60686
773-754-8265

NEW ADDRESS OPEN:
Galapagos Cafe
3800 W Lawrence Ave
773-754-8265

They also apparently can't spell in either English or Spanish. I hope this is the softh opening, or they're going to need help quicker than they think. Thanks for the report, Kenny.

Santander wrote:They also apparently can't spell in either English or Spanish. I hope this is the softh opening, or they're going to need help quicker than they think. Thanks for the report, Kenny.

That wasn't a "report," it was speculation!

charmattack wrote:

Santander wrote:They also apparently can't spell in either English or Spanish. I hope this is the softh opening, or they're going to need help quicker than they think. Thanks for the report, Kenny.

That wasn't a "report," it was speculation!

Mr. or Ms. attack,

Thank you for your contribution. I reported what is on their menu, and took pictures that might help some people gain an idea of what to expect. By all means, please go eat at Galapagos and provide us with a detailed account of the cuisine.

Charmed,
Kennyz

That wasn't a "report," it was speculation!

You're right; I was being snarky and not helpful, but I hate to think EVERYTHING has to be a report. I should have offered to spellcheck for the restaurant. I've long thought of starting a business proofreading Chinese menus, but have refrained since the translations are half the fun.

Kennyz wrote:

charmattack wrote:

Santander wrote:They also apparently can't spell in either English or Spanish. I hope this is the softh opening, or they're going to need help quicker than they think. Thanks for the report, Kenny.

That wasn't a "report," it was speculation!

Mr. or Ms. attack,

Thank you for your contribution. I reported what is on their menu, and took pictures that might help some people gain an idea of what to expect. By all means, please go eat at Galapagos and provide us with a detailed account of the cuisine.

Charmed,
Kennyz

I just don't think that someone who is launching a restaurant needs someone who hasn't even tried their food yet to post disparaging comments about their restaurant on an internet message board for all to see. Isn't this site supposed to be about food? & I've seen plenty of misspellings on the menus of GNR winners.

Also, I'm not a "Mr." as you addressed me before you edited your post.

Ms. attack,

You are correct that certain posts can unfairly damage a restaurant, like when a disgruntled former employee posts a personal attackon a hard-working restaurant-owner. I just don't think a post with real information about a newly opened restaurant fits in that category, but reasonable people can certainly disagree about these things.

Charmed again,
Kennyz

PS, I hereby promise not to post another word in this thread unless I have actually eaten something from Galapagos (which, I must admit, is unlikely to happen). So go ahead and post a retort if you'd like, and we can let the next post in the thread be about the place's food.

Dined there Friday with Cathy2, Giovanna, and Maria Kijac (who is Ecuadorian). We ordered straight Latino, but we may have been the only ones who did, as most folks were ordering sushi (which looked good and was beautifully presented). The place was packed by 7:30, and everyone seemed to be having a good time.

The food was great, though the one waiter who was working the entire restaurant alone (and, I think, helping in the kitchen) was clearly struggling to keep up. He managed, and did so with cheerful charm, but it did stretch the evening out a bit -- though I will say, no one looked as if they were in a hurry.

We were greeted with a basked of warm plantain chips and a dipping sauce that Maria said was likely made with tamarillo (tree "tomato"). Very nice.

We shared three appetizers -- cheese-filled empanadas (feather-light but rich -- good, though not the best of the appetizers we sampled), llapingachos (a mashed potato, cheese, and onion patty that is ubiquitous in Ecuador -- absolutely sensational here -- a somewhat different version from the ones I had in Ecuador, but even in Ecuador, no two people made them the same -- but these were every bit as good as the best I had in Ecuador), and maduro con queso (baked, cheese filled plantains -- very nice).

We shared main courses as well. The pesecado encocado -- fish cooked in coconut sauce -- was outstanding -- really an exceptional dish -- perfectly cooked fish, rich, flavorful sauce -- just wonderful. Churrasco was a flavorful stewed meat served with french fries, tomato, onions, and two fried eggs. Very tasty. I'd definitely get it again. The Galapagos fried rice was good, though not the most fabulous of the three -- though that said, the shrimp (you have a choice of shrimp, pork, or beef) were wonderful. The rice was flavorful, mixed with peppers, onions, carrots, and the "house sauce." Quite nice, but just pales in comparison to the first two dishes.

Though we only had three appetizers and three main courses split among four people, we were full. There weren't leftovers, but we hardly had room for dessert -- but we forced ourselves to split something, in the name of research. The dessert -- bananas tempura -- combined the dual influences of the restaurant. This was really fabulous. The tempura batter was ethereally light and crisp, and the bananas were almost liquid inside. This was drizzled with a bit of chocolate syrup.

I'll be interested to learn from anyone who might venture to try their sushi if it's as good as the Latin American offerings. If it is, the place might continue to be as packed as it was Friday.

Hi,

I'm glad Maria initiated this meal. I was somewhat disappointed the initial posts had nothing to do with actually dining there. I was more surprised upon walking in to find a Monica Eng Cheap Eats review granting this place a rare 4-forks. Yet until now, no report on the food.

Complimentary:

Plantain chips (unfortunately I didn't capture the dipping sauce)


Appetizers:

llapingachos (a mashed potato, cheese, and onion patty that is ubiquitous in Ecuador)


maduro con queso (baked, cheese filled plantains)


These maduro's tasted great solo, they were outstanding when dipped in the Anise-flavored sauce.

Cheese-filled empanadas


Entrees:

Galapagos fried rice


Pesecado encocado -- fish cooked in coconut sauce


This Pesecado encocado is also offered as a soup with the very same name and in different sections of the Latino menu. We selected the entree version over the soup.

Churrasco


Dessert:

Bananas tempura


I have seen this twice recently desserts of this style with chocolate sauce drizzled and bursts of whipped cream. I think a sprinkle of powdered sugar would be fine finish rather than the way it was presented.

Over the weekend, I mentioned going to this restaurant to a friend. She recalled going to a restaurant with an Ecuadorian sushi chef that she had lost track of. I suggested there cannot be too many Ecuadorian sushi chefs and likely this was her guy.

As Cynthia pointed out, we were the only ones dining from the Latino section of the menu. The cluttered signage KennyZ noted earlier has been scraped away with an emphasis on seafood and sushi. I have to admit with a name like Galapagos, I was not thinking sushi and if you follow the revised signage, you are not expecting Ecuadorian.

If you come early enough, there is a chance to visit Olga's Deli.

Regards,

I know I promised not to post again in this thread until I've eaten here, but I can't resist...

Thank you Cynthia and Cathy for trying it, liking it, and posting wonderfully descriptive words and photos. I never thought I'd say that I am really looking forward to trying Galapagos Cafe. Aside from the allure of your posts, I've notes that the 7 months this place has been open already far exceed the tenure of its two predecessors in that location. They must be doing something right.

The Ecuadorian sushi chef, by the way, came from the rather lousy, now defunct Pacific Cafe in Bucktown/WP.

Cathy2 wrote: I suggested there cannot be too many Ecuadorian sushi chefs and likely this was her guy.

There is actually no shortage of Ecuadorian sushi chefs working the yuppster sushi bars of Lincoln Park. I used to go to Shiroi Hana and the entire restaurant except for the waitresses was staffed by Ecuadorian chefs, both in the kitchen and behind the sushi bar.


Shiroi Hana
3242 N Clark St
Chicago, IL
773-477-1652

stevez wrote:There is actually no shortage of Ecuadorian sushi chefs working the yuppster sushi bars of Lincoln Park. I used to go to Shiroi Hana and the entire restaurant except for the waitresses was staffed by Ecuadorian chefs, both in the kitchen and behind the sushi bar.

I learned something for the day, thank you! I'm used to Koreans as sushi chefs, I wasn't aware of the Ecuadorian connection.

Regards,

Lost in the shuffle up there is the fact, documented before, that both Ecuador and Peru have long felt some culinary influence from Japan. This is not a stretch by any means. Take a cuisine that has done more with raw seafood than any other besides Japan (you know, ceviche?), add the Japanese influence, and it makes a heck of a lot more sense than the Chinese-Sushi and Thai-Sushi places that seem to be on every corner.

I am so happy to see people going out and enjoying the wonderfully cosmopolitan food of Ecuador. Standard menu items include dishes recognizably influenced by China (chaufan from chow fun), Italy (tallarines), the Afro-Caribbean diaspora (fish and shellfish encocado remains one of my very favorite dishes and is quite like Brazilian (Bahian) vatapa'), along with all the great indigenous (see heavy use of potato and maize) and Spanish/criollo stuff.

I've been clanging away for some time about other places on Irving, the Ecuadorian main drag in Chicago. I still like Mi Ciudad/Cuenca with its well stocked bar and super-friendly owners. No one seems to go there, however.

The Ecuadorians tend to have the Chicago common denominator that makes less imaginative diners flock to Colombian, Argentine and Brazilian places -- i.e., meat and potatoes -- plus a whole lot more. Another typical dish that I think is a knockout when done well is seco de chivo, goat in a peanut sauce that, like the encocado, surely has some roots in Africa. Plus, the kitchen skills at Ecuadorian spots tends to be better-than-average owing to staff's experience in higher-end Downtown restaurants.

HI,

One of the items on Galapago's menu just popped out to me: Salchipapa, which was last seen at the late great Salamera

Salamera's rendition of Salchipapa


Regards,

Cathy2 wrote:HI,

One of the items on Galapago's menu just popped out to me: Salchipapa, which was last seen at the late great Salamera

Of all the things I miss about Salamera, the hot dogs are not among them. They're certainly photogenic, though.

Hi,

Salchipapa didn't ring my bell precisely, however it was recognized street food to others. Until I saw it on this menu, it was one of a number of unique items offered by Salamera.

Regards,

Salchipapas are indeed a beloved street food in parts of South America. I've spent some time in Bolivia and often ate freshly prepared salchipapas from street vendors in La Paz - freshly fried potatoes with griddled hot dog slices doused with mayo and ketchup, a greasy treat perfect after a night of drinking.

Galapagos looks really interesting (for reasons well beyond the salchipapas), I will have to go out and try it soon.

BTW, what is that purple sauce in the pic? I have definitely never seen that in Bolivia.

Habibi wrote:BTW, what is that purple sauce in the pic? I have definitely never seen that in Bolivia.

It was a sauce made with Kalamata olives. More information can be found at this Salamera post.

Regards,

Thanks to those tempting photos (except the salchipapas of course) I convinced a couple of friends to go to Galapagos last night. I had the tilapia in coconut sauce which was excellent, and the llapingachos(?) were good - nothing wrong with fried mashed potatoes. A companion was very happy with her sushi rolls, though I didn't sample any. Our server/proprietor was very friendly, and we were unrushed even though we were the last ones there near closing time.
All in all, it reminded me of Mi Ciudad (a few blocks east on Irving Park, where I haven't been in quite a while - shame on me, though the last time I was there the fish in coconut sauce was no longer on their menu) with sushi. Thanks for turning me on to this place, I probably would've been skeptical of the concept if not for the photos and comments in this thread.

Bump, cause this place needs more love.

Not much to add to the above raves except to suggest that the cold weather is a perfect time to sample some morocho de leche (a warm corn-based beverage with masala chai-like spicing).

This was a real find -- thanks again, LTHForum.

Bump, I say.

This place is still really good and could use some business.

cilantro wrote:Bump, I say.

This place is still really good and could use some business.

Perhaps we can get a group together. Because I'd certainly be up for going back.

Shame on me for taking well over a year to finally eat at Galapagos, as today's lunch was excellent. I had the cordero asado: marinated lamb grilled over live coals.

Cordero Asado:


It came with a lot of stuff: pointless iceberg salad, fantastically decadent llapingacho that managed to be light as air through all its richness, well cooked rice with tender and meaty beans, and unseasoned yucca. The meat was the star. I tasted herbs and garlic in the marinade, the perfect amount of salt and pepper, and the meat itself - while cooked completely through - was remarkably tender and juicy, with a nice, gamey real lamb flavor that I love.

Interior meat view:


Despite the dainty little frenched bones, this was not sissy lamb, as it was gamey and had plenty of charred bits along with some gristle and fat. I really enjoyed picking up and gnawing on those bones.

Bones when I gave up:


The meal started with gratis plantain chips that were still hot from the fryer. About half of them were light, crispy and delicious. The other half were either cut a little too thick or weren't cooked quite long enough, as they were a little chewy. The aji sauce with them was intensely peppery, with relatively mild heat. Quite tasty.

Plantain Chips with Salsa de Aji:


For those inclined to enjoy fiery food, there was also a scorching red pepper sauce on the table.


Lunch at Galapagos was great. That'll teach me about judging a book by its cover.

JeffB wrote:Lost in the shuffle up there is the fact, documented before, that both Ecuador and Peru have long felt some culinary influence from Japan.

JeffB is correct in the linkage but I think this may be over-thinking it a bit. In my BoH experience there are more Ecuadorian chefs, or more specifically cooks, cooking [fill in the blank] cuisine, sushi included, because a large percentage of cooks are Ecuadorian. Whether it is abeautiful hand-made pasta at the downtown Italian place, fine French or a fusion spot, there is probably a 1 in 3 chance it was cooked by an Ecuadorian. If someone has work ethic and general cooking skills, you can teach them to make anything... In fact, one of the upscale places I worked at in Hartford had an Ecuadorian pantry guy that made in his station, among other things, sushi.

Kennyz wrote:Cordero Asado:

Do you think that's the cut called "lamb breast?"

Yes, I believe what you see above is the breast and flap, among the cheapest cut of lamb available, and usually used only to cure bacon, to grind, or to give to fido. The stuff is very fatty, but loaded with flavor - it takes a skilled butcher and cook to do something tasty with this meat. My guess is that it was well-trimmed, pounded, marinated for awhile in something acidic and tenderizing, then finished on the grill over hot coals. Maybe they even slow-cooked it for awhile in some liquid before grilling.

Kennyz wrote:Yes, I believe what you see above is the breast and flap, among the cheapest cut of lamb available, and usually used only to cure bacon, to grind, or to give to fido. The stuff is very fatty, but loaded with flavor - it takes a skilled butcher and cook to do something tasty with this meat. My guess is that it was well-trimmed, pounded, marinated for awhile in something acidic and tenderizing, then finished on the grill over hot coals. Maybe they even slow-cooked it for awhile in some liquid before grilling.

It looks fabulous... mmm.... lamb breast.... I've always wanted to purchase it when I've seen it on sale at Valli Produce.

It's a good day indeed when two of my favorite, (relatively) unsung places get some love -- this place and Dona Chio. I've thus far stuck to the fish preparations and the churrasco, but it looks like some lamb is in my future. They were supposed to start offering more Ecuadorian specialties, as well.

Galapagos is closed, at least temporarily and possibly permanently, due to fire.

Sorry to hear that.