na...............if you don't remember the name of the most amazing taco you ever had...ahh then it wasn't that amazing....sorry ""na"" but your criticism is absurd.
from a restauranteur point of view they're doing wonders with the size of the restaurant...I don't think they have enough space to store canned or pre made food....everything tastes very fresh.
as far as the food it is excellent street food with good presentation, cozy atmosphere and good music.
it's hard to find a restaurant with this quality of food and service in the suburbs.....

This is my very first post on LTH, and I am a little depressed that it has to be a negative one. I had dinner recently at Bien Trucha, and with all of the buzz and mostly positive reviews, I was expecting to be wowed. I was not. It was fine--we enjoyed the guacamole del dia, which was pear. Beyond that, I found the steak tacos a bit chewy and the pastor tacos (typically my favorite) to be very bland. They had almost no flavor, and all I could taste was the pineapple.

But the worst part of all, by far, was the service. The host at the door was very abrupt, almost rude. And then came our request to make a modification to an order. We had two four year-old children with us. Both good eaters, but come on...they are only four. Our friend asked if they could make the veggie torta with cheese and avocado only for his child. The answer was an immediate and very unfriendly no. "We don't make changes." When we asked if they could check with the kitchen they agreed to do so, but almost laughed and promised us that "chef would say no." Sure enough, they came back moments later confirming that indeed, "chef" does not make changes to his food. We were told that they are far to busy to accommodate special requests. The funniest part was when our server was done with her explanation, she asked "is that OK?" Really? Seriously? Of course it's not OK, but clearly we had no choice.

I grew up in a restaurant family, and I eat out very frequently. I firmly believe that the service is just as important as the food--if not more. I think the chef is arrogant, and has let the positive reviews go to his head. I will never go back to this restaurant, and I will share my experience with anyone who expresses interest in dining at this establishment or in the Geneva, IL area with the hope that somehow this restaurant will learn that it is us, their customers, who keep their lights on and give them the privilege to feed and serve us.

Kristie,

Welcome to LTHForum.

Bien Trucha is certainly an eclectic place with some unusually rigid service practices, but I think the food is easily good enough to make dealing with the other aspects worth it. Definitely not a restaurant for everyone though. As your experience indicates, I wouldn't recommend it for families with young children.

Kenny

I got so excited on Wednesday when I drove past on my way home and all of the paper was off the windows. It looked like the expansion/renovations were finished. Unfortunately, my call to see if they were actually open revealed that they weren't. They said they hoped to open this weekend. I hope so as well.

They have a new website as well. http://www.bientrucha.com/

Just went in for lunch today (10/23), and the expansion is complete. I'd say they have more than doubled the seating capacity, and added a nice (albeit small) bar at the entrance that people waiting for a table can sit at and have a drink. The kitchen is at least twice as big as it was in the past, as well. All in all, they did a nice job. Still a very intimate space, but much less claustrophobic.

Was there last weekend for dinner and also thought that the place looks great and added quite a bit of capacity (it is still tiny, though). The bathrooms are now accessible without trudging through the kitchen.

The dinner menu did away with their tortas, while expanding their taco offerings. One of the new choices was tacos de cochinita pibil, showing off the chef's Yucatecan roots. I was told that the lunch menu contains tortas, however.

A few other changes to the menu, but all in all, the food was still as wonderful as always.

The additional seating didn't do much to alleviate the wait times. While waiting for our table, we heard incoming groups were being given waiting times of 1:30 - 1:45 - and this was only at about 6:30.

Checked out the updated restaurant last weekend for lunch. It's definitely a brighter, more welcoming space than before, and the music has been toned down a bit (or maybe it has more room to move around).

We tried a new menu item:

Cazuelita de Camaron


We both enjoyed this dish. The cheese was not too heavy and let the perfectly-cooked shrimp take center stage. Meanwhile, the cilantro-serrano crema poured tableside provided a great kick.

Then, I called an audible on a classic:

Tacos Al Pastor (8.95)

Close-Up


This preparation is ancho- and guajillo-marinated chopped pork instead of the traditional sliced-off-the-spit charred serving. Flavorful nevertheless and one of the few places I've seen that serves it with the pineapple, but it needed the textural contrast and smokiness of the char to really bring it home. I feel like I can get a better version at many taquerias around Chicago.

Though they have a stunning array of margaritas, I opted for the Tradicional and thought it was nicely balanced.

As for the wait, we were able to walk right in and sit down at 12 (when they open), but when we left they were already approaching full. I'd like to return for dinner sometime to check out the dinner-only offerings, or perhaps just grab a seat at the bar (open later than the kitchen) and have a few drinks.

If you liked what that restaurant says is "al Pastor," fine - that's the important thing. But I don't think you did. Having seen (in the photos) what this place serves and the names given the dishes (particularly the "sloppy joe" pastor) - I wouldn't walk through the front door. Uninspired, unrepresentative and ugly-looking food. Imposters. Ugh!

Bill wrote:If you liked what that restaurant says is "al Pastor," fine - that's the important thing. You're spending your hard-earned money. But seeing what they serve and what they call it - which it isn't ("al pastor") - I wouldn't walk through the front door of the place. Uninspired, unrepresentative and ugly-looking food. Imposters. Ugh!

Bill: Rick Bayless isn't running this place.

Seriously, though, I don't think it's any more ugly-looking than an actual al pastor taco, or any other kind of taco. Unrepresentative, yes. Uninspired? Perhaps, but maybe the chef is trying his own take on the dish. Whether or not it's a success is another question. This time it wasn't, but I don't feel that that should preclude anyone from actually walking in the door and trying the food for oneself. Not every dish is going to be a home run.

What constitutes al pastor is well defined in the Mexican lexicon. It's almost an art form of a food item in Mexico, and the photo you provided illustrates one of the worst examples - frauds - of it I've ever seen. Yes, it is difficult (nearly impossible, from what I've experienced) to replicate al pastor in Chicago as one finds it in Mexico City, for various reasons - but what you were seved was laughable. The form, the variety of an al pastor taco is established, defined and identified nonetheless and (a restaurant) saying something is so when it isn't doesn't mean the false statement is truthful. We're not talking Bayless here (though he may be guilty of lesser-degree sins at Xoco), we're talking about a restaurant in Geneva which may be passing-off dishes (including the Camaron selection) it says are "Mexican" (as "traditionally" served, found in Mexico - or even served in the homes of Mexicans or Mexican-Americans living in the Metropolitan Chicago community) that may be very bad replicas and if it does so across-its-menu why encourage people to patronize the place (if that was your intention)? Are these photo-examples representative of the rest of what the restaurant serves? I don't know. And I'm not about to spend the time and money to travel to Geneva on public transportation to make that determination.

Bill wrote:I'm not about to spend the time and money to travel to Geneva...

I'd like to suggest a different approach. Clearly, you are right that this travesty must be stopped, so I say action is what we need! Establish picket lines in front of Bien Trucha as well as a rally in front of the Geneva City Hall. We must unite! "Hey Hey! Ho Ho! Untraditional pastor has got to go!" "Hey Hey! Ho Ho! The portion sizes at Xoco are really low!" "Down with the groupies!" "Long live the concha!"

Let's make history.

Bill wrote: Are these photo-examples representative of the rest of what the restaurant serves? I don't know. And I'm not about to spend the time and money to travel to Geneva on public transportation to make that determination.

yikes... such venom about a place you have never been. I am glad most LTHr's dont feel this way about traveling outside their comfort zone(immediate geographical area) to give a place a try before damning it.

jimswside wrote:

Bill wrote: Are these photo-examples representative of the rest of what the restaurant serves? I don't know. And I'm not about to spend the time and money to travel to Geneva on public transportation to make that determination.

yikes... such venom about a place you have never been. I am glad most LTHr's dont feel this way about traveling outside their comfort zone(immediate geographical area) to give a place a try before damning it.

Well, considering that the 130-mile round trip to visit this particular restaurant would take me about 6 hours to accomplish on public transportation, plus the time spent eating there, I don't think my sentiment is unreasonable - given the food/photo discriptions provided thus far. If I'm going to explore I'll do it closer to home.

Bill wrote:...we're talking about a restaurant in Geneva which may be passing-off dishes (including the Camaron selection) it says are "Mexican" (as "traditionally" served, found in Mexico - or even served in the homes of Mexicans or Mexican-Americans living in the Metropolitan Chicago community) that may be very bad replicas and if it does so across-its-menu why encourage people to patronize the place ...?

Perhaps because it tastes good?

Bill wrote:Well, considering that the 130-mile round trip to visit this particular restaurant would take me about 6 hours to accomplish on public transportation, plus the time spent eating there, I don't think my sentiment is unreasonable - given the food/photo discriptions provided thus far. If I'm going to explore I'll do it closer to home.

ok, good reasons for you to not try the place(I tend to forget everyone does not own a vehicle, or drives 140+ miles a day to and from work like I do).

I have been meaning to get up to Geneva for a while to try this place out, especially sine GNR Amanacer Tapatio has closed. Hopefully I can accomplish this some time soon.

Bill wrote:What constitutes al pastor is well defined in the Mexican lexicon. It's almost an art form of a food item in Mexico, and the photo you provided illustrates one of the worst examples - frauds - of it I've ever seen. Yes, it is difficult (nearly impossible, from what I've experienced) to replicate al pastor in Chicago as one finds it in Mexico City, for various reasons - but what you were seved was laughable. The form, the variety of an al pastor taco is established, defined and identified nonetheless and (a restaurant) saying something is so when it isn't doesn't mean the false statement is truthful. We're not talking Bayless here (though he may be guilty of lesser-degree sins at Xoco), we're talking about a restaurant in Geneva which may be passing-off dishes (including the Camaron selection) it says are "Mexican" (as "traditionally" served, found in Mexico - or even served in the homes of Mexicans or Mexican-Americans living in the Metropolitan Chicago community) that may be very bad replicas and if it does so across-its-menu why encourage people to patronize the place (if that was your intention)? Are these photo-examples representative of the rest of what the restaurant serves? I don't know. And I'm not about to spend the time and money to travel to Geneva on public transportation to make that determination.

If it is nearly impossible to replicate al pastor in Chicago, doesn't it logically follow that you will never step foot in any Mexican restaurant offering a less-than-perfect rendition? This seems like a large number of restaurants to ignore simply because they don't specialize in a certain dish. I'm curious to know where you draw the line between an acceptable al pastor and a "fraud".

I never said that Bien Trucha was an authentic Mexican restaurant, nor do I consider it to be. If you're going in expecting authentic taqueria food, you're going to be disappointed. That said, I enjoy the flavors here and its inauthenticity won't keep me from returning.

FWIW, Bien Trucha is about a 10 minute walk from the Geneva Metra Station on the Union Pacific West line, just about a hour from downtown Chicago.

If it is nearly impossible to replicate al pastor in Chicago, doesn't it logically follow that you will never step foot in any Mexican restaurant offering a less-than-perfect rendition?

Yes. If a restaurant’s rendition of a dish is so far afield and it’s a food item I enjoy eating and know how it’s supposed to be prepared – I won’t order something less, or substantially less than the standard. Bayless is trying to reinvent, repackage some food items so that they don't resemble what they might out to be and Mercadito is selling empanadas labeled as quesidallas - and I think those things may be wrong, also, and what they're doing does affect whether or not I patronize the places. Each of us develops his/her own standards of acceptability.

This seems like a large number of restaurants to ignore simply because they don't specialize in a certain dish.

If I go to a restaurant that specializes in something, or a dish/item is promoted, etc., I expect it, the restaurant, to live up to it’s billing of those things. I’m not saying I think this particular restaurant holds itself out as specializing in al pastor because I know only what I've read here – but if it did or I learned it did a poor job of preparing it (as I think your photo demonstrates) I certainly would avoid it (because I would have been looking for that specialty or supposedly well-prepared item). I don’t typically go to a restaurant that specializes in one or two things, though, but I do select restaurants which feature special cuisines, i.e., Mexican, Iranian, Indian, Polish, etc.

That said, I enjoy the flavors here and its inauthenticity won't keep me from returning.

Good for you, and I think I started my earlier comments with that sentiment – if it works for you fine. But your comments and excellent photos have convinced me that if I were to consider visiting the restaurant I can now scratch it off my list as a possibility. Thanks for your responses to my comments.

I wrote the original post about Bien Trucha and it continues to be our favorite place. We were so pleased when they expanded into the space next door. It's beautiful and roomy and the restaurant is as busy as ever. The food continues to be delicious.

What a difference two-and-a-half years makes. I was there this afternoon for lunch--I took a friend and her daughter. There seems to be a whole lot of people in the kitchen and Bien Trucha must have increased their staff by 400%. When the young girl requested that her torta not include avocado, our server commented that the chef doesn't allow menu changes. When I commented that her torta was her whole meal -- she didn't want tacos -- would they please bring her torta out with our first taco, I was informed that the chef doesn't let them do that--it must be one entree at a time.

Huh. Either the chef has gotten grumpy in 2-1/2 years or something else is going on. Did they really want this young girl to eat by herself and then watch us eat our meal? And, does the "chef" care about dietary concerns? Pity the person who has allergies when they go to Bien Trucha.

Perhaps the chef has had his fill of special requests and is afraid of his concept deteriorating? Perhaps they are so busy they can’t handle special requests? Perhaps it doesn’t really matter. In this economy I would imagine a restaurant, even a very successful restaurant, needs to take care of its customers.

Bien Trucha, please, don’t get so famous and well-reviewed that you forget about your costumers. It's not just about really good food and a slick environment. I was very disappointed.

An interesting thread.

I have neither been to this restaurant nor am I likely ever to go there given its (from my perspective) remote location. But I must say, having read through the posts above, I am really rather shocked at the attitude -- actually, it seems a hard-and-fast policy -- of chef and staff to refuse any changes whatsoever to their notion of how the dishes and meals should be composed. Laughable it is, really. Pretentious and even mean-spirited, especially with regard to the refusals to adjust in minor ways to accommodate the needs of children.

With regard to the issues of authenticity, it is always the right of everyone to prepare food as they see fit, to use old recipes as the bases for new recipes, etc., etc. But I am strongly inclined to agree with Bill that a restaurant chef really needs to show knowledge of and respect for well-established traditions of the cuisine in which he works. In sophisticated culinary cultures such as those of Mexico or Italy, names of dishes are taken seriously and there are historically developed expectations of what sort of variation is acceptable for a given traditional dish and what sort of variation is not. If one is going to be, in effect, a representative of a culinary tradition, one ought to show respect for that tradition. That does not mean that one must be straight-jacketed into producing only traditional recipes in absolutely canonical renditions, but it does mean that one ought not completely disregard tradition in a way that misinforms the audience.

Many great dishes are produced through the interplay of traditional constraints and individual fantasia and well-informed and open-minded people can pick up on and embrace playful things that chefs/cooks do with culinary icons but that's something very different from serving up tomato sauce with chopped meat thrown in it and calling it 'ragù bolognese'; the people who do the latter are simply barbarians.

Whether the treatment of 'al pastor' at this restaurant is barbaric or not, I will offer no opinion on, but the policy of refusing minor accommodations to dishes even for children certainly strikes me as being gravely uncivilised.

Antonius

In looking at their menu, it seems they have a real "thing" about avocados in all their meals but to have avocado in every one of their tortas is pretty limiting with not much imagination.

http://www.bientrucha.com/menu.html

If you could taste their hongos taco (the most delicious mushroom ever to enter your mouth) you would would understand the hype. It's a simple and extremely delicious combination of butter, chile and mushroom wrapped in a yummy homemade tortilla (huh, and an avocado).

I think the praise for the food is warranted. The chef owned a more traditional mexican restaurant (also yummy tia maria in geneva) and apparently in Mexico. He knows his cuisine. His downfall seems to be his obstinence.

(And I've never had the same al pastor taco recipe twice... they've all been different even in Mexico. That doesn't mean it's bad... just different.)

To refuse to take some avocado off a sandwich, especially for a child, is just completely wrong and absurd in so many ways. I also agree with Antonius that it's borderline pretension. Is it really going to hurt your esteem as a chef to make something a little different than it should be? I would think not. A friend recently told me he went to the new-er Orange on Grand for brunch. He really didn't like what they had on the menu so he asked for a different omelet, basically a Denver. They had all the ingredients to make it, yet the chef refused to make it. Seriously? To me, that is just plain rude and pretentious. And also, if you can make only what's on the menu, you're a one dimensional chef. But that's just like, my opinion man.

What I also think is completely absurd is to judge a restaurant and their food by a mere picture. Bill, if I judged Ohio House on your pictures alone I wouldn't touch it. Frozen vegetables just don't appeal to me and by the looks of all your pictures, they're frozen. The soup looks packaged too. But do you see me ranting on about how they use frozen veggies and that it's appalling that they do, no. Because I'm not going to judge on pictures alone. I would try it first. Then make a comment. But maybe that's just me. You could put a plate of food in front of me that looks like a pile of crappy slop. I'm gonna say, "hey that looks like diarrhea". But maybe it tastes like heaven. Who knows until you have a bite. I would eat those Al Pastor tacos, if they sucked, I'd simply say "these suck". If they're good then they're good.

I have friends who live in that area and have frequented Bien Trucha and say it's fantastic. Is it authentic? I don't know. There's people on this forum who know WAY more about food than I do. But I do know one thing, bottom line, food is supposed to taste good. You can have the most outrageous presentation, the most authentic, whatever. But if it doesn't taste good. Than it's just not good. And that's pretty much all I care about. I grew up with Polish food. My mother and grandmother ALWAYS fried their pierogies. For me to say I'm not going to eat at Podhalanka or Smak Tak cause they boil their pierogies and that's not authentic and what I grew up with, is absurd in and of itself.

I still am going to try Bien Trucha one day regardless. The only fact that wouldn't make me, the chef being idiotic. But at least I can say I tried their food and judge them on that.

I like the food at Buen Trucha - it is interesting, well executed and just plain tasty. I have been a couple of times and will continue to go back.

They do seem to have some policies and practices that many would consider, to put it gently, unfriendly. This is not so much a problem for me as I think they do good work and am prepared to trust the kitchen, but I am not defending it. There is a grand tradition of gloriously ornery restaurants that have rules and expect you to follow them - the customer is only right if we agree with him/her! (much of France operates this way, of course). You just need to know that is how Buen Trucha operates, and to be clear, it mostly pertains to the food - the chef has opinions about the proper way to do things and he is not flexible. Service is otherwise okay, though they are often very busy and thus challenged to get you seated and served.

As for the entire digression of slamming the style of their Al Pastor because of they way it looks, come on guys - I thought one had to actually eat the food to judge it. I do understand the argument about authenticity, but to say that one will never try that food because it does not look authentic... you have the right to make that decision, of course, but just say it and move on. It really is not an observation that is useful or that you can expect to sway others, beyond other inflexible purists who would already have had a similar reaction to the photos and need no further convincing.

Anyway, this thread seems to have become a long digression and a "dump on Buen Trucha party," so let me dissent. If you go, you will need to trust the chef to cook what he thinks is proper - he is not interested in preparing a collaborative meal with your input. And, at times, he is apt to let his whimsy and creativity overrule tradition.

If you are okay with that, you will have a pretty good meal. If not, if you have special requirements and want to have them followed, then this is not the place for you. Simple as that. Does that mean it is a bad place? Absolutely not, in my experience - the food is quite good.

We went here a few weeks ago and tried a couple new menu items for dinner. The standouts were the shark tacos, which were served with fried tortilla shells bent into a taco shape. Each one rested on a lime wedge. Beautiful presentation and very bright flavors. The cochinita pibil tacos were good, but could have used a little more heat for my taste.

I tried to order a jicama margarita but was told they were out of season. Nice. I went with the tomatillo margarita instead and was pleasantly surprised.

So far, I think the changes to the menu are for the positive and I wish them well.

Count me a fan of the crema de chile poblano soup. I've had this three times now, and while I don't think it's their best soup (mushroom holds that award), it comes close. Some may call it one-note, but what a great note: the smell and taste of roasted poblanos is front and center, and the seasoning is right on. I can't help but think the cubes of queso fresco (the menu says these are potatoes, but I have a hard time believing that based on the texture) could be better incorporated, but it is still a great dish.

Place was wall-to-wall people on a Saturday night, I'd recommend takeout.

Bien Trucha announced today in our local newspaper that they will be opening an outlet in Naperville this summer. No location was given.

More news from Bien Trucha, they are opening a new restaurant in the space right next door.I had seen that the space was papered up recently and just thought that they were expanding their space but instead opening with a different name and concept.

http://geneva.patch.com/articles/bien-t ... -next-door

Those "entrees scared on a grill" sound really interesting. I wonder what the writer meant to say!

I think seared but scared is pretty funny!