Los Corrales, Lawndale

Happened to be in the South Lawndale area and dropped by this newish little DF-style cafe down the street from Casa de Samuel.*

It's a bright, clean and cheery place occupying the corner storefront of the magnificent Marshall Square Theater, now a Mexican event hall called Apollo's 2000. http://cinematreasures.org/theater/3500/ The restaurant looks out west over the broad boulevard, which at that place runs down Marshall. Apparently, not too long ago the space was occupied by a chop suey joint. Despite its location and very steady business from the neighborhood, it's virtually unmentioned on the Internets.

Los Corrales will resonate with posters who have spent time in non-tourist areas of Mexico, especially the DF, because it is what I would call "Mexican First World." 100% Mexican, not adjusted or watered down for US tastes, but also very professional, even slightly "corporate" in its look and feel. This place could clone itself in the Loop and do well. To me, this means almost nothing. I mention it for those who might shy away from shabby corner bodegas, all night taquerias, or grey-market vans.

The important point: the food is very good based on my limited sample: twin quesadillas, one flor de calabaza, one mushroom. A lot of food for about 3 bucks each. The squash flower quesadilla stood out. Pristine fresh masa tossed on the griddle and filled with good cheese and terrific, chunky squash flowers cooked in a light tomato and chile broth -- not the straight-from-the can green sludge that is seen so often (though, being well-cooked I couldn't tell you exactly how the flowers started out). Also, while the masa had been pre-formed and was peeled from a piece of wax paper, it was top notch. My quesadilla was as a perfect Neapolitan margherita is to the average greasy slice of pizza. (Likewise, you must eat it immediately; this quesadilla doesn't travel.)

I observed hauraches and other antojitos made from that same masa, and also saw plates of great-looking guisados go by. NB, the permanent menu features breakfast (chilaquiles and beef deshebrada), plus some relatively hard to find items: eg, huitlacoche and carne en su jugo all the time.

At a time when "concept" Mexican street food stands are the rage, Los Corrales is a place to reset your barometer. I'm not suggesting that Corrales is head and shoulders above the many great corner Mexicans on this board, but it's too good to go without mention here.

Los Corrales
2881 W Cermak Rd
(at Marshall Blvd.
near Pink Line California stop)
Chicago, IL 60623

(773) 847-6998


*Also near the somewhat confusingly named Birreria Riveras [not GNR Reyes] de Ocotlan. I tried one birria taco, which was quite good (meat kept separate from consome and chopped to order, good commercial tortillas griddled, solid broth; not Zaragoza, so don't ask). I was also interested to see a new Acapulco-style place west of Marshall on Cermak: Atardecer Acapulqueno ("Acapulco Sundown"). Didn't stop in, but I'd like to think it has pozoles.

Thanks for the report on Los Corrales. It's been around over a year but I became interested in it only more recently when trying to figure out what's going on with the tiny Tortillas Arrendon (tortillas de harina) on the other side of the theater. Every time I passed by, Los Corrales was crowded (and Arrendon was closed).





I've been puzzled by that restaurant at 2906 W Cermak in a very unappealing strip mall. Years ago I believe it was another La Quebrada (see this 4 year old post). A year or so ago it had a neon "La Quebradita" sign in the window and a "Atardecer Acapulqueño" awning. Now the neon sign reads "Atardecer Acapulqueño" too. I wonder how much the menu has changed from its La Quebrada days.

2906 W Cermak, June 2008

Yes, thanks very much for the report, Jeff. It's great to know that there's another spot along there to get quesadillas and other antojitos. (I still miss El Nuevo Kappy's...)

As Peter's pictures show, the restored theatre building really is lovely. Thanks again to both of you.

JeffB wrote: The squash flower quesadilla stood out. Pristine fresh masa tossed on the griddle and filled with good cheese and terrific, chunky squash flowers cooked in a light tomato and chile broth -- not the straight-from-the can green sludge that is seen so often (though, being well-cooked I couldn't tell you exactly how the flowers started out).

My guess is that most squash blossoms served in taquerias all over the city come from cans. Aside from restaurants in the Bayless mini-empire and similar higher-end places, the cost for fresh flowers would probably be prohibitively high. The solution, as you say, is to cook them in some broth, which though it may risk overwhelming the delicate bud also camoflages the homogenized taste and texture of canned flor de calabaza.

Beth and I were originally planning on going to Abuelo's for dinner today, but ended up at Los Corrales after seeing this post. We sampled a wide selection of masa-based dishes: quesadillas with squash blossom, rajas, and chorizo and potato; a "pastor" sope, and a carne asada huarache with half red/half green sauce.

Everything was excellent, but my favorites were the sope and the huarache, and Beth's were the sope and the chorizo+potato quesadilla. I don't recall if Jeff mentioned, but the portions (the huarache and quesadillas especially) are truly enormous, and so we had a ridiculous amount of food.

It's really a very nice place. We'll be back.

quesadillas de chorizo y papas, flor de calabaza, and rajas con queso @ los corrales, chicago

Amata wrote:As Peter's pictures show, the restored theatre building really is lovely.

Don't misunderstand, I think it's wonderful that the old theater has been saved and partially restored. But there's been one highly unfortunate, though not recent, alteration: