sr1329 wrote:

Definitely. This BYOB thing is killing restaurants. I generally avoid BYOB joints because I know they have to compromise somewhere and generally it will be in the food. Also it will tend to attract people who are not willing to pay for quality food but rather a cheap drinking and dining experience and the food will eventually be targeted (watered down, homogenized) to meet the expectations of such clientele.

This is the most nonsensical thing yet. A number of GNR's are BYOB as are a number of non-GNR's that are still great and/or very good restaurants. One of the best meals I've eaten this year was at a BYOB (Terragusto in Lakeview). I can't wait to go back. I'd eat there if it wasn't BYOB, just as I would TAC Quick or Spoon Thai or a number of other places. You make a claim that BYOB is killing restaurants - yet offer nothing to show us how (or anything beyond assumption as to what kind of people are attracted to BYOB's).

Kman wrote:

sr1329 wrote:

Definitely. This BYOB thing is killing restaurants. I generally avoid BYOB joints because I know they have to compromise somewhere and generally it will be in the food. Also it will tend to attract people who are not willing to pay for quality food but rather a cheap drinking and dining experience and the food will eventually be targeted (watered down, homogenized) to meet the expectations of such clientele.

This is the most nonsensical thing yet. A number of GNR's are BYOB as are a number of non-GNR's that are still great and/or very good restaurants. One of the best meals I've eaten this year was at a BYOB (Terragusto in Lakeview). I can't wait to go back. I'd eat there if it wasn't BYOB, just as I would TAC Quick or Spoon Thai or a number of other places. You make a claim that BYOB is killing restaurants - yet offer nothing to show us how (or anything beyond assumption as to what kind of people are attracted to BYOB's).

Agreed. Just went to Mixteco last weekend with a bottle of bubbly. No fall off in quality. Liquor licenses cost money and not everyone wants to deal with the hassle.

trpt2345 wrote:

Kman wrote:

sr1329 wrote:

Definitely. This BYOB thing is killing restaurants. I generally avoid BYOB joints because I know they have to compromise somewhere and generally it will be in the food. Also it will tend to attract people who are not willing to pay for quality food but rather a cheap drinking and dining experience and the food will eventually be targeted (watered down, homogenized) to meet the expectations of such clientele.

This is the most nonsensical thing yet. A number of GNR's are BYOB as are a number of non-GNR's that are still great and/or very good restaurants. One of the best meals I've eaten this year was at a BYOB (Terragusto in Lakeview). I can't wait to go back. I'd eat there if it wasn't BYOB, just as I would TAC Quick or Spoon Thai or a number of other places. You make a claim that BYOB is killing restaurants - yet offer nothing to show us how (or anything beyond assumption as to what kind of people are attracted to BYOB's).

Agreed. Just went to Mixteco last weekend with a bottle of bubbly. No fall off in quality. Liquor licenses cost money and not everyone wants to deal with the hassle.

Or lay out the cash to hold spirits, wine and beer inventory; inventory which shrinks more frequently than just about any other.

=R=

Cathy -- Thanks for calling Sol de Mexico to my attention again and conjuring up memories of their wonderful moles!

There are several comments in this thread lamenting the place having fallen off the radar or about people not having been there in years... I fall in that category -- it's been a couple of years since last I was there and I regret that. For me, part of that has simply to do with the fact that I don't eat out all that often, esp. relative to many others on LTH, and that combined with the issue of location -- SdM is pretty far from where we live on the Near West Side -- means that there are such gaps in visits for me to a number of places I love.

In any event, it is high time I get back to Sol de Mexico, which really is a special place...

Antonius

Just got back from yet another dynamite meal at SdM. They've changed the menu a bit-- no more Tampiquena (sp?), but I enjoyed the "Sea, air, and land" (my translation), which was a skirt steak/red mole, chicken/white mole, shrimp/green mole combination-- each meat was wrapped in one of their house-made tortillas (toothsome!). Husband had roasted pork with huitlacoche-- great inky black sauce. Oof, I am so full. Plus, they were great to my daughter-- the waitress remembers her name and they ply her with candies from the dish at the front desk.

Jen

Go to Sol de Mexico for the venison in green mole-- the meat was perfectly rare in the middle and the mole was (as ever) delicious. Enjoy the house margaritas. But bring cash-- they are not accepting credit cards until Carlos gets his internet connection fixed. Such things are generally fixed rapidly, so don't worry too much...

Jen

Get 'em while you can- tonight only! Chiles en Nogada at S de M.

Josephine wrote:Get 'em while you can- tonight only! Chiles en Nogada at S de M.

And it is not even Christmas!

Regards,

Cathy2 wrote:

Josephine wrote:Get 'em while you can- tonight only! Chiles en Nogada at S de M.

And it is not even Christmas!

Isn't this when they're typically made, leading up to (and perhaps for a short time after) Mexican Independence Day?

Dom,

It appears you are correct: August up to and through Indepedence Day.

For some reason, I had come to believe it was a Christmas dish.

Live and learn!

Regards,

Cathy2 wrote:It appears you are correct: August up to and through Indepedence Day.

For some reason, I had come to believe it was a Christmas dish.

The colors, perhaps? They're certainly Christmasey, even if only incidentally so

Cathy2 wrote:Dom,

It appears you are correct: August up to and through Indepedence Day.

For some reason, I had come to believe it was a Christmas dish.

Live and learn!

Regards,

It is served in many places until after Christmas. It mostly depends on how long pomegranates stay in season.

Dmnkly wrote:

Cathy2 wrote:It appears you are correct: August up to and through Indepedence Day.

For some reason, I had come to believe it was a Christmas dish.

The colors, perhaps? They're certainly Christmasey, even if only incidentally so

Colors of the Mexican flag...thus the Independence day connection (that and pomegranates are in season)

Like others have said above, it has been way too long since we'd been to Sol de Mexico. We were out that way last night and reason to use the Blackboard Eats deal there. The starter was queso fundido. With the fresh tortillas, it was an excellent, albeit heavy starter. I thought I'd eat light with two appetizers: the ceviche and the sopes assortment. Ha. I forgot how generous the portions were. I took home half of both. The ceviche was excellent -- fresh, zesty, really flavorful. The sopes were also good. The masa boats were warm and crispy. We polished off the guacamole-filled sope quickly and I ate most of the plantain one. The other two will be lunch. Mr. X had the Camarones Escondidos (Fresh Florida pink shrimp stuffed with Chihuahua cheese and chile jalapeno, wrapped in jalapeno-bacon. Served with smooth sauce of roasted tomato, smoky chipotle and pueblan rice.) He begrudgingly shared a shrimp with me, but only one.

The BB Eats deal included dessert, which was the tamal de chocolat. Despite being completely full, we both polished off our dessert plates. It was fantastic -- rich and chocolatey, balanced with a scoop of vanilla ice cream. Mr. X had a horchata, which was also excellent. Service was exemplary last night. Efficient and friendly. There was a large party there, plus a couple of other two-tops. We will be back much sooner than later.

A menu note: Chiles en Nogada were still available.

To those missing the smaller plates, I thought the available appetizers and small plates was ample, but I admit not remembering the old menu. Give it shot again, you might be surprised.

http://www.soldemexicochicago.com/menus/menu.html

Another great meal at Sol de Mexico last night, easily proving they are in fact Bib worthy. We started with some ceviche and chips and guacamole. The ceviche was really on last night. Extremely fresh tasting with just the right amount of kick. I had the duck, which was cooked perfectly (nice crisp skin, fat nicely rendered). The sauce had a tomato and chili base, but was made more complex with the addition of bacon, olives, and other goodies. A bunch of their housemate tortillas dunked into that sauce made me a very happy man.

We were there early, before a show, and the place was dead. We were there until around 7 and it was really just us and 1 or 2 other tables there the whole time. If you haven't been in a while, or if you've never been, please go check this place out.

Has anyone done the chef's 4 course tasting menu for $40? If I recall, it featured 2 mole dishes. Seems like a steal based on my last meal, but I was wondering if anyone had any experience.

gastro gnome wrote:Has anyone done the chef's 4 course tasting menu for $40? If I recall, it featured 2 mole dishes. Seems like a steal based on my last meal, but I was wondering if anyone had any experience.

One of my non-LTH friends tried it-- he texted me during the meal with a gorgeous photo of the chile rellenos (I think that's what is was, stuffed chile, white sauce, pomegranite seeds). He said it was awesome-- and a lot of food.

Jen

Pie-love wrote:One of my non-LTH friends tried it-- he texted me during the meal with a gorgeous photo of the chile rellenos (I think that's what is was, stuffed chile, white sauce, pomegranite seeds). He said it was awesome-- and a lot of food.

That would be Chiles en Nogada. Carlos' version is especially awesome. If it is part of his tasting menu, I may have to go try it. A few years ago, he put together a tasting dinner for LTH that included that dish, If the chef's menu is similar, it has to be good.

Had a delicious dinner at SdM tonight-- Manchamantel sauce seems to be a feature of the new menu, which came out last week. My husband had duck breast in the Manchamantel sauce. My daughter and I split the salmon in green mole-- the salmon was perfectly grilled. As usual, the service was great too. Had a delicious chocolate tamale for dessert:


tamal de chocolate

Nice-- not too sweet, light texture and very chocolatey. My daughter loved the house-made vanilla ice cream.

Cheers, Jen

Edited to correct the spelling of "Manchamantel".

Pie-love wrote:Edited to correct the spelling of "Manchamantel".

It's usually written and spoken as the plural manchamanteles, sometimes written as one word and other times as two words, mancha manteles. Literally, it refers to a sauce that "stains tablecloths". They sometimes have it at Salsa 17 in Arlington Heights, another restaurant that offers a variety of moles.

Unfortunately, the only manchas we've had on the manteles lately have been the usual kind prompting a trip to the cleaners. Sigh.

Nothing posted here for so long - well, I was at SdM last night and everything is as it was, and I'd say that's a good thing. That's not to say that everything at SdM is a home run, but if you're a fan of moles, your search should begin and end here.

First, they offer a mole sampler that's not on the menu but in my opinion is a must order: four small samples of their moles (manchamanteles, rojo, negro and verde) served with wonderfully fresh, warm house made corn tortillas for $3.95 (I think that was the price). Their moles are some of the best I've had (I'd say the best in Chicago), incredibly rich, complex and vary considerably from one to the other (as you'd expect). No question, they do not begin with some packaged base here.

As for other menu items, my shrimp in mole verde was delicious, even if the shrimp was slightly overcooked. And my dining companion's carne asada was delicious and cooked rare as ordered, with the intense and rich flavors of the red chile marinade really coming through. Flan is a pretty good deal at $3.95 (I think), and it's flavorful, with the small caveat that last night it was a little dense for my liking. We also shared an appetizer of sopes (four good sized sopes with different fillings) which I thought was excellent and a bargain at $7.50.

Dinner at Sol de Mexico would require reservations a week out if popped into the locations of some of the north side's more popular Mexican restaurants. Instead, it is a gem that too few seem willing to visit. But with their upscale dining room, attractive plating and full bar, I would suggest you consider SdM. And if you're looking for moles, you'd be a fool to not go to Sdm.

Ooh, thanks for the bump on this thread-- good reminder I need to get to SdM, maybe this weekend. Mmmmmmole!

Jen

Was just about to post in best thing I've eaten lately when I saw this thread. Visited sol de Mexico tonight.

My wife had the scallops in mole verde. Perfectly seared scallops in a very, very good mole verde. I was soaking it up with the amazingly fresh tortillas by then end of the meal.

I had a venison special with a cream chipotle sauce. The venison was a bit overcooked and dry for me, but it still makes it to my list of best things I've eaten lately on the strength of the sauce alone. The absolute perfect ratio of lushness from the fat and smoky heat of chipotle.

Hadn't been there is long time, in spite of living fairly close. Will not wait so long for a return visit.

The only disturbing/disappointing aspect of the visit is that there were only 3-4 tables @ 7pm on a Friday night. Based on the food quality, this place should be packed.

The only disturbing/disappointing aspect of the visit is that there were only 3-4 tables @ 7pm on a Friday night. Based on the food quality, this place should be packed.

maybe it's time for another lthforum organized dinner at sol de mexico. i believe there have been 2. 1 which i attended, and the other i just happened on while eating there with some friends. i think both were very successful. any interest out there in a third?

Ah, Sol de Mexico, you are just the thing.


Wait, you wanted to know what that looked like before I devoured it and unabashedly wiped up all that delicious mole verde with those toothsome house-made corn tortillas? Oh, okay...

This was seared scallops, which were perfectly cooked with a little crust on the outside but just barely opaque in the middle-- sweet and fresh too. This dish usually comes with rice, which they obligingly served on the side for my daughter. I would have thought that the rich, slightly spicy sauce would overwhelm the delicate scallops, but it didn't.

Husband had carne asada:

Ordered medium, cooked perfectly, nice and juicy.

After dinner, walked up Cicero to Paleteria la Plaza for paletas:

Enjoyed the queso, adventurous husband had the pepino con chile and daughter loved the oreo cookie ice cream.

Great one-two punch for a warm summer evening.

Cheers, Jen

P.S. As a aside, can someone tell me what flavor "gansito" is? All I get from Google Translate is "gosling".

Great post, Jen!

Gansito is a brand of "snack cake", kind of comparable to a Hostess Twinkie (I'm guessing, I haven't eaten one)
http://www.mexgrocer.com/19524.html

Thanks Amata, I will have to try that flavor!
Jen

Gansitos are like twinkies filled with cream and strawberry jam and covered with dark chocolate (and jimmies I think). Like most Mexican snacks, they are not as sweet as their American counterparts. I really like them. The paletas are probably creamy strawberry and chocolate. The flavor that catches my eye is grocella (jackfruit). I have never tried those, but jackfruit ice cream is one of my favorites. Still no changunga. I wonder if any paleteria in Chicago carries those? BTW gansito means little goose. Back on topic, those SdM scallops look delicious.

Happy to see you made it there Pie-love, and that mole verde is really terrific. I love your first picture because it really tells the whole story about the combination of Sol de Mexico's moles and house made tortillas - at best, there will be a few streaks of mole on the plate after dinner.