Sonoran-style Mexican Food in Chicago

Any suggestions?! Surely there has to be at least one restaurant in or around Chicagoland that serves Sonoran-style Mexican food?!

Do Sonoran hot dogs count?

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Eh ... I guess it counts as Sonoran, but I was hoping for more than just hot dogs

As I have absolutely no idea what differentiates Sonoran Mexican cuisine from other Mexican regions, I did some searching and found this multiyear thread: http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/94148

There seems to be a lot of conflicting opinion, but the gist of it seems to be: flour tortillas, rarely/never corn; a wide variety of wheat breads available; unusual hot dogs that make up much of the available street food; a lot of beef, rather than pork or goat, that is grilled/charred, and is rarely/never marinated; limes and lime flavors in most everything; much use of mayonnaise; chunky tomato salsas, not much green/verde or pureed red sauce; low-heat/bland chili spicing; tortas are not sandwiches in Sonora, but a variation on egg foo yung. Is this what you're seeking? Or some Arizona version of this? How do you characterize the cuisine?

A post from October 28, 2010 on that Chow Hound page sums up:
"Sonoran style food is (not) like any other, because Sonora is not like any other state in Mexico.

Typical dishes from Sonora (at least the central and northern part) have a basic staple: beef and flour tortillas. Sonora used to be Mexico's "Wheat Basket" and Sonorans try to avoid corn tortillas. It is natural that you hear the term "Sonoran food" in Arizona (they are bordering states).

Just to make it simple... here is a list of food you can find in any household across the state.
Pinto Beans (sometimes refried with lard, powder chili, chorizo, queso fresco and jalapeno)
Machaca (dehydrated beef - pounded) not shredded stewed beef.. yikes
Carne Asada - an almost charred flank stake, seasoned with salt and sometimes beer
Carne con chile - cubed or shredded beef slowly cooked in "chile colorado" (served with FLOUR tortillas

Street foods are heavenly. Hot dogs are a must have if you ever visit Hermosillo (the state capital).
Burros Percherones (oversized carne asada burrito) made with super delicious and big "tortillas sobaqueras" (armpit tortillas)... sound gross but it's basically a paper thin flour tortilla with a diameter as big as the maker's arm.
Tacos (of everything!)

... also we do use corn tortillas but they have more of a frying purpose. (enchiladas, tacos dorados and broken in pieces mixed with eggs)

To drink.... beer, horchata, coca-cola, hibiscus flower iced tea, beer, and more beer. (really Sonorans like beer)

---My source?
I was born and raised in Hermosillo, Sonora... my parents are originally from Northern Sonora, so are my grandparents and my great grandparents.... you get the idea"

Also this: http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/93513

Any suggestions?! Surely there has to be at least one restaurant in or around Chicagoland that serves Sonoran-style Mexican food?!

In a word, no. And I've been searching since since 1986, when I mozed here. I haven't had machaca beef (nor a decent green corn tamal, inexplicably) since I've lived here, and the flour tortillas available in Chicago are atrocious.

sundevilpeg wrote:

Any suggestions?! Surely there has to be at least one restaurant in or around Chicagoland that serves Sonoran-style Mexican food?!

...and the flour tortillas available in Chicago are atrocious.

Suggestion if you haven't tried them already: El Milagro "Caseras Fajita Style" flour tortillas. Thick and fluffy. They come in a ten count package. There are a few different sizes of the regular El Milagro tortillas de harina, pero I'm talking about the thick, fluffy ones that only come in one size. Essentially the only flour tortillas I buy. There's another brand with a picture of a lady on the front - forgot the name, but they are smaller, same thickness, but the el milagro ones are worlds better, imo. Again, not talking about the regular old El Milagro flour tortillas that come in different sizes, the Caseras Fajita style are one size only, and are at least twice as thick as the normal ones. Usually run 1.60 to 2 bucks for ten. I'd imagine if you haven't tried these specific ones, you might wanna give them a shot. Hopefully, you'll find them better than "atrocious."

Suggestion if you haven't tried them already: El Milagro "Caseras Fajita Style" flour tortillas. Thick and fluffy.

Tried 'em. Those things are the very antithesis of what a properly-made flour tortilla should be. "Thick and fluffy" may be good for a pancake, but a Sonora style flour tortilla should be paper-thin and very pliable - plus the flavor is just not right. You have to take what you can get around here, but I'd rather pass than eat those.

sundevilpeg wrote:
Tried 'em. Those things are the very antithesis of what a properly-made flour tortilla should be. "Thick and fluffy" may be good for a pancake, but a Sonora style flour tortilla should be paper-thin and very pliable - plus the flavor is just not right. You have to take what you can get around here, but I'd rather pass than eat those.

My bad.

Having spent time in AZ and the Inland Empire, I have soft spot for Sonoran but don't consider it one of the more interesting Mexican cuisines. I do like the tortillas, for sure. Also like the chiles, not so much all the orange cheese. Anyway, I think there are many types of authentic flour tortillas, though no Chicago tortilleria comes to mind for specifically Sonoran tortillas de harina. Nuevo Leon's are ok, though presumably NL style. Mission brand and other national brands are completely horrible (though thin) and filled with preservatives. Buying those in Chicago is equivalent to ordering pizza from Domino's. The thick, fluffy flour tortillas at Cemitas Puebla are mighty good. They take authenticity to extremes. And the fresh made examples from the gimmicky machine at Uncle Julio's are fine.

Anyway, if you ever see Las Brazas, a flour tortilla specialist from Grand Rapids, get them. Among the best I've had anywhere. Thin, pliable, tender and almost flaky. Remind me of the much loved SoCal Trader Joe's tortillas (nothing at all like other TJ tortillas), but better. Two birds on a branch, red on white graphics on the package.