Birreria Zaragoza Monday 5/14 High Noon

Second installation of the "Cheap And Excellent Monday Lunch" group.

I went to BZ once on a sick day, took it to go, and was not enamored with the food. I did, however, fully notice that they take great pride in their restaurant, and could not have been nicer ppl. The meal was expertly packaged beyond what anyone would imagine. Lime wedges, sliced onion, dried chiles, and powdered chiles all in separate packaging. I was offered a piping hot quesadilla made from a handmade tortilla with salsa while I waited. I want to go back for eat in. PhilW says dining in is definitely the way to go. So, Monday, 5/14, high noon. I'm going, maybe with a friend. No big whoop. Join if you'd care to.

Roasted Goat Parts R Us

P.S. Looking for a place around there to score an Agua Fresca De Alfalfa...if a decent one can't be found, friend and I might be looking towards La Chaparrita. I'm secretly hoping that La Chaparrita gets the nod.

I'm a tentative for either location. Keep us posted.

Just for clarity, Zarragoza is the DEFINITE. Chaparrita might be a stop afterward for a taco or two and an agua fresca.

Which BZ? A Pulaski or W Lake?

BALLS!
I had no idea there was one in Melrose Park. My apologies. The Pulaski one will be the site for this lunch.

per PM from last night, stuck downtown. Look forward to connecting on the next one.

A fine lunch indeed. We did the "meal for two."
The salsa in molcajete
one plain quesadilla
one quesadilla con birria
and two small plates of birria with tortillas

DEFINITELY better than my previous takeout experience. friend and I in mid meal started laughing hysterically when wondering if the little crunchy bits were bones at the same time. We both said, if these are bones, they are the best bones ever, and we would have ordered a plate of bones. (They couldn't have been bones, they were simply the browned bits that were, in a word, sensational.) I wish someone else would have joined us- I left my camera behind. It was a Nikon s3000, and truth be told, I don't care that someone else has it now. I didn't like it from the time I opened the box. Very tempermental in Macro mode. It did take good pictures when everything was just right, but the autofocus in Macro / food mode was dreadfully slow. I get a BETTER camera now!

Anyway...

After Zaragoza, we did take the short trip up to La Chaparrita for a few tacos and aguas frescas. D/c loved the longaniza, tripas, and really dug the agua fresca de alfalfa.

Santander, I'm gonna be looking for Monday lunch partners generally once a month now. More than likely right about every four weeks, and also more than likely, spots with cheap, excellent food. No big whoop. Next up MIGHT be Tio Luis, as friend today really wants to try it, as do I. IIRC, you were a fan? Maybe Tierra Caliente. We'll see.

Those alfalfa aguas frescas at La Chaparrita - best non-alcoholic drink in the Chicago area?

Nice report, seebee. I agree with you about those alfalfa agua frescas.

Have you been to La Placita de Durango? If not, you might try them for one of your Monday lunches. Note that they have moved to a bigger location and are now on 51st just west of Western.
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