Takito Kitchen - chef David Dworshak (aka Ta-Ki-To Kitchen)

I went here with some friends a couple of weeks back and had a notably excellent meal from beginning to end. I knew chef Dworshak could throw down but I'll admit that I was still somewhat skeptical about Mexican-inspired dishes on this section of west Division St from a chef with a decidedly non-Mexican sounding name. However, given the work Dworshak had done at Carnivale, it was silly of me to ever doubt him. Just about everything we ate at our meal was sensational.

We started out with the delectable Avocado Pine Nut Puree (pickled garlic, piloncillo, chile pequin, Urban Till ciliantro), which is served with some house-made masa chips that are almost like large shards of free-form-shaped crackers. I loved all of this. The puree had a rich flavor, which was accented with a perfect amount of acidity. The masa chips were simply awesome. They had a great flavor that continued to develop throughout the entire chew. Texturally, they were short and crunchy, and there was just bit of coarse grain at the very end, which provided for a remarkably pleasant finish.

Suzuki Bass Ceviche (pickled roots, black garlic, cilantro, lime) was beautifully balanced, with the accompanying elements supporting the pristine, clean fish fantastically well.

A Trio Of Salsas was sensational -- and totally addictive -- across the board: Tomatillo Pistachio (tomatillo, roasted onions, roasted garlic, pistachio, roasted serrano chile, green onion, cilantro), Tomato Hibiscus Ghost Pepper (roasted tomato, roasted onions, roasted garlic, hibiscus tea, ghost pepper, cilanto), Chile de Arbol Cucumber (chile de arbol, roasted onion, roasted garlic, diced cucumber, roasted red pepper, basil, mint, lime). Each was boldly flavored and distinctive. There was heat, depth, complexity and balance. It was hard to choose a favorite.

Three Sisters Polenta with Brunkow cheddar, smoked bacon, pickled chiles and cilantro was another winner. The dish was comforting and the flavors were harmonious. The Yucatan Chicken Soup (green plantains, recado verde, avocado, lime) was a deeply flavored bowl of broth that was immensely satisfying. Seared Scallops (date lime chutney, morita salsa, herb salad, toasted seeds) was another fantastic preparation in which the scallops were cooked perfectly and then paired judiciously with the other components. The hint of smoke from the moritas was truly inspired.

Next, we shared 4 orders of tacos. They are relatively small and served 3 to an order. On this night we had Crispy Redfish (hibiscus tortilla, carrot jalapeño slaw, coconut custard, Urban Till basil), Maple Creek Farms Pork Belly (sesame tortilla, morita salsa, fresh mozzarella, pickled onions, Urban Till arugula), Beef Barbacoa (corn tortilla, queso fresco, tamarind, chayote, chile pequin), and Lamb Chorizo (corn tortilla, Brunkow cheese). I especially enjoyed the Redfish and the Lamb Chorizo but I'd happily order any of them again, and would love to try the others that we didn't try, too. The main take-away from this part of the meal for me was how perfectly prepared all the components were in all the tacos. Tender, crispy-edged tortillas, moist, perfectly-cooked proteins, crispy, bright garnishes and lively salsas were all prepared exceedingly well, which really added to my enjoyment.

Bar-wise we did pretty well, too. We tried a couple of cocktails that were both very tasty. The Rhumba (lime, coconut, pink guava, Carpano, Rhum J.M.) and El Tamarindo (tamarind, lime, cilantro, coco, chile guajillo, ginger, Novo Fogo). Even though it was a bit too sweet for me to love it with food, the Rhumba was a very tasty concoction. I preferred El Tamarindo, in which the tartness of the tamarind and the heat from the guajillo worked well together and elevated the entire cocktail into something I though was especially food-friendly. I absolutely loved the Michelada (Tecate, tomato, lime, chiles), which was bright, effervescent and perfectly savory. However, the absolute highlight of the bar for me was the spicy Sangrita, which was served as a side car with the Michelada, iirc. I think we were told that it was made with chiles (instead of tomato juice). In any case, it was spicy, savory and amazingly delicious.

On this night, there were 2 desserts on the menu: Mexican Chocolate Ganache (coffee crema, brandied cherries, almond masa crisp) and Arroz con Dulce de Leche (seasonal fruit, blood orange syrup, sunflower seeds), and we tried both of them. I liked them both a lot. They were very tasty, distinctive and -- most importantly for me -- not overly sweet.

One note of disclosure: during our meal Chef said hello to me, as he remembered me from Carnivale. He may have sent out a couple of these dishes for us. However, as I did not pay the bill on this night, I'm not entirely sure about that. It really doesn't matter, though (especially because my friends were buying, anyway). The food was outstanding, service was friendly and enthusiastic, and I definitely plan on returning.

=R=

Ta-Ki-To Kitchen (http://www.takitokitchen.com/)
2013 W Division St
Chicago, IL 60622
(773) 687-9620

Went last night and really liked the place. No wait on a Saturday night at 6:30 p.m. which was a bonus.

Highlights: Caliente Margarita. One of the better crafted cocktails I've had in a long time. Ghost pepper salsa. Lamb chorizo tacos, pork belly tacos and the chicken tacos. We tried much of the menu but these are the things that standout to me today still.

Only complaint was the pacing and the service. Service very friendly and knowledgeable but food came way too fast. We were in and out in 45 minutes and that was with appetizers, tacos and dessert. We all said we would definitely go back but would space out our ordering. Also didn't receive one appetizer but we considered it a wash when they brought a round of drinks we had ordered twice. It's a young restaurant and they just have a few kinks to figure out.

Overall, good food, good cocktails and a nice space. Seems to be good people working there and very impressed by a relatively "newish" place that almost has all the pieces together.

Went to Takito tonight. Thought the service was great. Liked the food, but wasn't in love with it. Balanced, would be my one word review of the meal. Very reasonably priced, though dishes skewed a bit small.

We had the ceviche and polenta. Then we got the pork belly tacos and the lamb chorizo tacos.

Ceviche and polenta were both good. I would say I liked the polenta a bit more. The ceviche was very fresh testing and very balanced. But it was a bit too simple to me. Tasted a bit muted. I like my ceviche to be more exciting flavor-wise. Maybe the bass wasn't enough to really stand out on its own.

Polenta was also very balanced. It was deliciously rich and I thought the bacon, crunchy corn, and peppers really elevated it texture and flavor wise. And the cheese was good.

Loved the pork belly taco. Probably the one thing I ate that I loved while I was there. Perfectly cooked. Great fat/meat ratio. Balanced and carefully constructed like everything else, but there was a depth and boldness of flavor here that I didn't really get in the ceviche. Or maybe I just love pork belly.

Lamb Chorizo was also very good, but I think I liked the pork belly more. Like the other commenters said, all these tacos were beautifully and carefully constructed. I don't often think of tacos as pretty to look at, but this and a few other places challenge my perception.

Thought the El Tamarindo was fantastic. A lot of different flavors that really wed together. Lime, tamarind, etc.. made for a really satisfying drink.

If I'm on Division I will definitely be back. But I may not go out of my way.

Bar Takito is not even open yet in the West Loop (it debuts Aug. 20), but the partners, who also own Takito Kitchen in Wicker Park, are already working on their next concept.

Managing partner Anshul Mangal, Mario Ponce, Adam Weber and executive chef David Dworshak, who incorporated a month ago as Bazaar Group, are calling their new restaurant Takito Street. They've lined up a location of about 4,000 square feet in Logan Square but won't disclose the address because the lease hasn't been finalized.

http://www.chicagobusiness.com/article/ ... akito-team

Bar Takito West Loop: excellent michelada, good-looking tall room (former Kabocha space), and I enjoyed an unusual vegetarian torta (semi-)ahogada.



Truly drowned and spicier is my preference, but these flavors were right on (zucchini at absolute peak).

At Bar Takito for lunch today in West Loop and had two stellar tacos. I was annoyed about pricing as everything seemed expensive, but can vouch for the value of these tacos. Beef was tender and the taco was huge. Fish taco was perfectly proportioned, crispy fried, and thought the basil was a nice touch. The tortillas really stood out as well.

Corn lovers - get the esquites.