I've really enjoyed my recent and only visits to Bien Trucha and on my last one they were letting people know that their new place next door is now open. I didn't realize it had it's own thread on here and I never read it until now (great stuff) so I was kind of late to the party but the party is just getting started with warm weather near and a recent spot on 'Check, Please'. My first visit was a weekday during the tame winter so it was a nice day but easy to walk in and sit down at the bar. My second visit came on a weekend night following the CP episode, I had no idea otherwise I would of said screw it, so a line started forming around 4:20 (open for dinner at 5p) and it was hectic. They just let the folks in line figure out who was first and after that as they watched the crowds form from the windows inside only to come out and start taking names at 5:00 on the dot. The place is pretty small and I imagine it was getting packed like this every warm weather weekend night before Alpana was putting it's name out there for all. Eater beware.


Small Space, Big Taste

People have mentioned their practices and policies on here are similar to Cuba and China and I agree with those that say they come off as cocky but so was Mike. However I'm not going to say these are the best tacos in all of Chicagoland ala Chicago Magazine says, you can go to a newly elected GNR for those, but the ones I've had are some of the best and since I'm not picky and dont have any weird allergies or children so it's fine with me that they give me what is described on the menu when I order it. Back to that in a minute. Their cocktails are very good and expertly prepared. On my 2nd visit after the CP episode, a lady and her hubby had rode over from Joliet and she put down five margaritas and we were done before they were so she may of had a couple more. I guess if its entertainment your looking for when you go out to eat, go to a place that gets alot of love on 'Check, Please' the weekend after the episode its on airs. Imagine this place with their rules, on a night like this.


Fresona (fresh muddled strawberries, lime, sugar, orange liquor, sauza blanco) & Elotes

Fresh chips and refried bean spread come on the house and their elotes are the best I've had from anywhere and that includes my recent trip to Aguascalientes. She loves the fresona cocktail and yes they're very refreshing and I'm not afraid to say. I go for the pepino, also very refreshing and well executed. The only thing I've had thus far that I wouldn't order again is the pica-pica which is bacon wrapped shrimp with onion, pineapple and a chipotle-lime glaze. I expected these to be a few decent sized shrimp wrapped in bacon and then topped with a relish like mixture of that described but it was a kebab with big chunks of pineapple, small shrimp with little bacon around it and while not bad, not great.


Pica-Pica

Back to their practice. Second stop we were some of first in line so when it was time to seat we said we would sit at the bar but they said then we would have to wait until they fill the place then they could sit us there. F___ that we just waited 40 minutes. Then on the first visit, a good friend of the hostess came in and sat at the bar where she was introduced to the bartender. They chatted it up, seemed like they liked each other. She wanted an order of tacos that came with cheese without it bc she was lactose intolerant and they wouldn't do it. She explained to the bartender who explained back and eventually she settled with the steak tacos which don't come with cheese which he had suggested. She was dumbfounded but loved the drinks he was mixing so forgot about it quick. The second time in, some tool was having a good time with his groupie friends and wanted to order "this without that" and got a "no".

Loud Drunk Guy: "OK how about this without this"

Poor Waitress: "No"

Loud Drunk Guy: "C'mon"

Loud Drunk Guy: "Lets get an order of these without that"

Poor Waitress: "No"

Loud Drunk Guy: "C'mon"

Loud Drunk Guy: "Can we get that with these instead"

Poor Waitress: "No"

I laughed and felt sorry for the young lady who had to play Tiger Mom. I guess they feel taking ingredients off or substituting something for another thing will lessen their creations taste which might weaken your experience which could then lead you to go Yelping about it. So to start it off I havent had the al pastor from here but if these pics dont do some justice to Bien Trucha for what it is than so be it, don't go, some will think its worth the wait some will think the wait plus small space and fact they are stern makes it a place not worth their while. This is the beauty of having choices of where one will eat. This isnt Tierra Caliente nor is it Topolobampo.


Pollo Tacos (crispy rolled tortilla, shredded chicken, potato hash, crema & queso fresco)

I'm a sucker for good flautas/taco dorados/taquitos and so I've gotten these on both visits. Nothing too fancy as far as creation but everything is done right. These are the best chicken flautas I've had from anywhere although the 2nd time the filling was a little more dry than the first.


Barriga de Puerco Tacos

Described as slow roasted pork belly, adobo, salsa verde cruda, cucumber and queso fresco these were better than than the PB tacos offered at Big Star which I order from there now and then still. Again execution was perfect and the pieces of belly were cut up just right and each one came crispy and everything went real well together. On my 2nd visit I finally tried the Pescadilla tacos which came heavily endorsed. These are described on the menu as shredded shark and epazote with avocado-habanero pico. They come with hard shells and the shredded shark (?) had a consistency similar to Italian canned tuna but it all tasted a little different. I liked them although will try their shrimp taco offerings (both beer battered and sauteed) next time around.


Pescadilla Tacos

The stand out menu item for me is their namesake taco. The 'Bien Trucha' tacos come with grilled skirt steak, home-made chorizo, manchego and roasted tomatillo-serrano salsa. These I've got both times and also took an order back on the 2nd visit but they're much better fresh from the kitchen. Hey I don't know if these are authentic or not as far as Mexico City street food, actually take that back. I do. This style is popular on the street stands around Mexico City and enjoyed in the wee hours of the night by its residents. Not that I've ever been but it would be hard to match these.


Bien Trucha Tacos

So despite the hype before 'Check, Please' and even now after as its in full blown hype mode. I'm still a fan. The food is good, it's priced fair for what it is and its a nice option in Geneva for lunch or dinner with drinks. It would get the same love and have same lines in Chicago. I dont know if its worth the ride hans solo from the city and wouldn't recommend a six hour round trip ride on public transportation to try it out. All that said, Geneva is a really pleasant, cute little town with a really charming atmosphere with some shopping and spa shenanigans for the ladies and bars with cold brews for the boys. So you can definitely make a day of it and you wont need to pack any heat while you eat. The Metra will drop you off right there in town which Bien Trucha is a short walk from.


As Da Wiv would say "Count me a fan..."

Bien Trucha
410 West State Street
Geneva, IL 60134
(630) 232-2665

I ate here recently and enjoyed it. I did not notice anything unusual about their policies but we ordered off the menu without changes. I do note that the food is very different than your usual mexican fare so if you are hoping to get a plate of tacos or enchiladas, some beans and rice, you will be disappointed. This is more "creative" mexican food but it is delicious.

...the corn tortillas pictured above appear pale, bland, mass-manufactured, and inedible(basically, what I expect in an Indianapolis---where I'm typing from---corn tortilla)...everything else looks tasty...

I've yet to understand when people employ those cheapsh*t tortillas why they don't at least toast them first.

Went to Bien trucha again this time for dinner. I am kind of over it. Some things are still good and I would recommend trying it but there are a few things that did not pass muster. First of all the music is horrible and distracting. It was not there at lunch. The bien trucha tacos were blah. Not tasty at all. The meat has no charred taste to it which would be really delicious. Tastes like they made it in a frying pan. The al pastor was more successful. We did not order the rice and corn but it was brought to our table anyway and we noticed a three dollar upcharge for it. I did enjoy the rice and corn anyway. The pica pica was insipid. Not great grilling shrimp and the bacon is limp and greasy and not great tasting like they are not using a great brand of bacon. I did not eat the tortilla on the skirt steak taco, just left it ....right, its not really heated just limp and tasteless. The limeade was great. I will note there are a lot of drinks flowing at this place and its ripe for abuse as they slide down easy so I would not be surprised at drunk drivers coming from here or other bad behavior....I will probably not go back for some time....not saying would not go again but if I did it would probably be lunch not dinner.

I am in Geneva almost weekly and am pissed I had kind of avoided Bien Trucha, went Saturday and had a great, short visit that has me looking forward to a return for dinner and more lunches. A line 20 people deep @11:45 for a 12:00 opening. Comfortable, but tight space. Great staff.

Started with a nice guac, chunks of avocado, serrano kick(a couple scoops removed from this plate:




next up was the first of our tacos, pastor a really top notch version, tender pork, some with some char and crunch, tons of flavors popping. Great:





next up were fish tacos. Tender fish, crunchy light batter, crunchy slaw, well done:



also got some habanero sauce, smokey, backend heat kick, took my leftover home:



Great lunch, food was fantastic, service to match. Gotta get back for the pork belly tacos and shark tacos @ dinner.

Hit Bien Trucha for a quick lunch yesterday. Flavors were great. It had been a while so we just went with some old standards that we love. Started with the guacamole of the day. Their standard guac w/plums added. Delicious as always. Guac is so easy, but good guac is really satisfying.

Papas con aioli - home fries, cilantro-serrano aioli

These potatoes were perfectly cooked. Crispy on the outside, fluffy centers. Rich aioli had a mild spice kick on the finish

Pescadillas - shredded swordfish, epazote, crispy tortilla, avocado-habanero pico


Hongos - sauteed portabello mushrooms, chile de arbol-mojo de ajo, onions, avocado slice

I and a couple of LTHers had a very nice lunch at Bien Trucha on Wednesday . . .


Bien Trucha - 410 W State St, Geneva, IL
100 miles round-trip from my house but worth the trip.



Chips (gratis)
Fresh and ultra crispy.



Bean Dip (gratis)
This had a bacony front note. I thought it was tasty.



Mangoneada - fresh mango flavored water, tajin rim



Michelada - Tecate served over fresh lime juice, spicy sauce and maggi in a salted glass
Not my favorite version but better than most. I liked the spice level.



Guacamole Del Dia - fresh avocados, lime, onion, cilantro and watermelon (on this day)
I thought the watermelon worked very well in this dish.



Ceviche Del Mes - shrimp, mango aioli (iirc)
This didn't really do it for me. I think the shrimp was cooked and because of that -- and how sweet and creamy the sauce was -- it didn't really feel like ceviche to me. I was hoping for something a big more acid-cured.



Cazuelita De Rajas Con Chorizo - roasted poblano strips, chorizo, onions, crema fresca, chihuahua cheese
Sort of a refined version of queso fundido, which I really liked. Great flavors and textures here.



Tacos De Pescadillas - shredded swordfish, epazote, crispy tortilla, avocado-habanero pico
I loved everything about these except for the shredded swordfish, which was a bit dry and fiberous (as pictured in another post upthread). That wasn't my thing but still, I think the overall execution was very nice and the crispy tortilla was terrific.



Tacos De Barriga De Puerco - slow roasted pork belly, adobo, salsa verde cruda, cucumber, queso fresco
Great stuff - rich, a bit spicy and well-balanced.



Esquites - grilled corn, epazote-butter, lemon-aioli, queso cotija, chile piquin
Loved this tangy take.



Tacos De Pescado - crispy beer battered tilapia, red cabbage, onion, tomato, lime, chipotle-morita aioli
When fish is fried this expertly, it matters not that it's tilapia. These were some excellent, perfectly crispy nuggets of fish with a really flavorful and satisfying combination of toppings.



Torta De Lujo - skirt steak, chorizo, chihuahua cheese, refried beans, avocado, morita aioli
One of my favorites of the meal. Loved the combination of ingredients/flavors. Great stuff.

I was really impressed by Bien Trucha. The place is virbant. The staff is incredibly hospitable and notably competent. Our food was delicious, thoughtfully prepared and beautifully presented. It just felt great being there. It's a long way from home but it was worth the trip. If this place were closer to the city, I think it would be getting a ton more attention than it already is.

=R=

This. Place. Is. Everything.

Make a reservation! We landed just shy of 6 pm tonight ( it is Saturday and Halloween) and sat at the bar. They literally swept us off our feet. They took our bags and jackets. I spied the cookbooks on the shelf. My eyes landed on Noma first. We pulled it from the shelf and I knew I was in for a treat. We kept chatting and I kept spying other books, Alinea, Momofuku & Momofuku Milk Bar, Ad Hoc at Home, and Preservation Kitchen amongst a host of others. You know how in the 20th century you would peruse someone's music to ascertain who they were? I had that feeling when I saw those books on the shelf. It told me these folks were serious about great ingredients. But the food would be accessible, and perhaps a bit off-kilter ( in a completely awesome way). It was.

We had a view of the bright kitchen crew calmly, and efficiently, getting that food done and out. The space is tight.

We split the esquites, chile relleños, and mushroom tacos. Each taco had a slice of avocado laid across the top. The seasoning was delicious. Everything wowed us. It was all so very, very good.

And then we ordered the key lime pie ice cream and the corn cake with trés leche sauce.

I saw the woman in front of us zesting a lovely smelling lime onto a dish. She then passed it through the window to us. It was the key lime pie ice cream. Underneath the scoops there was a crumble of graham and the rim of the bowl had stiff and browned meringue waiting to be scooped onto the spoon.

The corn cake was a sponge of flavor with plump kernels throughout.

The desserts were delicious!


I can't wait to go back.

Bien Trucha is a lovely space with fantastic food and service. It is an utterly charming and delicious GNR!

I'm on record as a fan of burritos. I know this is a taco-lovin crowd, but I like the kitchen-sink, one handed utility-ness of the things. I like beans and rice and cheese. And I like well-managed flour tortillas. I think they could be the next thing and the NY hipsters know what's up, but in terms of the new school, I'm not sure I am convinced by the renditions around here.

So I was stoked to learn on the social medias that Bien Trucha was starting a burrito- focused "pop-up" (in their own restaurant) cleverly/not-cleverly called "Little Donkeys".

I tried it out today. I'm pretty sure they're repurposing the entire western building at lunch time for the burrito-only menu. They're running counter service right from the pick-up of the kitchen. We had called ahead. My wife and I each ordered the house special with steak, chorizo, and fried eggs. There is no menu online yet and I'm wishing I had snatched a paper menu for future take out. I recall a few of the other choices– a pork and pineapple number, baja fish taco style with battered fish and slaw, a breaded chicken cutlet, and a veg option.

Nice product. Expensive at $10 and some change, though most burritos in the city are pushing that these days. And maybe not as big as my head, but certainly a chunk of my forearm. Ingredients were carefully dispersed. She thought the eggs were too much, I was a fan. I thought the super-caramelized onions were too sweet, but a nice unexpected flavor. Robust chorizo and nicely browned steak. The tortilla was not Chipotle-level gummy and undercooked, but I prefer a bit more browning on the griddle. The most unique touch was a bandage of brown crispy Chihuahua cheese on the exterior, which I believe they use to seal the fold. Pretty neat and when does crispy cheese ever ruin anything? I'll be back. Perfect summer picnic food to be enjoyed on the banks of the Fox with an ice-cold Penrose brew.

Here's the menu I received in an email earlier this week.