We’ve all had that panicky moment in the Mexican restaurant when we’ve bitten off more salsa than we can chew. And when this fire begins, beer, water and sodas are not much help. That’s why those in the know drink horchata. This cold, sweet beverage looks like skim milk, tastes like rice pudding and acts as an effective mouth coolant – although starchy foods and time are the only things that will really extinguish the heat. You can find this dreamy drink at any Mexican or Central American restaurant worth its salt, usually for about 90 cents a glass. If they don’t serve it, you might rightly conclude you are in gringoville. Often unappetizingly called rice water, horchata starts with rice that has been soaked in water and a little milk. The mixture is often blended and strained, then mixed with sugar, vanilla and cinnamon. In addition to its mouth-cooling benefits, the drink is also believed to settle a rowdy stomach.
We’ve tried a lot of horchata and prefer the ones that are not too sweet and not too cinnamon-y. These include the fine homemade versions at the untrendy Perez Restaurant (located at trendy 855 W. Randolph St.) and the big cup we get from our favorite El Famous Burrito location in Summit (6159 Archer Ave.). But when we are coming home, tired and dehydrated from a late night on the town, our favorite horchata stop is the open-till-1 a.m. Carlos Burrito King, where a cold glass of the stuff is always waiting to make us feel a lot better.
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Horchata (or-cha-tah)
Carlos Burrito King
3351-55 W. Irving Park Rd.
773-267-3119
80 cents to $1
How refreshing in Spanish: !Que refrescante!
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