It’s mid-August. The garden tomatoes are falling off the vine and Chicago finally feels like summer. In other words, it’s gazpacho time.
Originating as a cold bread, olive oil and vegetable dish hundreds of years ago in Spain’s Andalusia region, this hot-weather dish is best known today as a cold, crunchy, tomato-y soup, which is exactly what you will find at Cafe Iberico (739 N. LaSalle St.; 312-573-1510), under the name gazpacho. There they ladle out a classic red rendition ($3.50) with just enough smoothness, tartness and chunky bits of cucumber and croutons to make it interesting. It tasted even better after we doctored it up with a few squirts of the fruity olive oil that can be found on each table.
But our conception of the dish was changed forever when we tried the gazpacho al pastor ($4.95) at Emilio’s Tapas (215 E. Ohio St.; 312-467-7177). This white creamy soup (pictured above), with its subtle notes of cucumber and hazelnut, was a symphony of flavor that crescendos beautifully with tiny, sweet cubes of cantaloupe that grace each bite.
With a little bread and a glass of dry sherry, it makes the perfect cold summer meal. Both of these dishes are a seasonal special, so call ahead and get them while you can.