(2 forks)
1003 N. Ashland Ave.
Chicago
773-276-5121
Hours: 8 a.m.-midnight Sun.-Thurs.; until 2 a.m.
Fri.-Sat.; breakfast until 12 p.m. daily
Credit cards: A, M, V, DC
Noise factor: Conversation friendly
First impressions
This casual Mexican eatery covers walls and tables with multicolored bas relief pieces echoing pre-Columbian designs. A mix of tables and booths, a jukebox and a full bar fill the neat dining area, which was a bit steamy the hot summer day we visited.
On the plate
Mexican fare a step beyond the standard taco-burrito plates. Breakfast items include eggs rancheros, machacado con huevo (shredded meat scrambled with eggs) plus that tortilla-soaked-in-salsa dish, chilaquiles, done here with red or green sauce. Antojitos, those snacks that use cornmeal masa in some form or other, range from tacos and tortas to flautas. Entrees, which come with rice, beans, salad and tortillas, include more than a dozen beef preparations, from steak with enchilada and guacamole (carne a la Tampiquena) on through cecina campesina, a thin steak served with cactus salad, avocado, tomatoes and beans. Chicken and seafood make up the bulk of the menu. We had no room for dessert, but the requisite flan and pastel de tres leches is on the menu.
At your service
The wait staff was more than helpful and efficient, though language may prove a challenge if you want detailed explanations for some dishes.
Second helpings
We loved the ceviche, which we ordered on a tostada. The cilantro-and-citrus-marinated fish mix arrived on a crisp tortilla, garnished with avocado slices. We wished we had opted for a full order of ceviche or the vuelve a la vida seafood combo cocktail. Had the day been cooler, we might have ordered more of the seven soups (tripe and seafood among them). We enjoyed the caldo Tlalpeno, a hearty mix of chicken, bacon, vegetables and chipotle chili; it deserves full-meal status. The pollo en mole, a chicken leg and thigh awash in a tasty dark-brown version of the classic sauce, was good as well. We savored the enchiladas verdes, especially because they were made with La Condesa’s fine tortillas. (The tortillas are the reason we headed here and they didn’t disappoint: Freshly made, hot and tender. The only downside? They arrive wrapped in a clean but well-worn towel.) The chips that arrived at the table when we were seated were joined by a salsa rich with the flavor of roasted vegetables.
Take a pass
The night we dined, the shrimp done with a chipotle sauce looked great, plump and bountiful in a pale orange sauce, with strips of the dark red chipotle floating alongside. But the sauce was boring and the shrimp only so-so. The breaded-and-fried milanesa de res was only OK.
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Thirst quenchers
Drinks include cool beers, a pretty decent margarita, non-alcoholic blended drinks called licuados (banana or strawberry), lemonade or aguas (flavored waters).
Price range
Appetizers $2.50-$11, soups $7-$11, antojitos $2.25-$8, entrees $8-$12 (a few are pricier), desserts $3, beverages start at $1, breakfast $4-$6.25.
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Reviews are based on anonymous visits by Tribune staff members. All meals are paid for by the Tribune.
Ratings key: 4 forks, don’t miss it; 3 forks, one of the best; 2 forks, very good; 1 fork, good