Tequila is gluten-free. This fun fact is cited by Philip Shanks, general manager of Lake Forest-based Authentico whose bar’s colorful star attraction is a hand-crafted margarita flight ($20) featuring three of their most popular versions of the traditional Mexican libation, including the fuchsia prickly pear, the Authentico blue and the mango.
“We use fresh lime juice in all our margaritas and agave nectars in some of them as opposed to sugar or sugar substitute,” Shanks said.
“Fresh,” in fact, is the byword of Authentico’s menu he said. “Most is made in-house. We make our own corn tortillas by hand to order. Our guacamole and chips are made daily.”
Opened in 2012, Authentico bills itself as “traditional Mexican cuisine with a modern twist.”
“The old-fashioned Mexican combo plate; that’s not us,” Shanks said. “We strive to stay on top of the culinary curve and always a step ahead.”
One of the signature dishes on Authentico’s menu is enchiladas de Authentico ($22) with sauteed shrimp and blue crabmeat. Camarones a la diabla ($23) is a shrimp dish with a spicy kick.
Among its fajitas, Authentico offers a filet mignon incarnation ($35).
But we’re getting ahead of ourselves. Let’s start with the appetizers. The taquitos de tinga ($9), featuring seasoned shredded chicken, are popular, Shanks said. The el aperitivo colosal de tico ($29) is an appetizer sampler consisting of jalapeno bacon-wrapped shrimp, cheese quesadillas, rib-eye steak skewers and chicken taquitos.
A misconception about Mexican food, he said, is that it is heavy. Under Chef Antonio Gutierrez, Authentico’s fare is lighter.
“We cater to a gluten-free diet,” Shanks said. “A lot of our dishes are vegetarian.”
It is a priority for the restaurant to be locally sourced for its ingredients wherever possible — avocados are hard to find locally, Shanks notes.
“It is ultimately fresher,” he said, “and we’re giving back to the community.”
The restaurant space, in previous lives a sports car showroom and antiques store, is “the perfect location,” Shanks said.
“We are downtown in central Lake Forest. The train station and Market Square, the center of the community, are just down the street. “
While the cuisine is upscale, Authentico’s ambience is inviting, opting for “warm and friendly” uncovered wooden tables.
“No white tablecloths,” Shanks said.
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The dining room seats 140 (seasonal outdoor seating can accommodate an additional 40), while the ample bar area seats 20.
“At the same time, we strive to be attentive to our guests and give the best service possible,” Shanks said. “Anyone who comes in here for the first time will definitely come back.”
Hours: Dining: 5-9 p.m. Monday-Thursday; 5-10 p.m. Friday-Saturday; 4-9 p.m. Sunday. Bar: 5-10 p.m., Monday-Thursday; 5-11 p.m. Friday-Saturday; 4-10 p.m. Sunday.
Address: 770 N. Western Ave., Lake Forest
Contact: 847-295-3500 or visit www.authenticorestaurant.com
Donald Liebenson is a freelance reporter for the News-Sun.