La Chapparita in Chicago
Congratulations to Cariño, Birrieria Zaragoza, Mariscos San Pedro and La Chapparita — the four Mexican/Latin entries on TimeOut Chicago’s list of 28 Best Restaurants in Chicago.
Cariño made the list for its approach that allows “modern technique and whimsy to mingle with ancient Latin American ingredients and manipulations with invigorating and delicious results” in “captivating” dishes including ravioli stuffed with puréed huitlacoche laze in truffle beurre blanc and garnished with fried corn silk.
TimeOut dubbed family-owned Birrieria Zaragoza “the G.O.A.T. when it comes to goat meat.” The secret is that the meat “doesn’t touch a consommé until it’s plated, when some of the tomato-based broth is spooned over it” — which means no soggy tortillas. “At that point, a good dousing of hot sauce, and maybe a squeeze of lime and some onions, is all you need for the city’s best tacos.”
Mariscos San Pedro’s menu of Mexican seafood — focused on fish and shellfish in dishes like ceviche, aguachile, tacos, tostadas — propelled it to a spot the TimeOut list. Guests can even build their own tacos from a whole fish ( think crispy snapper or dorade from a wood-burning oven) — one feature that makes the “a dining destination all its own” in the heart of Pilsen, the vibrant, predominantly Mexican-American neighborhood on the city’s Lower West Side.
It might be just “a little taqueria attached to a corner store” — but according to TimeOut, La Chapparita is “Chicago’s best all-around taqueria” where tacos de fritangas (“fried meaty things”) are cooked on a wide metal stovetop called a charola. And while the extra beefy suadero” and ‘intricately spiced longaniza sausage” are outstanding, it’s the tripa (tripe) that makes “the showstopper — and perhaps the best taco in the city,” TimeOut says. “The super tender meat is a flavor conduit, so keep it simple with a sprinkle of diced raw onions and cilantro, a squeeze of lime and a spoonful of salsa.”
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