XOXO, Gossip Girl… I mean… XOCO

So here’s how this went down: Last night I watched the Bizarre Foods episode about Chicago. Andrew Zimmern & Rick Bayless toured the Maxwell Street Market & ate amazing tacos. I’m highly suggestible & that meant  I needed Mexican food. ASAP. Today was 50º (In February. In Chicago.) (In case you haven’t spent a winter in Chicago, this doesn’t happen. It. Was. Magnificent! Tomorrow is supposed to be almost 60º.)  & I had lunch plans w/our friend Genie. Since she works downtown (aka: not near amazing tacos) we decided to hit Rick Bayless Street.

What? It’s not called that? Give it a few years. It will be.

Side note: I’m sure I don’t need to tell you all who Rick Bayless is, right?) Ok. Moving on.

Not eating here today.

Frontera Grill & Topolobampo: Neither are our lunch destination. Soon.

Hello lovely!

Xoco: The lucky restaurant that got to play host to the two of us. Amazingly, there was no line & it wasn’t crowded. I’m not sure how this happened, but I’m not going to complain. Maybe I’ll try walking in to Girl & The Goat and see what happens.

Hello lovely!

Guacamole & Chips: Frontera guacamole, tomatillo salsa 3-chile salsa, just-made chips.

This is the perfect guacamole. If you disagree, I’ll kick you in the shins.

Tasty, but not the tastiest part of the meal.

Milanesa (Griddled) Torta: Crispy Gunthorp chicken, black beans, artisan Jack cheese, pickled jalapenos, tomatillo-avocado salsa.

Good but not great, next time I’ll skip the torta. Soup-or-Salad-or-Guac-or-Churros (or, you know, all) are the way to go.

Mexican ramen?

Pork Belly Vermicelli (Fideos): Crispy-tender pork belly, toasty-tender noodles, woodland mushrooms, zucchini, avocado, salsa negra.

This broth was mindbendingly delicious. If there’s such a thing as a Mexican ramen, it’s this. If there’s not, there is now. (That folks, is what we call covering our bases.)

Fresh from the fryer.

Churros & Aztec Hot Chocolate: fresh-ground chocolate + water + chile + allspice

Everything was great, but when you end a meal with those churros… everything just seems exponentially better. *sigh* churros…. I’ve got some Girl Scouts Samoas in the kitchen. Not the same thing, but I’m off to get one.