Street (Food) Fight: Part 7, Taco Tango Redux

After summer took its sweet ass time arriving it is finally time to examine our taco options again. My love for all things south of the border has been well publicized so I don't want to hear any grumbling about how all I talk about is Mexican food because, when you follow your heart, you can't be criticized. Today we examine two bright spots in the Chicago taco galaxy: Big Star and Taco Joint.

Big Star is the humblest creation from the food-savants behind Avec, Blackbird, Publican and The Violet Hour and, from the get-go, it has a been a hit for late-night taco lovers, alcohol enthusiasts, and people averse to credit cards.

Taco Joint is a new tequilería and taquería in Lincoln Park (remember Minnie's? This is Minnie's old spot) that is not only within walking distance of my house but also has a promising menu.

For the comparo I lassoed up three similar tacos (one pork, one fancy meat, and one vegetarian), guacamole and chips and a tasty beverage of my choosing. Each taco is a category and each category is up for grabs, which ever restaurant wins the most categories shall be declared ze winner!

Los Tacos

For what is essentially meat, seasoning and tortilla it can be hard for some to think highly of the humble taco but not me; I unabashedly love tacos and I believe perfection can be found in the form of perfectly cooked ingredients, a good dose of heat, well balanced flavors and a supple yet strong tortilla*.

Puerco

Like so many venerable establishments, Big Star refers to their pork product as Al Pastor which means "of the pasture" if my Spanish serves me. This taco, however, tastes more of beach than field though thanks to the overwhelming presence of pineapple and sweet onion. Frankly, it's too much. The pineapple hits you hard up front and continues to pepper you throughout the bite. The pork shoulder was also over roasted which made it tough to chew.

Taco Joint's pork entry is dubbed Cochinita, meaning "little pig" in Español. This little piggy packed big bad wolf taste in the form of wild onion flavor up front and some serious heat throughout thanks to a sauce based off the infamous habañero pepper (there's a reason they recommend eating this taco last). The flavors were uncluttered and the texture was downright seductive.

Edge: Taco Joint

Veggy

Big Star does a couple veggy tacos depending on when you're there and who's in charge of the menu. On the day I was in they were doing a version called Del Elote and it was a truly lovely taco. It was mesquite-smokey, darkly vegetal, and pleasantly earthy. The main component was slow simmered long beans and everything was tied together nicely with the omnipresent crumbled queso fresco.

Rajas is the name of Taco Joint's vegetarian entry and it relies on a more traditional blend of roasted poblano peppers, creamy tomatillo salsa and a velvety black bean spread. The taco is well conceived and well exectuted. There's crunch when you want it and tenderness when you're feeling sensitive and quiet. The black beans are the delicious blanket upon which this meat-free picnic is set and summer days are perfect for picnicking.

Edge: Big Star

Fancy Meats

Pork belly is no longer an outlier meat. It's now a full fledged member of the Meats-You-Eat-Family, so dishes based off it can no longer skate by on novelty alone but rather must be well prepared and creatively inspired in order to impress. Big Star's Taco de Panza hits the first mark beautifully and the second one pretty darn well. The pork belly is smoky and salty all the right ways and enveloped beautifully in a rich and subtly hot guajillo sauce.

Duck and its own fat combine powers again in Taco Joint's Carnitas taco. This heavy confit-style dish was christened with ancho chile salsa and the traditional combo of cilantro and onion. Taco Joint got funky-fresh and added toasted pumpkin seed to the ensemble and, surprisingly, it wasn't gimmickry but actually added a nice nutty character to the taco. My overall impression of this taco is that it's a bit one note-ish but it's a nice note.

Edge: Big Star

El Guac

First a few notes on guacamole. Though it almost always tastes good, guacamole is often corrupted in the form of adding too much lime, any amount of sour cream, under or over ripe avocados or simply too much salsa. Neither of these restaurants commit any of these crimes near as I can tell, so this comparison comes down to quality of ingredients and, honestly, how happy I was feeling when I ate them.

Big Star's chips and guac was as big as Emiliano Zapata's pride and just about as delicious. There's a general freshness about the 'mole that I really appreciated along with a mild heat thanks to the use of Serrano peppers and, call me Russian, but I thought the sliced radish pieces were a nice touch. Like almost anything, eating chips and guacamole on a patio during what was arguably the most perfectly summery day in history made my experience better but I can't control that and refuse to apologize for it.

Taco Joint, in its endless commitment to variety and confusion, offers four (count 'em!) types of guacamole for your dipping delight. We opted for the tradicional in order to keep the comparison authentic and it proved to be coarse yet creamy and displayed very little additive flavor. Despite using exactly the same ingredients Big Star's guac it was milder in heat and heavier in consistency than its competitor. It must also be noted that three types of chips were served (tortilla (duh!), plantain, and sweet potato) and, in a result that surprised just about everyone, the sweet potato worked the best.

Edge: Big Star

Las Chicas

Drinks, specifically margaritas, were of course ordered at each restaurant. If you must know, yes, more than one drink was consumed but I had to narrow this comparison down to the best of what each place offered and the results follow:

Big Star benefits from being a sister to what is arguably the best cocktail bar in the city (the Violet Hour, in case there was any confusion) and those benefits include but are not limited to: simple presentation, bold yet well balanced ingredients and a commitment to quality over pace. These fine qualities were demonstrated in the Rio Bravo, a blend of muddled strawberry, Mezcal Vida, and I'm not sure what else. It was smooth, light and refreshing which are not typically things I associate with mezcal based cocktails.

Taco Joint likes to brag that they have over seventy tequilas on hand. I like to brag that I still have all twenty fingers and toes despite my lifelong fascination with table saws and unlicensed alligator farms. The point is one of us puts our abundance of awesomeness to good use. In their Grapefruit Margarita, Taco Joint uses Gran Centenario Reposado, Cointreau, chile-infused agave nectar, grapefruit/lime juice and bitters. The result is a complex and wily cocktail that shows off deep smokiness, harsh citrus and a sweet finish, a.k.a. it's kick ass.

Edge: Taco Joint 

(solely based on the balls it takes to put that drink on the menu)

The Verdict

In what came down to a nail-biter of a finish Big Star pulled out a hard fought victory. I doubt many will be surprised by this result. Big Star's blend of fun atmosphere, splendid spirits and relatively low prices have made it a hit but, as I hope this review shows, they are serious about their food as well. Their grub is serious stuff that is often eaten by people like you and me who use it to ward off impending black outs but I say try it sober and it will taste even better!

*A special report on tortillas. Both Big Star and Taco Joint make their tortillas by hand but you may have noticed the bright orange color of the taco joint tacos. This is because the lady making the tortillas that day decided she'd infuse them with guajillo chiles which turned them orange. Sometimes she uses spinach, which makes them green. The point I'm really trying to make is this shit is inconsistent; when it's on it is dynamite and when it's off it tastes store bought and stale. So be aware.

Big Star

Taco Joint

Seasons Shmeasons: Part 2, Tire High Club

Perhaps all the high altitude and clean air got to me, maybe I lost my bearings in the wilderness, but I recently made the impromptu decision to take advantage of my family reunion location and tour New Belgium Brewery. For the record, this craft brewery is very popular and tours are pre-booked months in advance so either book early or just show up like I did and hope to get lucky. Most people know New Belgium as the makers of Fat Tire Ale but, as is usually the case, their most popular beer is also their least interesting. But first, the tour.

The Tour

When we showed up to NB's picturesque brewery the sun was shining, dogs were prancing around off leash, and song birds perched on people's shoulders because they were gentle. There's a reason people have to apply eight times over the course of eleven years to get a job here; the location is prettier than Rory McIlroy's back swing, the perks include a free bike, partial ownership of the company and a free twelve-pack for every week you work there. The brewery has really big, shiny equipment, processes and recycles its own waste water and has the largest solar array in Colorado. The tour lasts ninety minutes and involves a lot of walking, minimal talking and a lot of drinking. If the Guiness brewery tour is Disneyland, then this is Shedd Aquarium (educational, clean, a bit smelly at times).

The Beer
A lot of beer snobs turn their snobby beer noses up at New Belgium and their flagship brew, Fat Tire. It's considered to be too approachable, too bright eyed and bushy tailed and, most importantly, not exclusive. I have to say that I can't entirely disagree with them which is why I picked out three beers that I thought were, as Busta Rhymes once put it, stupid fly.

Super Cru: This 20th anniversary brew uses the same ingredients as Fat Tire but doubles the doses of hops and malt which consequently doubles the alcohol. It's not for the faint of heart nor stomach but will stand up to the strongest cheeseburger, or spiciest guacamole your summer imagination can think of.

Blue Paddle: This is a Pilsner that makes you happy to be alive. It's refreshing and light but, thanks to its use of noble hops, won't be put in a corner during the summer retreat talent show. If I wasn't already in a serious beerlationship this would be my summer fling.

La Folie: French for "the folly," this was quite possibly the most unique beer I've ever laid lips on. It's aged three years in huge French Oak barrels and the result is what's called a Flemish Sour Red. If champagne, beer, and red wine had a freaky threesome this would be their love child. It slaps your face with sourness, has the tannins of a Merlot, and the musky effervescence of a French Grand Cru. You have to take three sips to appreciate it; one to wake you up, two to acclimatize your mouth and three to actually taste anything. Crazy. Good.

Conclusion

Should you ever find yourself in or near Longmont, Colorado steal the nearest vehicle you can find and get the hell out of there. That town is no good. For anyone. Point your newly stolen vehicle north and drive for twenty minutes. Then you'll find yourself in Ft. Collins, and that's where you can tour New Belgium's swanky digs (also worth checking out: Odell and Equinox). Despite its commercial success the company is staffed by really nice people who ride bikes and make very decent beer for a living and will answer all the annoying questions they are allowed to*. Did I mention the tour is free? All in all, it's not a bad way to spend an slightly drunk afternoon.

*Since all employees own a stake in the company and it's a privately held company, neither our tour guide (Dave), the bartenders or the unassuming girl outside could tell us how much the equipment costs or what percentage of their total beer sales Fat Tire made up because they were legally bound to keep such matters private. 

Seasons Shmeasons: Part 1, D.I.A. Mexican

When criss crossing the country this summer many of us will spend a good amount of time in airports. Airports, by and large, suck. They're filled with crying babies, stressed out business types and, worst of all, mediocre food. Well fear not, my little ducklings, for I have some very limited (some would say useless) guidance for you.

Should you find yourself in Terminal East of Denver International Airport and have a hankering for Mexican food (and I always do) then consider taking ten minutes of your itinerary to stop by Cantina Grill.

Food
Three Crispy Carne Tacos: The beef was cooked "Rocky Mountain" well done, which was good considering the location. The lettuce was John Denver fresh and the "hot sauce," while not particulary spicy, possessed an uncompromising, take-all-comers attitude in which the West was tamed. Lastly, the tortilla had all the integrity of an Arkansas River faux fir trader, which is to say none whatsoever; I ended up making a taco salad of my last two tacos.

Drink

I slurped down a brew called Agave Wheat from Breckenridge Brewery. This unfiltered Belgian(style)/American(made) wheatbier displayed low carbination, good head retention (in spite of its wide mouth plastic cup), and subtle maltiness. It was slightly sweet and round up front (just like my flight attendant) and was by far my favorite part of the meal.

Conclusion
Overall, I found the tables clean to the touch and, thanks to their rough carved stone appearance, pleasing to the eye. I'd go back for the the view and more beer. Yes. More beer indeed.

We're Just Ordinary People: Part 4, Ridin' Seoul-oh

If we've learned anything from the far flung chaos that is the Los Angeles food scene it's that when Korean's doctor up another culture's food with their unique blend of spicy sauces, grilled meats and fermented vegetables the results are usually good. With this in mind I present Del Seoul, a Lincoln Park brick and mortar interpretation of what so many west coast food truck fans have fallen in love with.

Del Seoul's (DS) calling card is the Korean taco but it centers around more traditional "Seoul food" stuff like bulgogi, galbi and spicy barbecue pork along with a few bánh mì and a couple specialty items like dumplings and kimchi fries (say what?! keep reading).

The Kor-tacos

Kalbi, left. Pork, right. Can't tell the difference?

1. Kalbi: This beef short rib taco sported a zesty cilantro-onion relish and toasted sesame slaw. The earthy beef flavor was amplified by the spicy sauce and showed a nice harmony of seasoning. My favorite pup of the litter.
2. Spicy BBQ Pork: For some reason DS forgot to include the word "sweet" in this taco's description. Sugar, not spice, won the race to my taste buds and didn't let go until I was done with the meal. To call this a single note taco would be untrue but I the candied meatiness of the damn thing made it tough for me to pick up on any other flavors.

Shrimp, left. Fish, right.

3. Sambal Fish: The sambal sauce leaves a lingering heat in your mouth after eating this lightly battered fish taco. The pickled red onions added a nice vinegary contrast to the rest of the tastes and, call me crazy, but I think they use the same slaw on every taco and are just calling it different names (gasp!). Nevertheless, this surprisingly light taco was a joy to behold.
4. Sesame Shrimp: What I liked about this taco was that the shrimp wasn't masked by the sesame-chili aioli. What I disliked about it was its smug attitude and poor sportsmanship (just seeing if you're paying attention). Overall, a good summer taco.

The Other Guys

Spicy BBQ Pork Bahn Mi: Much like its sister taco, the spicy BBQ pork bahn mi is marked by a resounding sweetness only this time there's some sliced jalapeño thrown in to bring some spice to the party. The sandwich showed great texture with the contrast between the springy baguette, crisp vegetation, and tender pork. Bahn mi should be to summer what soup is to winter, and this sandwich had summer written all over it, I'd order it again.

Street Dumplings: Much like Tracy Morgan's acting career and v-neck  sweaters, my support for all things dumpling is unwavering. Knowing that, it should come as no surprise that I really liked these little dough packets. They showed a nice herbaceousness and perfect tenderness. I have to confess that it tasted like almost every other asian dumpling I've ever ordered. Also, big props for the cool presentation.

Kimchi Fries: These are a meal. An acidic, decadent, slightly spicy meal. They remind me of something I'd order at the Korean baseball games my grandfather took me to as a child (North Korea, that is). Me and kimchi (or Kim, as I call her) haven't always gotten along but you douse anything in enough sour cream and cheese and serve it on french fries and I'll be damned if I can say no to it.

Brass Tacks 
Del Seoul is a fun, festive little joint that's doing a damn good job of bringing some Korean flavah' to an area already packed with ethnic cuisine. I'd love to say they're BYOB because they don't serve alcohol, but the truth I don't know for sure. What I'd really like  to see is a Del Seoul on wheels mixing it up with the small but growing group of food trucks already roaming the Chicago streets.

Del Seoul