When my bride and I were first dating I was driving along North Ave and stopped at the vendors in front of the Jimenez food mart.

I ordered the elotes (w/ everything and on the cob), a dozen tamales and a pair of fruit/cucumber cups with salt and lime.

Love at first bite! For both the feast and for me.

Pie Lady wrote:What's Monarca? Also, does it matter which neighborhood near the lake?

Monarca is a paleteria on Clark street -- paletas are frozen desserts on a stick. They have a couple of dozen varieties, split about evenly between milk-based (leche) and water-based (agua). I mentioned a few of the varieties I tried there in posts in this thread.

And, of course, they have pushcart vendors in most of the parks anywhere nearby. And, of course, there are other paleterias out there. I haven't really compared manufacturers, but I'd guess they're pretty consistent.

As for other places to get elotes, Mhays mentioned Indian Boundary Park which is in Rogers Park, in case the name didn't ring a bell. In addition to Rogers Park, the Albany Park neighborhood might be fairly convenient to Niles and no doubt has a bunch of these places.

I'd recommend just planning to make a day of being in a neighborhood with a large Mexican population and see what you find -- because there's no doubt you'll find more than a couple of vendors.

Paleteria La Monarca
6955 N Clark St
Chicago, IL
(773) 274-6394

Indian Boundary Park
2500 W Lunt Ave
Chicago, IL

Maxwell Street Elote Vendor

Mayo, a squeeze of Parkay


A little cheese


Sprinkle of chile


Good to go




Enjoy,
Gary

Now, that stuff is grilled...some Sunday, we're going to have to get down there....

Today's Dish e-newsletter has a curious elote-related item:

www.chicagomag.com/Radar/Dish/August-20 ... ln-Square/

"Smoked paprika"?? That's one high-fallutin' ear of corn. Must be a Randolph Street elote.

Also, confidential to Pie Lady and all other seekers:

A sure-fire trick to locating vendors, in Rogers Park at least, is to look for churches that have Spanish-language services. Find a Catholic church, figure out what time Spanish Mass ends, and you're sure to find at least one elotero and probably vendors for fruit, poletas and shaved ice, too. My usual vendor (St. Ignatius, 6559 N. Glenwood, Sundays at around noon) is decent and offers corn in the cup and on the stick.

And G Wiv: thank you, thank you for the photos. Grilled elotes have been a kind of holy grail for me for years. I'd once heard there was a lady in Pilsen who travels with a habachi, but I was never able to track her down...

Hi,

Do elote vendors still roam around Chicago neighborhoods?

If yes, do you recommend any particular vendor who does it especially well?

Thanks!

Regards,
Cathy2

Cathy2 wrote:Hi,

Do elote vendors still roam around Chicago neighborhoods?

If yes, do you recommend any particular vendor who does it especially well?

Thanks!

Regards,
Cathy2

Yes.

There might be some that are better than others but I've gotten it from various vendors in my neighborhood and park (East Humboldt), and they are all about the same.

I feel like I've heard about a guy at the Polish Triangle (Ashland/Division/Milwaukee) that is 'awesome,' but I also feel like that comes from people that don't venture west of Western too often/ever.

Ziggy,

Thanks!

I like your qualified response to your friend's idea of awesome.

What is the going rate for street elotes as-is or in a cup?

Thank you!

Regards,
Cathy2

Cathy2 wrote:Ziggy,

Thanks!

I like your qualified response to your friend's idea of awesome.

What is the going rate for street elotes as-is or in a cup?

Thank you!

Regards,
Cathy2

$2.50

I do miss my vendor who would campout in front of...

Carnicerias Jimenez
4204 W North Ave, Chicago
http://www.carniceriasjimenez.com/
(773) 486-5805

It was the full package. Elotes, tamales and cups of cut fruit with a dash of chili powder.

They had the perfect preparation of elotes.

Last few times I drove by on a weekend they were absent. Hoping for their return.

In the cup, it is known by "esquites". Just thought id throw that out there as a lot of vendors will sell both preparations

I had elotes at Maxwell street market. I ended up throwing most of it away I was disgusted by the liquid squeeze margarine they slopped on it. I think elotes would be delicious if you made it yourself with quality ingredients, or could find someone who would leave out the margarine.

toria wrote:I had elotes at Maxwell street market. I ended up throwing most of it away I was disgusted by the liquid squeeze margarine they slopped on it. I think elotes would be delicious if you made it yourself with quality ingredients, or could find someone who would leave out the margarine.

Agreed. Margarine is a deal-breaker.

=R=

ronnie_suburban wrote:

toria wrote:I had elotes at Maxwell street market. I ended up throwing most of it away I was disgusted by the liquid squeeze margarine they slopped on it. I think elotes would be delicious if you made it yourself with quality ingredients, or could find someone who would leave out the margarine.

Agreed. Margarine is a deal-breaker.

=R=

The only time I accept margarine is on esquites/elotes from a street vendor.

ronnie_suburban wrote:

toria wrote:I had elotes at Maxwell street market. I ended up throwing most of it away I was disgusted by the liquid squeeze margarine they slopped on it. I think elotes would be delicious if you made it yourself with quality ingredients, or could find someone who would leave out the margarine.

Agreed. Margarine is a deal-breaker.

=R=

Jonathan Zaragoza doesn't think so. The proof is in the Parkay.

Jefe wrote:

ronnie_suburban wrote:

toria wrote:I had elotes at Maxwell street market. I ended up throwing most of it away I was disgusted by the liquid squeeze margarine they slopped on it. I think elotes would be delicious if you made it yourself with quality ingredients, or could find someone who would leave out the margarine.

Agreed. Margarine is a deal-breaker.

=R=

Jonathan Zaragoza doesn't think so. The proof is in the Parkay.

LOL, I know, I know. But for me, it's just inedible. In fact, I can't even refer to it as food.

=R=

toria wrote:I had elotes at Maxwell street market. I ended up throwing most of it away I was disgusted by the liquid squeeze margarine they slopped on it. I think elotes would be delicious if you made it yourself with quality ingredients, or could find someone who would leave out the margarine.

I have only had it from street vendors and the ones I visit only use the liquid. I do not think I have had it with stick butter (or whatever).

Hi,

I remember my very first encounter with an elote's vendor. I was totally enthralled with the effort to make one. Surprised by the liquid margarine, which I never would have considered. I loved how it all worked so well together.

I try really, really hard not to reject food based on my preconceived notions. I have had so many delicious (and sometimes not) experiences from just going with the flow.

Where can I find the elote vendor who roasts his corn instead of steaming? I am now very curious about that.

Regards,
Cathy2

What happened to crema and/or mayonesa? To me, that's elotes. Margarine is just indigestible chemicals in a squeeze bottle.

=R=

ronnie_suburban wrote:What happened to crema and/or mayonesa? To me, that's elotes. Margarine is just indigestible chemicals in a squeeze bottle.

=R=

They are both ingredients in the making of. Let me see if I remember correctly... Slathered with Crema, rolled in Grated Cheese, squirted with Liquid Margarine, sprinkled with Chili Powder then wrapped in foil.

Cathy2 wrote:Hi,

...

Where can I find the elote vendor who roasts his corn instead of steaming? I am now very curious about that.

Regards,
Cathy2

That would be a challenge as most street vendors are working out of a cooler with precooked product (along with the tamales).

You're best bet would be maybe Maxwell Street Market of a street festival although I haven't seen it.

Montrose BBQ would be an excellent place to experiment.

Long ago when my parents would have a stall at the local Oak Park street festival 'Day in the Village', they would fire roast corn in the ear but that was Midwestern style, peeled back, dunked in melted butter and with a shake of salt. Not south of the border style.

germuska wrote:[...]
I love the fresh tropical fruit vendors -- there's usually one stationed at Pratt and Clark in Rogers Park. I could swear I posted about a great tub of fruit I got from them recently, but I can't find the link here.

Things seem to have cooled off a bit, but a few years ago, the city was actively subverting street vendors like this, so if you like their products, support them, and spread the word to people that they are good. Here's a page which hasn't been updated in many years with a lot of info. I'm hoping that the city realized that these vendors are not a threat.

I thought about creating a new thread, but I know the forum tries to curb redundancy...
I stumbled onto the fruit stand mentioned above, and it is a game-changer!
Pratt and Clark, still there and a delight.
Here is the Yelp link: https://www.yelp.com/biz/fantastik-fruit-cart-chicago -however Yelp reports this vendor as closed. As of today, June 14, 2018 he is most certainly open. This is such a blessing to have on the
north side, if you have not experienced the art and flavor of this gentleman's work, I highly recommend a trip - totally worth it, whatever side of town you live on.
Prepare to wait in line (the show helps the time pass quickly), and cash only.