LTH Home

Xoco

Xoco
  • Forum HomePost Reply BackTop
    Page 2 of 12
  • Post #31 - September 9th, 2009, 10:46 pm
    Post #31 - September 9th, 2009, 10:46 pm Post #31 - September 9th, 2009, 10:46 pm
    I went to Xoco for a late lunch on its second day (Chef Bayless still cooking). I arrived at about 2:00 and there was a rather long line (about fifteen minutes to order), but it turned out that I was one of the last people in the line. Judging by the second day if you arrive at 2:15 you should be fine.

    Since Xoco names itself for the cocoa bean, how are its chocolate drinks: excellent, although those who expect a sweet chocolate will be startled by a sweet-bitter beverage with a distinctive hot spiciness. I ordered the Almendrado, which is a mix of dark chocolate and almond milk. I found it among the most interesting chocolate beverages I have ever consumed. For this alone Rick Bayless deserves credit.

    I also tried the cochinita pibil torta (suckling pig, pickled onions, and habenero sauce). After asking me if I enjoyed spicy food, she suggested that I order medium. I did and found that it had some real heat - a very pleasant level of pepper. As Gleam noted, the bread was tremendous. The pork and onions were very nice, but in sandwiches bread is where it is at.

    I also ordered a berry tart which wasn't bad - indeed was quite good - but was not dream-worthy.

    On its second day, Xoco seems a most valuable addition to the River North lunchtime dining options. After two good days (the two day rule), perhaps Xoco deserves a GNR nomination. Time will tell.
    Toast, as every breakfaster knows, isn't really about the quality of the bread or how it's sliced or even the toaster. For man cannot live by toast alone. It's all about the butter. -- Adam Gopnik
  • Post #32 - September 10th, 2009, 6:51 am
    Post #32 - September 10th, 2009, 6:51 am Post #32 - September 10th, 2009, 6:51 am
    Not wanting to wait in line, I dropped by for a midmorning snack on day 2 (Wednesday). Line of about 6 people when I showed up, and no line when I left. Chef Rick was busily working the line and then discussing items with the staff.

    I ate the poblano and egg empanada, a churro, and drank the Aztec hot chocolate (chocolate with chili and allspice). The food was good, although the empanada wasn't piping hot. The green salsa for the empanada had a nice tanginess along with a mild heat. The crust was nicely flaky and buttery.

    At $2, the hot chocolate is far and away the best deal on the menu, and I'd argue a better option for a morning cuppa than Starbucks. It was piping hot and wasn't overly sweet, and the chili and spice added a bit of kick without inducing one to cough as happens sometimes with cayenne covered chocolates.

    Service/processing time is obviously in startup mode.
    It took them about 10-15 minutes to get the food out, which I thought was a bit long. There is one pickup area for the hot chocolate/coffee drinks and there is some confusion over getting the churros at that station.
    The seating area is scattered between tables and counter, with the center of the area occupied with the bathrooms and whatever other mechanical items behind the walls that they couldn't move. I could see this creating congestion during their peaks, but I guess each structure has its limitations.

    I guess Xoco compares with the Frontera Fresca that is in the Macy's Seven on State food court. More ambitious items in their tortas and chocolates, but still a devotion to quality ingredients with complex flavors.

    As for those who will be comparing the food to other places in Little Village I think Rick Bayless himself will be the first to tell you that there are some fantastic places down there that influence his cooking as much as what he finds in Mexico. Readers of this forum should be willing to explore those places, but Bayless' restaurants open up the rest of the community to some of that food and help get people interested in going to the "real deal".

    I'm ready to go back and try their caldo soups, and some of their weekend specials (barbacoa).

    Image
    Image
    Image
    Image
  • Post #33 - September 10th, 2009, 7:23 am
    Post #33 - September 10th, 2009, 7:23 am Post #33 - September 10th, 2009, 7:23 am
    Image

    Note to sensitive Bayless Groupies: This is meant to be funny and in no way as a personal attack against Mr. Bayless or Gleam (or Twitter, for that matter).
    Steve Z.

    “Only the pure in heart can make a good soup.”
    ― Ludwig van Beethoven
  • Post #34 - September 10th, 2009, 5:51 pm
    Post #34 - September 10th, 2009, 5:51 pm Post #34 - September 10th, 2009, 5:51 pm
    I passed-by Xoco at about 2:30 this afternoon and noticed that a City-approved concrete/sidewalk contractor had erected fences enclosing most of the front of the restaurant - but not the entrance on Illinois St., so people intending to visit the restaurant to try it out in the coming days shouldn't think the place is closed, or undergoing re-construction, etc. Not good timing for the contractor to do the work - given the opening days for the place - but if it's going to be done - and it will be an improvement to the corner (handicap access from one side of the corners to the others - something underway in the neighborhood, and not just in front of Xoco) - then now may be as good a time as any.

    Image

    There was a line of customers snaked out the door - about 25 people: 10 outside, 15 +/- inside. I suspect the wait time to order from the back of the line to the front was probably 20-30 minutes. I did see some people walk by, look at the line, look inside the restaurant through a window . . . and then turn around and walk back in the direction from whence they came.

    A wait of 5 or 10 minutes will probably be helpful to patrons if they can study the menu boards on the walls, decipher the printing/writing, separate the breakfast from the lunch from the chocolate, from the other items, interpret what's being offered, think about the offerings and then make some decisions before being asked to place an order. If things moved too quickly many first-time or infrequent customers will probably simply ask the clerk at the cash register "What's good?" or for a recommendation otherwise. Maybe there are photocopies of the menu available as hand-outs near the entrance that I didn't notice, and, if so, having them available would help speed things up (and place orders they may better enjoy).
    Last edited by Bill on September 10th, 2009, 6:01 pm, edited 1 time in total.
  • Post #35 - September 10th, 2009, 6:01 pm
    Post #35 - September 10th, 2009, 6:01 pm Post #35 - September 10th, 2009, 6:01 pm
    Bill wrote: Maybe there are photocopies of the menu available as hand-outs near the entrance that I didn't notice, and, if so, having them available would help speed things up (and place orders they may better enjoy).


    There are some near the door on the inside, although they aren't obvious. And the prices of a few things are wrong -- the churros are listed at $1 or 3 for $2.50, but they're actually $1.25 or 3 for $3.
    Ed Fisher
    my chicago food photos

    RIP LTH.
  • Post #36 - September 10th, 2009, 6:19 pm
    Post #36 - September 10th, 2009, 6:19 pm Post #36 - September 10th, 2009, 6:19 pm
    Any sense of how many seats there are total? Can you walk in with 6 or 8 people, stand in line, and get a table together (if one were available), or is the seating configuration all like what is shown in Tex's picture (2-tops and bar seats?)
  • Post #37 - September 10th, 2009, 6:21 pm
    Post #37 - September 10th, 2009, 6:21 pm Post #37 - September 10th, 2009, 6:21 pm
    Santander wrote:Any sense of how many seats there are total? Can you walk in with 6 or 8 people, stand in line, and get a table together (if one were available), or is the seating configuration more geared to individuals and couples?


    There are tables that are close enough for 6 or 8 or maybe even 10, along with a few counters that seat 4-6, and a few 2-4 tops. I saw a group of 6 when I was there.
    Ed Fisher
    my chicago food photos

    RIP LTH.
  • Post #38 - September 10th, 2009, 7:15 pm
    Post #38 - September 10th, 2009, 7:15 pm Post #38 - September 10th, 2009, 7:15 pm
    GAF wrote:Since Xoco names itself for the cocoa bean

    :?:
    Bayless's website says that "Xoco" is Mexican slang for "little sister."

    All this time waiting for it to open I've had the word "zócolo" (main square) in my mind, and only just now realized that Xoco, the restaurant name, probably isn't pronounced "ZO-ko." The Tribune article says its "SHO-ko." In Chile a starting X would be prounced with an "h" sound, so "HO-ko." I suppose the "sho" is a Mexican thing?

    I might just keep calling it Zócolo.
    "Your swimming suit matches your eyes, you hold your nose before diving, loving you has made me bananas!"
  • Post #39 - September 10th, 2009, 7:42 pm
    Post #39 - September 10th, 2009, 7:42 pm Post #39 - September 10th, 2009, 7:42 pm
    xoco is actually aztec that's made its way into mexican (i think), so that's probably one of the reasons the X is pronounced differently than in chile.
    Ed Fisher
    my chicago food photos

    RIP LTH.
  • Post #40 - September 11th, 2009, 8:52 am
    Post #40 - September 11th, 2009, 8:52 am Post #40 - September 11th, 2009, 8:52 am
    Had a nice breakfast this morning at Xoco. Open faced torta was tasty - if a bit too small for me. The egg was poached perfectly. Also had decent drip coffee and a very nice maple pecan muffin made with local syrup and pecans from the Tennessee property of Tracy Vowell's (former Frontera sous chef, now runs Three Sisters garden with her partner) parents.

    Breakfast torta:
    Image

    Maple pecan muffin:
    Image



    Bill wrote:For my meal I chose the "Breakfast Torta" - an open-faced sandwich of black bean paste, a poblano spread, some queso de Oaxaca and a poached egg set upon 1/2 of a small bolillo roll. Also, I had a concha sweet roll and a cup of "authentic" chocolate (made with water instead of milk). Price tag: $14.77 - a bit steep for such a breakfast . . . for me.
    Bill, did you check your receipt? That torta is 4 bucks and change. I had pretty much the same meal, and it came to 9 sumthin.


    I doubt even Bayless himself would suggest that people should travel far and wide to have his egg on toast, but if you're in the area anyway, it's a perfectly fine stop for breakfast.
    ...defended from strong temptations to social ambition by a still stronger taste for tripe and onions." Screwtape in The Screwtape Letters by CS Lewis

    Fuckerberg on Food
  • Post #41 - September 11th, 2009, 9:02 am
    Post #41 - September 11th, 2009, 9:02 am Post #41 - September 11th, 2009, 9:02 am
    gleam wrote:xoco is actually aztec that's made its way into mexican (i think), so that's probably one of the reasons the X is pronounced differently than in chile.

    I thought the word was "xocolatl"

    In Barcelona (can't vouch for elsewhere in Spain or other Spanish-speaking countries), chocolate is spelled xocolate (sho-ko-la-tay).
    What is patriotism, but the love of good things we ate in our childhood?
    -- Lin Yutang
  • Post #42 - September 11th, 2009, 9:23 am
    Post #42 - September 11th, 2009, 9:23 am Post #42 - September 11th, 2009, 9:23 am
    Kennyz wrote:

    Bill, did you check your receipt? That torta is 4 bucks and change. I had pretty much the same meal, and it came to 9 sumthin.


    Image

    Maybe they dropped the price, given the skimpy (at $9 ea.) sandwich . . . or because of other complaints. If that's the case, good for them (and you!). I'd be surprised if Bayless hasn't made some changes to the operation since he opened the doors on Tuesday. Even at $4 my breakfast sandwich wouldn't have been worth it, that first day. Glad you enjoyed your breakfast, though.

    I have a couple of freebie coupons for a chocolate and churro and I'll probably stop by Xoco the beginning fo the week to redeem one of them (gift bag items from the Frontera Foundation dinner during the Summer).
    Last edited by Bill on September 11th, 2009, 9:26 am, edited 1 time in total.
  • Post #43 - September 11th, 2009, 9:24 am
    Post #43 - September 11th, 2009, 9:24 am Post #43 - September 11th, 2009, 9:24 am
    JoelF wrote:
    gleam wrote:xoco is actually aztec that's made its way into mexican (i think), so that's probably one of the reasons the X is pronounced differently than in chile.

    I thought the word was "xocolatl"

    In Barcelona (can't vouch for elsewhere in Spain or other Spanish-speaking countries), chocolate is spelled xocolate (sho-ko-la-tay).


    let's ask wikipedia! (since I don't know):

    wikipedia wrote:The word "chocolate" entered the English language from Spanish.[1] How the word came into Spanish is less certain, and there are multiple competing explanations. Perhaps the most cited explanation is that "chocolate" comes from Nahuatl, the language of the Aztecs, from the word "chocolatl", which many sources derived from the Nahuatl word "xocolatl" (pronounced [ ʃoˈkolaːtɬ]) made up from the words "xococ" meaning sour or bitter,[2] and "atl" meaning water or drink.

    However, as William Bright noted[4] the word "chocolatl" doesn't occur in central Mexican colonial sources making this an unlikely derivation. Santamaria[5] gives a derivation from the Yucatec Maya word "chokol" meaning hot, and the Nahuatl "atl" meaning water. More recently Dakin and Wichman derive it from another Nahuatl term, "chicolatl" from Eastern Nahuatl meaning "beaten drink".[6] They derive this term from the word for the frothing stick, "chicoli". The word xocoatl means beverage of maize.[7] The words "cacaua atl" mean drink of cacao.[7] The word "xocolatl" does not appear in Molina's dictionary.


    xoco's website wrote:If Topolo pampers and Frontera dances, then XOCO rocks. Though the word is Mexican slang for “little sister” (from the ancient Aztec language), there’s nothing little about XOCO’s big, bold Mexican marketplace flavors.
    Ed Fisher
    my chicago food photos

    RIP LTH.
  • Post #44 - September 11th, 2009, 12:08 pm
    Post #44 - September 11th, 2009, 12:08 pm Post #44 - September 11th, 2009, 12:08 pm
    Kennyz wrote:Had a nice breakfast this morning at Xoco.


    I, too, visited Xoco for breakfast this morning. (When I saw Kennyz, I thought for a nanosecond that he had seen my tweets from there, but that silliness must have been the bean-to-chocolate chocolate gone to my head. :) )

    I sat and had an "authentic" and open-faced torta. I loved the Authentic, especially since I'm trying (very sadly) to remove (or at least greatly reduce) dairy from my diet. I remembered only after I left Xoco this morning that what I had really wanted to try on my first visit was the Almendrado. I would return for both an Authenic and to try other beverages.

    As for the torta, I was disappointed. I think it's too expensive for what it is at $4, and my poached egg was cooked a few seconds too long and didn't have enough run to it. Eating the torta, I wasn't sure about the utensils situation. I was fine eating it initially with my hands and planned to use the toast to sop up any extra yolk, but since I had some solid egg pieces left, I needed a fork. I ended up asking one of the staff for one and then saw that she took it from a public utensils station that I hadn't seen.

    As noted previously, they're working out service issues. I went over my order 3 times at the counter because part of my order was to eat there and the rest to take-away, but they still served me on plates the empanadas destined for my office.

    In addition to my chocolate and torta, I purchased a variety of pastries to bring to work: two egg-poblano empanadas, two conchas, two Mexican chocolate scones, a couple churros and a ginger-lime muffin. I enjoyed the conchas--pillowy with just the slightest crunch on top--and the scones were excellent--the chocolate was well-integrated, and the well-toasted almonds on top added almost a smokiness to the entire pastry. The churros were not too far off from the best-churros-ever that I've eaten in Spain. I gave the ginger-lime muffin to my student assistant, and she was happy with the gingery taste. I asked her how she'd improve the muffin, and she said she would add more lime, possibly in the form of a lime-sugar topping. Overall, I was very satisfied with the value of the scones, muffin and churros. (I can't remember how much the conchas cost, but I'm guessing I could get them cheaper at almost any Mexican bakery in the city--they were good but not very exceptional.)

    I'm content with my first visit to Xoco. I'm curious about the other drinks and post-breakfast fare, so I'll probably try to stop by again soon on a weekday late afternoon. I probably would only go back in the morning if I was in the immediate area and wanted decent pastry.
  • Post #45 - September 11th, 2009, 12:09 pm
    Post #45 - September 11th, 2009, 12:09 pm Post #45 - September 11th, 2009, 12:09 pm
    I got to Xoco today around 11:20 and was done ordering right at noon. The line grew longer as I was standing in line so I have to assume some people were waiting close to an hour for their lunch.

    Image
    It was really nice to see Rick working in the kitchen. He was very calm and appeared to be enjoying his work.

    I ordered the Aztec hot chocolate which was unlike anything I'd had before, though my dining partner said you can find something similar in most Mexican markets, under the Abuelita label. It was nicely spiced with a definite mouthful of thick umami flavor and just enough chile to excite the taste buds. I liked that it wasn't sweet, though I think I would've enjoyed it even more on a cold day.

    Image
    For the main course we split two tortas, the cochinita and the ahogada both ordered hot as apparently the kitchen recommends. The highlight of the cochinita (suckling pig with achiote, black beans, pickled onion, habenero) was the pickled onion which had a distinct creamy, limey flavour that blended well with the heat and the shredded pork. I probably would've liked the sandwich more if the pork were more smokey, but maybe that isn't the way it's meant to be (though it is wood roasted). Still it was definitely a high quality sandwich and something I would gladly order again.

    Image
    While the cochinita was very good, the ahogada (golden pork carnitas, black beans, tomato broth, spicy arbol chile sauce, pickled onions) was incredible. The crunchy torta bread just melted when dipped in the tomato broth and exploded in your mouth. The heat was a perfect complement to the sour tomato and pickled onion flavors in the soup. This was one of the best sandwiches I've had in Chicago.

    I should add that one of the people working in the kitchen recommended the milanesa torta served on untoasted bread, to provide a textural contrast. I can see myself going for this next time, though I might have to order the ahogada again.

    Image
    Another nice touch is that they offer free filtered and sparkling water. Though the fountain on the filtered water is a little slow, it was nice to have clean, refreshing water to wash down our spicy tortas.

    We also ordered three churros to top off the meal and they were just about perfect. Crunchy on the outside, chewy on this inside, and sprinkled with just enough brown sugar to form a nice crust without being too sweet. Simply delicious.

    I'd say a 40-minute wait is probably longer than I'd be willing to wait again, though that breakfast menu definitely merits some attention as well, but if I'm in the area and the lines come down a little, it would probably be my top choice for a quick meal.
  • Post #46 - September 11th, 2009, 12:24 pm
    Post #46 - September 11th, 2009, 12:24 pm Post #46 - September 11th, 2009, 12:24 pm
    happy_stomach wrote:When I saw Kennyz, I thought for a nanosecond that he had seen my tweets from there, but that silliness must have been the bean-to-chocolate chocolate gone to my head
    Must have been strong chocolate, indeed. :wink:


    happy_stomach wrote: my poached egg was cooked a few seconds too long and didn't have enough run to it.
    They definitely fixed that problem by the time I arrived. Perhaps Rick saw your tweet about it, even if I didn't. Here's my runny egg:
    Image


    happy_stomach wrote:Eating the torta, I wasn't sure about the utensils situation.
    I had this problem too. Eventually I got up to ask for a fork, and someone pointed me to where the grab-your-own utensil area is.
    ...defended from strong temptations to social ambition by a still stronger taste for tripe and onions." Screwtape in The Screwtape Letters by CS Lewis

    Fuckerberg on Food
  • Post #47 - September 11th, 2009, 12:32 pm
    Post #47 - September 11th, 2009, 12:32 pm Post #47 - September 11th, 2009, 12:32 pm
    Kennyz wrote:
    happy_stomach wrote:When I saw Kennyz, I thought for a nanosecond that he had seen my tweets from there, but that silliness must have been the bean-to-chocolate chocolate gone to my head
    Must have been strong chocolate, indeed. :wink:


    Kenny reading your tweets and showing up would be about as likely Burt's Pizza getting your Open Table reservation. :)
  • Post #48 - September 11th, 2009, 1:10 pm
    Post #48 - September 11th, 2009, 1:10 pm Post #48 - September 11th, 2009, 1:10 pm
    Just an observation: if nothing else, Bayless quickly gets people to try things that have been discussed repeatedly here over the years, things that one might find on any random streetcorner in Chicago -- tortas ahogadas, caldos and chocolate, eg. I get it that this is his "twist" and he's using super-duper ingredients, so it's not exactly the same thing. An irony, though, is this homage to Mexican street food will be sampled by lots of folks who walk past Mexican street food every day without trying it.

    Presumably, this will have more "legs" than the Loop Bombon, which was not dissimilar, I liked very much and was sorry to see fail.
  • Post #49 - September 11th, 2009, 2:26 pm
    Post #49 - September 11th, 2009, 2:26 pm Post #49 - September 11th, 2009, 2:26 pm
    I was at Xoco for breakfast too. There were two torta options, one open faced for $4, and an excellent closed faced egg torta which i had for $7. Coupled with a delicious cup of the authentico and an excellent, albeit smallish, churo for around $11, I didnt find the prices to be out of line for the offerings or the neighborhood. BTW, the bread absolutely makes the sandwich here. good stuff
  • Post #50 - September 14th, 2009, 3:30 pm
    Post #50 - September 14th, 2009, 3:30 pm Post #50 - September 14th, 2009, 3:30 pm
    Bayless on Xoco's opening:

    http://www.rickbayless.com/qa/
  • Post #51 - September 14th, 2009, 3:42 pm
    Post #51 - September 14th, 2009, 3:42 pm Post #51 - September 14th, 2009, 3:42 pm
    AaronSinger wrote:Bayless on Xoco's opening:

    http://www.rickbayless.com/qa/


    fascinating. I appreciate the link, and also Bayless's candor.
    ...defended from strong temptations to social ambition by a still stronger taste for tripe and onions." Screwtape in The Screwtape Letters by CS Lewis

    Fuckerberg on Food
  • Post #52 - September 15th, 2009, 7:37 am
    Post #52 - September 15th, 2009, 7:37 am Post #52 - September 15th, 2009, 7:37 am
    That's a fascinating read. Much as I have railed against such practices, I wouldn't have blamed them for just locking the doors and shutting down for a few hours (or just closed early).

    But Rick has an incredible drive and pride. Closing early or "throwing in the towel" is not a characteristic of most successful businessmen. Having sacrificed my own health, income, family to go out and start my own business, I know what it's like. I have worked 14 hour days for months on end. These are the guys I go out of the way to support. I don't go to places where I have to do the "accommodating."
    i used to milk cows
  • Post #53 - September 16th, 2009, 6:07 pm
    Post #53 - September 16th, 2009, 6:07 pm Post #53 - September 16th, 2009, 6:07 pm
    Went there around 3:30 this afternoon, no line. Cochinita pibil torta, jamaica agua fresca, then chocolate and the ubiquitous churros. Everything was excellent, but at $12 for the torta, I won't be going back often.

    Saw Bayless wandering around the restaurant, looks like he was giving important people in suits a tour of the place.
  • Post #54 - September 17th, 2009, 10:01 pm
    Post #54 - September 17th, 2009, 10:01 pm Post #54 - September 17th, 2009, 10:01 pm
    Because my office looks-out and over the block of N. Clark St. in which the Bayless trio of restaurants is situated I've been afforded the opportunity to view Bayless' rooftop garden from which he harvests ingredients for his "Rooftop Salsa" (served in the restaurants) - from a "birds eye" position. The garden area is on the roof of the building at which Xoco occupies the ground level.

    Image
  • Post #55 - September 18th, 2009, 7:56 pm
    Post #55 - September 18th, 2009, 7:56 pm Post #55 - September 18th, 2009, 7:56 pm
    Cochinita Pibil Sandwich

    Image

    I enjoyed the complexity of the smokey/wood flavored cochinita pibil (what little I thought there was of it) when I stopped Xoco at 5 p.m. tonight (with not one other patron in line), but not the $12 sandwich as a whole because the excellent toasted and crusty Labriola-baked bread roll overwhelmed the skimpy meat portion. I ate half of the sandwich as a "traditional" sandwich (of filling between two pieces of the roll) and the other half by eating the meat separate from the bread. I'd be surprised to learn there was more than four level tablespoon's of meat on the entire sandwich. I did find the pickeled onion condiment on the sandwich unexpectedly good. Bayless is setting a new standard in Chicago of serving skimpy portions at high prices for an operation such as this - and people are busting down the door to make him happy. Good for him. I've disappointingly been fooled twice, but I doubt I'll give Xoco a third opportunity.
  • Post #56 - September 19th, 2009, 1:02 am
    Post #56 - September 19th, 2009, 1:02 am Post #56 - September 19th, 2009, 1:02 am
    JeffB wrote:Presumably, this will have more "legs" than the Loop Bombon, which was not dissimilar, I liked very much and was sorry to see fail.


    the Loop BomBon didn't fail. They lost their lease.
  • Post #57 - September 20th, 2009, 10:36 am
    Post #57 - September 20th, 2009, 10:36 am Post #57 - September 20th, 2009, 10:36 am
    I was in for the first time on Thursday night. Actually, I was the last person let in, right at 9pm, before the manager began turning people away. The line stretched to the door, so obviously it is busy at dinnertime.

    I was torn between the Ahogada and Milanesa tortas, and ended up deciding on the Ahogada. It was extremely delicious. Crunchy bread, the carnitas was moist and tender, paired with the arbol chile and pickled onions. The 2 halves of the sandwich were stood on-end and rested in a spicy, smoky tomato sauce with a spike of vinegar tang. One can choose mild/medium/spicy and I opted for spicy. It lived up to it, leaving my lips with a tingle a good 15 minutes after finishing the torta.

    I chased it with a Dos Equis beer - they have a small selection of Mexican and local microbrew beers, as well as a few organic wines by the glass and bottle. I like that they offer Topo Chico sparkling water from Mexico, one of my favorites due to the large bubbles.

    Next time I'll go for churros and chocolate, since I was at El Moro in D.F. two weeks ago...
    - Mark

    Homer: Are you saying you're never going to eat any animal again? What about bacon? Ham? Pork chops?
    Lisa: Dad, those all come from the same animal.
    Homer: Heh heh heh. Ooh, yeah, right, Lisa. A wonderful, magical animal.
  • Post #58 - September 20th, 2009, 11:05 am
    Post #58 - September 20th, 2009, 11:05 am Post #58 - September 20th, 2009, 11:05 am
    Customary Dining Companion and I made out first visit on Saturday afternoon, and were really happy with everything, including the friendly & efficient service, which allowed us to eat in two courses (!). He had a Saturday-only special torta involving roasted goat, pasilla chiles, and black beans, and I had the cochinita pibil. Both were really delicious, complex in flavor and succulent; he was delighted to be able to accompany his sammich with a bottle of one of his favorite beers, Three Floyds' Gumball Head. The thin habanero salsa on mine was painful, but addictive; I think it was the recipe that Bayless shared earlier this season on his PBS show (10-12 habs, a cup each of shredded carrots, chopped onion, cider vinegar, and water, 5 cloves of roasted garlic, a touch of turbinado sugar, & 1 T of salt).

    Dessert was close to perfect. We shared warm churros, a huge, crumbly, not-too-sweet pecan polvorone cookie, and a cup of chocolate almendrado, which included a little pouring ceremony at the table! Our tablemates were impressed, too. :) CDC is hard to impress, but he loved everything to the point of discussing what we'd had with our tablemates, and recommending return visits for all; I've never heard him do that before in 7+ years. As mentioned by others we both appreciated the serve-yourself still & sparkling water taps, accessible to those waiting in line. A nice, thoughtful detail.

    You should go. 8)
  • Post #59 - September 21st, 2009, 9:37 am
    Post #59 - September 21st, 2009, 9:37 am Post #59 - September 21st, 2009, 9:37 am
    tem wrote:
    JeffB wrote:Presumably, this will have more "legs" than the Loop Bombon, which was not dissimilar, I liked very much and was sorry to see fail.


    the Loop BomBon didn't fail. They lost their lease.


    Like I said, I liked the place, a lot. I'm not sure I understand your point. "Losing the lease" /a/k/a being priced out of the neigborhood by the landlord is an unfortunate business failure. Maybe on this we can just disagree and move on. Some chicken place is there now, I think, so it's still a fast serve restaurant space.
  • Post #60 - September 21st, 2009, 11:13 pm
    Post #60 - September 21st, 2009, 11:13 pm Post #60 - September 21st, 2009, 11:13 pm
    Am I the only one that has no interest in Xoco? Overrated and overpriced. So many other spots to eat this sort of food. Perhaps the ingredients aren't as fancy, but I guarantee you can find food equally tasty in the same vein.
    "The best lack all conviction, while the worst
    Are full of passionate intensity."

Contact

About

Team

Advertize

Close

Chat

Articles

Guide

Events

more