G Wiv wrote:Hombre de Acero wrote:There are- lot's of Food (fast, slow,Fine etc) options to spend one's hard earned sheckles on in Chicagoland- and if- the consumer- has to "play-a-game"- to get said food item- there's something wrong with that picture.
While I agree in principle with Mr. Acero I view Ethan as artist and Hermosa as his studio or, as the #fancylads might say, atelier. Now right off the bat let me say I fully realize I'm biased, I like Ethan, have been out to dinner with my bride, Ethan, his partner and a few others, find him quiet, thoughtful and even a bit shy, pretty much my polar opposite.
While some people think in terms of color, some numbers and other variations Ethan thinks in terms of sandwiches or, how can I sandwich that. Focused obsession coupled with talent is something I greatly admire.
Thus in my outings to Hermosa I've been willing, happily willing I might add, to give the enterprise more rhythm than I might a cookie cutter hot dog/burger joint.
Once again, I agree with Mr. Acero in principle, I just view Hermosa from a different perspective.
YMMV
Hermosa, Chef/Owner Ethan, count me a fan!
Hermosa wrote:Hello LTH Friends,
This is Ethan from Hermosa. I want to take the opportunity to thank everyone for their feedbacks, both positive and opportunities for improvement.
When Hermosa first opened, it was intended as a reprieve from the hyper tech world we live in with a Cheers atmosphere, where everyone knows your name. It is a place to slow down, kick off your shoes, and leave the outside world at the door. That’s been my formula since I opened 5 years ago and my core guests appreciate it.
I do understand that the process requires an evolution and improvement. First with the opening time. It is and will be 11:30am. Prior commitments that delayed punctual time has ended and my focus is at the restaurant. Our piece de resistance, the Cambodian Fried Chicken and Moo Ping, will always be available.
One of my motto is to ‘Cook Up and Serve Feel Good Food and Treats.’ I acknowledge that has fell short. Please direct any feedbacks to ethanlim81@gmail.com. Or FB friend me. I welcome open dialogue, or better yet, share a beverage with ya’all.
Best,
Ethan Lim,
Hermosa
Smassey wrote:We were honored to be the inaugural "tourists" for the Tour of Cambodia, a nine course tasting menu to go (a 7-course option is also available). Per the introduction on the emailed menu and serving instructions, "I look forward to transporting you and your guests on a trip to a place when traveling at this moment is limited." We were indeed transported, and delighted! I highly recommend this menu!
CjenChicago wrote:Curious about this but can't find any information on it. Where did you find out and how to order? Thanks!Smassey wrote:We were honored to be the inaugural "tourists" for the Tour of Cambodia, a nine course tasting menu to go (a 7-course option is also available). Per the introduction on the emailed menu and serving instructions, "I look forward to transporting you and your guests on a trip to a place when traveling at this moment is limited." We were indeed transported, and delighted! I highly recommend this menu!
lougord99 wrote:So you can go in and order now?
lougord99 wrote:So you can go in and order now?
lougord99 wrote:As friendly as Ethan is, I bet he really misses people eating in.
MarlaCollins'Husband wrote:Has anyone been to Hermosa for lunch lately? The online menu for lunch time carry out is pretty limited - Cambodian chicken meal, dumplings and some sides are the only options listed. Are there more choices if you show up in person? Also, has indoor lunch dining returned or is it carry out only?
Little noticed amid the deafening buzz is the forthcoming release of the documentary antidote to Jeremy Allen White’s dreamy kitchen dysfunction: Cambodian Futures, a 17-minute short film focused on a real-life restaurant—the beloved, ever-evolving Hermosa. Shepherded these past eight years by Ethan Lim, who took it from a neighborhood sandwich shop to one of the hottest tables in town, the chef serves a visionary expression of Khmer food, a cuisine whose development skipped a generation due to war and genocide.
Lim, the most chill chef you’ll ever meet, soothingly narrates his own sometimes gutting journey, beginning in a Thai refugee camp and leaving off at last year’s Jean Banchet Awards (where, spoiler, he won Rising Chef of the Year). Directed by Dustin Nakao-Haider (Shot in the Dark), it’s one episode in the second season of Firelight Media/American Masters’ In the Making series, focusing on emerging BIPOC artists. Lim’s the only chef to be profiled. There’s no official release date yet, but Nakao-Haider reports it’ll likely appear on PBS sometime in March.
Cambodian Flavors Bridge a Family’s Past Traumas With Visions of a Funky Future. Chicagoan Ethan Lim and his restaurant, Hermosa, take the spotlight in a new PBS documentary.