Map by Elizabeth M. Tamny

Beyond the Burrito, Part 6: Yucatan, Nayarit, Nuevo Leon

Concluding our series devoted to Chicago restaurants offering regional Mexican dishes

The cuisines of Mexican states such as Guerrero and Michoacan are well represented in the Chicago area. Preparations from Yucatan, Nayarit, and Nuevo Leon appear less frequently, but these geographically disparate regions have cooking traditions that are also worthy of exploration.

YUCATAN

The Yucatan Peninsula, ancient home of the pyramid-building, sacrificially inclined Maya, actually comprises three states: Yucatan, Quintana Roo, and Campeche. Rique's Regional Mexican Food (5004 N. Sheridan, 773-728-6200), a treasure trove of lesser-known Mexican small-town favorites, serves a breakfast I first enjoyed in a tiny cantina in the Yucatecan town of Motul. Huevos motuleños is just a sunny-side up egg, queso fresco, ham, black beans, and, somewhat improbably, peas on a tortilla or tostada, a creamy, colorful, and savory morning meal.

Perhaps the most popular Yucatecan standard on Chicago menus is cochinita pibil, pork shoulder slathered with achiote, a paste of ground annatto seeds, lime, and vinegar; traditionally it's cooked in a pit. You can get reliable versions at Fonda del Mar (3749 W. Fullerton, 773-489-3748) and Adobo Grill (1610 N. Wells, 312-266-7999, and 2005 W. Division, 773-252-9990). The most commonly encountered menu item in Yucatan, on the other hand, is sopa de lima: lime soup. Although you'll rarely see this on Chicago menus, you can simulate it by simply ordering chicken soup at a Mexican restaurant and squirting in some citrus. Tomatoes are a traditional but optional ingredient; limes, which probably originated in India before being carried west from the Near East by Crusaders and thence to the New World, are obviously mandatory.

Wherever you find descendants of the Maya -- not just in the Yucatan, but in Guatemala and Honduras, for example -- black beans seem to be the preferred frijoles, as opposed to the light-red pintos more often used in Chicago's Mexican restaurants. Black beans are sometimes seen on menus at restaurants such as That Little Mexican Cafe (1010 Church, Evanston, 847-905-1550, and 1055 W. Bryn Mawr, 773-769-1004) and fancy places like Topolobampo (445 N. Clark, 312-661-1434). They're always served at Ricos Huaraches at the Maxwell Street Market (Sundays at Roosevelt and Canal).

NAYARIT

Shrimp with salsa Huichol at Las Islas Marias Rob Warner

A tiny state tucked just above Jalisco on the Pacific coast, Nayarit is the home of the Huichol, an indigenous ethnic group that has retained much of its traditional culture (including the peyote ceremony). A fine Nayarit-inspired condiment, salsa Huichol -- a deeply flavorful orange red salsa with medium heat -- is sold at many Hispanic grocery stores around Chicago. It's always available at Las Islas Marias (2523 N. Milwaukee, 773-252-7303, and other locations), which is named for several islands off the coast of Nayarit and serves many regional seafood preparations, including shrimp with garlic, chile, and, of course, salsa Huichol.

Pescado zarandeado, barbecued fish, may have originated on the Nayarit island of Mexcaltitlan, where they use a fatty fish such as pargo, a type of snapper, that stays moist on the grill. The fish is usually marinated in citrus juice and chiles. You can find barbecued fish at many places with flame grills, including the chichi though not particularly authentic Bandera (535 N. Michigan, 312-644-3524).

NUEVO LEON

Monterrey is the capital of the northern state of Nuevo Leon, which saw some heavy Jewish migration when the Inquisition hit Mexico City in the 16th century. Jewish culinary influences may help explain the relative lack of pork and the popularity of goat and beef in dishes from this state.

In Nuevo Leon, carne asada -- meat, usually beef, marinated and grilled -- is a traditional food for family gatherings and festivals. In Chicago there are two unrelated restaurants named Nuevo Leon within a few miles of each other. The more established one, 40-year-old Nuevo Leon (1515 W. 18th, 312-421-1517), serves a mean carne asada along with its signature New York strip. Meat dishes at the "other" Nuevo Leon (3657 W. 26th, 773-522-1515) are significantly enhanced by magnificent house-made flour tortillas, preferred over corn tortillas in this state. For some stupendous carne asada on the run, try Carniceria Leon (1402 N. Ashland, 773-772-9804), where they'll cut crispy chunks you can down on the spot.

ELSEWHERE

You don't have to look too hard for evidence of many other Mexican states in Chicago; their names are on the signage for places like Colima Restaurant (4377 W. 26th, 773-542-8868), La Casa del Pueblo (1834 S. Blue Island, 312-421-4664), and Zacatecas (2860 N. Milwaukee, 773-486-9070). Of course, a name's no guarantee that a restaurant serves the authentic cuisine of its namesake region. A good way to start exploring is simply to say "Por favor, quiero la comida tipica de [fill in name of state here]." Don't be surprised, though, if in response you're sometimes served a burrito, which is slowly, inevitably becoming typical cuisine throughout Mexico. Que lastima! --David Hammond

All Over the Map

More regional Mexican

Adobo Grill
1610 N. Wells | 312-266-7999
F 7.7 | S 7.3 | A 7.3 | $$ (24 reports)
MEXICAN | DINNER: SEVEN DAYS; SATURDAY & SUNDAY BRUNCH | OPEN LATE: FRIDAY & SATURDAY TILL 11:30

Margaritas may be a sign of inauthenticity, but as we kicked off the fiesta I quickly lost interest in what's authentic Mexican and what isn't: these are some excellent cocktails. The tuna seviche is more a tartare, uncooked, lusciously fresh cubes of fish lightly marinated and served with fried plantain and tortilla chips. The quesadillas de huitlacoche, warm tortillas filled with melted cheese and inky corn fungus, are delicately earthy, but the menu somewhat disingenuously advertises "homemade" tortillas when in fact they're from a machine in the basement. Adobo Grill leans heavily toward Oaxacan cuisine, and there are many moles to be had, starting with the sopes surtidos, masa boats carrying cargolike mashed plantain in a rich mole negro. You can taste a fine marriage of two moles by ordering the fluke, a perfectly grilled piece of fish swimming in a pool of red and green pumpkin seed mole, one slightly spicy, the other slightly sour. The more traditional red and green moles can be had on vegetable or chicken enchiladas (exorbitant at $19); I'd recommend the chicken -- mole was devised to dress up wild turkey centuries ago, and seems to mesh best with mild meats rather than vegetables, which tend to get lost in sauce. Speaking of lost in sauce, you might consider ending the meal with chilpachole, a shot of platinum tequila chased with a shot of warm shrimp broth. Flan, practically a Mexican restaurant cliche, is here given star treatment, transformed from simple yellow mound to a magnificent milky mastaba surrounded by a caramel moat and crowned with chocolate-covered nuts. David Hammond

Bandera
535 N. Michigan | 312-644-3524
F 7.6 | S 8.0 | A 7.8 | $$ (13 reports)
AMERICAN CONTEMPORARY/REGIONAL, MEXICAN | LUNCH, DINNER: SEVEN DAYS | OPEN LATE: FRIDAYS & SATURDAYS TILL 11

Perched on a second floor with wide windows overlooking Michigan Avenue, Bandera swanks it up every night with a three-piece jazz band providing mellow background music for food that's pleasant, nonthreatening, and sometimes pretty good. Don't let the restaurant's name fool you: Mexican food plays only a minor role on tables here. #1 Tuna Poke is plump sashimi cubes, shrimp, and avocado with tortilla chips in a sugary sauce. The "hacked" chicken salad features the bird, greens, and tortilla strips -- again in a sugary sauce. This slightly Hispanic, assertively sweet trend continues throughout: an excellent barbecued sea bass was moist, lightly grilled, and kissed with something sweet; grilled salmon was painted in a brownish sugar glaze. Sides -- jalapeno corn bread overflowing a cast-iron pan, a cilantro-heavy slaw, pickled cabbage with goat cheese, acorn squash -- were well prepared but also unrelentingly sweet. It's a surprise to find the dessert menu quite limited. David Hammond

La Casa de Samuel
2834 W. Cermak | 773-376-7474
$$
MEXICAN | BREAKFAST, LUNCH, DINNER: SEVEN DAYS | OPEN LATE: FRIDAY & SATURDAY TILL 2, OTHER NIGHTS TILL 11

La Casa de Samuel offers exotica of a sort you won't find at many other restaurants. We started with a bowl of tiny eels -- looking a lot like white mung beans with eyes -- and enjoyed a platter of frog legs, the meat firm and juicy. The absolute knockout dish was cecina de venado, slabs of salted and dried venison that are rehydrated and griddled; its deep, dark flavor will please those who like beef as well as those who prefer their food on the wild side. We had a chicken breast with a blisteringly spicy brick red India sauce that was excellent with the tortillas, homemade as is the salsa. The extensive menu offers goat, boar, and alligator; we took the plunge with the rattlesnake, which was . . . odd, gnarly and jerkylike. For dessert, my dining companion made the right choice: our waiter had only to hear the words banana flambe and he was off, preparing his citrus zest, pan, and liquor bottles; the result, served with a spumoni-type ice cream, was fabulous. David Hammond

La Casa del Pueblo
1834 S. Blue Island | 312-421-4664
$
MEXICAN | BREAKFAST, LUNCH, DINNER: SEVEN DAYS

Next to a grocery with the same name, this little cafeteria offers middle-of-the-road Mexican food at reasonable prices, starting at breakfast with egg-and-tortilla dishes like migas and chilaquiles. Dining here is hit-or-miss, with the pork in chile arbol and pollo en salsa (chicken breast cooked in a clear stew of zucchini and corn) among the hits. North Mexican-style tamales, moist with manteca (lard) and filled with slightly piquant meat, are available for carryout; barbacoa, too, is available to go. Chiles rellenos with meat were tasty, layered with chayote and slightly spicy. But patas de puerco (pigs' feet) were the worst thing I've eaten in a very long time, fatty, meatless, and generally tasteless. Gorditas dulces are an excellent dessert for those who like pastry, flavored with vanilla and shreds of cinnamon bark for a pleasant explosion of flavor. Servers are very friendly and speak English as well as most of us speak Spanish. David Hammond

Colima Restaurant
4377 W. 26th | 773-542-8868
$$
MEXICAN | BREAKFAST, LUNCH, DINNER: SEVEN DAYS | BYO

Getting wind of a restaurant specializing in food of Colima, a tiny Mexican state sandwiched between Jalisco and Michoacan on the Pacific coast, I jumped in the car. Colima Restaurant serves a seviche the chef told us was in the style of her native state; one of the driest marinated fish dishes I've ever had, it had lots more carrots and tomato than most seviche presentations. The camarones a la plancha were recommended, but they were not satisfactory: small knurls of shrimp dusted with chile powder, they didn't taste like much of anything. Both shrimp and fish soups were salty to the point of brackishness, which is unfortunate because the chunks of fish floating in the seawaterlike broth were plump and flavorful. Tortillas are made in-house, which makes a big difference for dishes like quesadillas -- both those with chorizo and with mushrooms were flavorful if heavy on the flavor of griddle grease. On the upside, bistec a la Mexicana, which we feared would be a gringorific rendition of grilled steak with avocado, turned out to be the best thing we had, moist and delicious chunks of meat with slightly hot peppers, excellent on the tortillas. You can get a horchata or the usual range of jibaritos, Mexican sodas, and the family that runs this place is very warm and welcoming. David Hammond

De Cero
814 W. Randolph | 312-455-8114
F 8.1 | S 7.1 | A 6.9 | $$$ (9 reports)
MEXICAN | LUNCH: MONDAY-FRIDAY; DINNER: MONDAY-SATURDAY | CLOSED SUNDAY | OPEN LATE: FRIDAY & SATURDAY TILL 11

De Cero means means "from scratch," and under executive chef Jill Barron (Sushi Wabi) the food here -- fresh coastal Mexican cuisine -- is made with attention to detail. Plates of soft-shell tacos ($2.50-$4.50 apiece) with fillings like ahi tuna and mango, grilled marlin, and shredded chicken fly from the exposed kitchen at a dizzying pace. They're unsauced, but the $6 trio of homemade salsas -- verde, picante, and a chunky mix of pickled jalapenos and vegetables -- complements them well. Entrees include grilled chicken mole, shrimp fajitas, grilled ahi tuna, carne asada, and a 12-ounce pork chop. The margaritas and daiquiris blended with herbs -- combinations include strawberry and mint, raspberry and basil, and peach and chamomile -- are refreshing and not too sweet, but they don't come close to the superlative house margarita with fresh-squeezed lime juice and homemade sour mix. Laura Levy Shatkin

Dorado Restaurant
2301 W. Foster | 773-561-3780
F 8.8 | S 8.3 | A 7.6 | $$$ (18 reports)
MEXICAN, GLOBAL/FUSION/ECLECTIC | DINNER: SUNDAY, TUESDAY-SATURDAY | CLOSED MONDAY | OPEN LATE: FRIDAY & SATURDAY TILL 11 | BYO

At this Ravenswood restaurant, Luis Perez applies the French bistro cooking techniques he learned under Jack Jones (as chef de cuisine at Jack's American Blend and Bistro Marbuzet and sous-chef at Daniel J's) to the Mexican food his mother cooked when he was growing up. Perez says he's been "experimenting with different ways to combine ingredients." His brief menu offers unique takes on Mexican favorites like roast pork (his version is a thick tenderloin, rosy and tender and served with a guajillo cream sauce) and delicious combinations like a crunchy almond-crusted trout laced with satiny coconut cream sauce and caramelized plantains, a lovely contrast of earthy and sweet. For dessert there's one of the richest flans around and a moist, light tres leches cake. Laura Levy Shatkin

Fonda del Mar
3749 W. Fullerton | 773-489-3748

F 7.2 | S 7.2 | A 6.8 $$$ | (5 reports)
MEXICAN, SEAFOOD | LUNCH: SATURDAY; DINNER: SEVEN DAYS; SUNDAY BRUNCH | OPEN LATE: FRIDAY & SATURDAY TILL 11

To kick things off at this marvelous restaurant from veterans of Topolobampo and Mia Francesca, tacos estilo ensenada (fish tacos) are tasty, with a clump of whitefish dressed with avocado and cabbage, and the shrimp seviche is a knockout. Soups are spiced with a light hand: caldo siete mares ("seven seas soup") is a chile-kissed tomato broth with just a few select slices of seafood; chileatole del mar brims with seafood, peppers, and corn. Mahimahi in an annatto-based sauce with cumin and cloves did little for me, though the fish was tender; lamb chops in a mole negro were expertly grilled, but I found the sauce too powerful. Of special note are pork chops served in a fruity mole of orange, apple, and pineapple. For our salad we shared a small plate of julienned jicama and cucumber accented with orange segments and drizzled with hot sauce and a light vinaigrette. David Hammond

Las Islas Marias
4770 W. Grand | 773-637-8233
$$
MEXICAN, SEAFOOD | BREAKFAST, LUNCH, DINNER: SEVEN DAYS

There are enough different shrimp preparations on the menu at Las Islas Marias to dazzle Forrest Gump's army buddy. Shrimp empanadas are simple and good, with a cornmeal crust and fresh green salsa, and there are several shrimp-heavy seafood cocktails, hot and cold, as well as a pat. Langostinos a la plancha (grilled shrimp) are meaty little bastards griddled in salsa Huichol to a piquant crustiness. Our order of parilla levanta muertos -- a grilled platter to "raise the dead" -- was fresh and spicy, full of shrimp, mussels, scallops, and crab. My dining partner rapidly slurped down a bowl of seven seas soup, an overflowing cornucopia of crustaceans and fish more stew than caldo. We ordered a $9 tilapia and were pleased to receive a whole fish -- which is rather interesting, zoologically speaking, if you've only seen this creature in fillet form. This is not fancy seafood, just good stuff prepared straightforwardly and perked up with avocado and fresh lime. Most dishes are cooked in the tradition of the islands off the coast of the Mexican state of Nayarit, so don't come a-looking for refried beans and tortillas. David Hammond

Los Nopales
4544 N. Western | 773-334-3149
F 8.1 | S 7.8 | A 6.0 | $$ (9 reports)
MEXICAN | LUNCH, DINNER: SUNDAY, TUESDAY-SATURDAY | CLOSED MONDAY | RESERVATIONS ACCEPTED FOR LARGE GROUPS ONLY | BYO

At $1.65 apiece, the grilled tilapia tacos at this low-key, attractive space are so good, so bright and fresh, it seems like you're stealing. Tangy seviche with tilapia and shrimp has a splash of orange juice, which adds an appealing sweet aftertaste; tortilla chips are made in-house and come served with two salsas, one made of tomatillos blended with avocado, making it creamier than the standard green sauce, the other a thick, spicy combination of chile de arbol and fruit. On a recent visit my entree was grilled pork tenderloin with an aromatic sauce flavored with guajillo and chile de arbol and a side of cactus salad (nopales means "prickly pears"). We finished with a sweet, rich coffee flan, a special -- one of the exceptionally friendly owners told us the chef, her husband, is constantly experimenting. That's the kind of thing you'd expect at a place far more swank; to find it in a modest storefront is beguiling. Chip Dudley

Nuevo Leon
1515 W. 18th | 312-421-1517
F 7.4 | S 6.3 | A 6.3 | $ (8 reports)
MEXICAN | BREAKFAST, LUNCH, DINNER: SEVEN DAYS | OPEN LATE: DAILY TILL MIDNIGHT | CASH ONLY | BYO

They serve a heap o' flour tortillas and meat in the northerly state of Nuevo Leon, and for more than 40 years this restaurant has done a fine job of doing the same. Tacos de sabinas are house-made white tortillas with a soft, crepelike consistency -- they seem to melt around strips of seasoned steak. Frijoles con chorizo is a densely textured accompaniment worth every calorie. Found all over Mexico and the menu alike, carne a la tampiquena is the classic skirt steak with beans, enchilada, and guacamole, steak's soul mate. We really liked the guisado de puerco in mole rojo, a piquant stew with slow-cooked, chile-sauce-saturated pork. Pig also makes an appearance in tangy tamales, allegedly hand wrapped by "little Aunt Maria." If you come earlier in the day, consider ordering some of the renowned breakfast chilaquiles or machacado con huevo (seasoned steak in egg). You can BYO, or for a buck get a cup of foamy, cinnamony Mexican cocoa. David Hammond

Nuevo Leon
3657 W. 26th | 773-522-1515
$
MEXICAN | BREAKFAST, LUNCH: SEVEN DAYS; DINNER: FRIDAY-SUNDAY | OPEN LATE: FRIDAY & SATURDAY TILL MIDNIGHT

At first glance Nuevo Leon looks like just another corner joint, with many of the usual Chi-Mex standards. A few distinctive foods typical of the restaurant's Mexican namesake, however, set it apart. Machacado con huevo is a scrambled egg taco showcasing cesina, shredded beef that's been dried, then rehydrated and pounded. With this we enjoyed a michelada, kind of a beer-based Bloody Mary made with Angostura bitters and Tabasco sauce, fresh-squeezed lemon, salt and pepper, and beer over ice (there's some evidence to suggest that this drink is the long-sought cure for the common cold). The state of Nuevo Leon is landlocked -- perhaps that's why the fish we had here was so poorly prepared, dry and unduly fishy. Both it and the soggy fries it came with, though, become much more delicious when splashed with the house-made pico de gallo. The chicken mole was good if unmemorable, the meat relatively meaty and the sauce quite chocolaty. Flour tortillas are most common in the north, and this is one of the few restaurants in Chicago that make their own tortillas de harina; you can really taste the difference. This is a very friendly place; on weekends you're offered a south-of-the-border amuse-bouche: a taquito with a dollop of barbacoa, pounded with peppers and onion, a juicy mouthful to get the meal going. Afterward you're brought a complimentary plate of melon, apple, and orange. Nice. David Hammond

La Quebrada
4859 W. Roosevelt, Cicero | 708-780-8110
$$
MEXICAN | BREAKFAST, LUNCH, DINNER: SEVEN DAYS | OPEN LATE: FRIDAY & SATURDAY TILL 11 | BYO

You'd expect a restaurant specializing in the cuisine of Guerrero, on the Pacific coast, to have some decent seafood, and La Quebrada does -- especially the shrimp cocktails and seviche. But when I go to this tiny joint in a dilapidated industrial zone, I want the goat barbacoa and fresh tortillas. La Quebrada's rendition of this dish is exceptional, featuring meaty hunks, perfectly cooked to a slightly pink center, served with cilantro, onion, and guacamole. On the side is a bowl of frijoles de la hoya, plump pinto beans in a mild broth. The handmade tortillas here are pliant and absorbent, providing a perfect platform for piling on meat and vegetables soaked with the house molcajete (salsa ground and served in a mortar). Cornmeal also finds its way into other selections on the menu, among them huaraches, which are a vegetarian's nightmare/carnivore's dream come true, topped with a selection of tasty animals including marinated pork, chicken, regular steak, and dried steak (cesina). To drink there's freshly squeezed orange or carrot juice as well as aguas frescas, lightly flavored beverages of sweet rice flour and cinnamon, tamarind, or hibiscus. The place is usually crowded with families and other locals who know they'll get the real thing -- and lots of it. As I was eating, I watched two of Chicago's finest patting their bellies and leaving with doggie bags full of too much good food to finish in one sitting. David Hammond

Rique's Regional Mexican Food
5004 N. Sheridan | 773-728-6200
F 8.2 | S 7.0 | A 6.9 | $ (18 reports)
MEXICAN | BREAKFAST: SUNDAY; LUNCH: SUNDAY, WEDNESDAY-SATURDAY; DINNER: SEVEN DAYS; SATURDAY & SUNDAY BRUNCH | OPEN LATE: THURSDAY-SATURDAY TILL 11 | BYO

On the Friday night I visited this colorful Uptown storefront the place was packed with jovial tables of people sharing bottles of wine (Rique's is permanently BYO). Complimentary chips come with a small dish of black beans; other appetizers include guacamole served with a few huaraches, shrimp seviche, and a chalupa with chicharrones and cactus. I started with the pico de gallo, chile-and-citrus-seasoned strips of mango, cucumber, and jicama touted by the menu as "perfect for hangovers." My grilled chicken breast in a deep red almond mole was homey and satisfying enough to make me a member of the clean-plate club. Rater favorites include Rique's tortilla soup ("There are few things I'd rather eat on a cold January night," says one) and chicken breast in a tomatillo-and-pumpkin-seed sauce. The restaurant's lunch menu also has a few regional finds -- Yucatecan deep-fried chicken tacos, tortas ahogadas, and Bajaian soft fish tacos -- and every Saturday there's a four-course prix fixe meal featuring the cuisine of a different Mexican state. Kate Schmidt

Topolobampo
445 N. Clark | 312-661-1434
F 8.6 | S 6.6 | A 7.4 | $$$$ (13 reports)
MEXICAN | LUNCH: TUESDAY-FRIDAY; DINNER: TUESDAY-SATURDAY | CLOSED SUNDAY, MONDAY

Perhaps more than any other chef, Rick Bayless has brought lesser-known Mexican dishes to the midwest. Case in point: corundas. I'd searched the city for these triangular tamales from Michoacan, and at Topolobampo, there they were, stuffed with requeson, a Spanish version of sweet ricotta, and paired with an Alsatian pinot blanc. The five-course tasting menu ($75; $45 more for skillfully handled wine pairings) is a guided tour through some outstanding regional dishes. Yucatecan-style seviche was a delicate melange of finely cut habanero, cilantro, and onion mixed with tiny, flavorful shrimp and razor-thin calamari. Cochinita pibil, another Yucatecan standby, featured flavorful pulled pork under a cucumber-jicama julienne and served with a few slabs of pale loin. Lamb came in mole coloradito, made with anchos, chocolate, and almonds. Somewhat sweet, almost ketchuplike, it overwhelmed the meat a little, but coloradito tamales with cremini were excellent. With dessert there was hot Oaxacan cocoa with a blast of mescal and a small complimentary chest of chocolate and at, candied fruit. The entire tasting menu changes monthly; perhaps because of the shifting lineup, service often falls short of the four-star food. David Hammond

Wholly Frijoles Mexican Grill
3908 W. Touhy, Lincolnwood | 847-329-9810
F 8.8 | S 7.6 | A 6.8 | $ (5 reports)
MEXICAN | LUNCH, DINNER: MONDAY-SATURDAY | CLOSED SUNDAY | BYO

Is this the place that launched a thousand trips to far north Lincolnwood? Many reputable sources have proclaimed this strip-mall Mexican joint to be outstanding. I found it . . . OK, not bad, but probably not worth the ride for anyone south of Lawrence. Shortly after being seated, foreboding fell upon us as we received a basket of factory-manufactured chips; we perked up with the tortilla soup, thick and pleasantly piquant. Whole red snapper was probably the best dish we had, fresh tasting and fried right (they have a hand with snapper here). The shrimp were overcooked, but braised lamb turned out to be remarkably meaty, a premium piece cut off the bone for easy eating. Stuffed chicken breast had a hint of something like nacho cheese, though we enjoyed the mashed potatoes with chipotle peppers, perhaps "inauthentic" but entirely satisfying. Flour tortillas seemed good enough to be house made, and the eponymous frijoles were chunky and good if not life altering. Overall, the food seemed of high quality, just lacking cojones; still, with no corkage fee, dining here is a decent deal. David Hammond

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