La Peña
4212 N. Milwaukee Ave.Chicago, IL 60641-1640
Portage Park
773-545-7022
lapenachicago.com
Hours: Dinner: Sunday, Tuesday-Saturday
Closed Monday
Our Review
Jaime Fidel Castillo mans the front of the house at this Portage Park storefront, while his wife, Maria, and her mother, Rosa Sanchez, cook the coastal Latin fare. A complimentary plate of homemade fried plantain chips starts off the meal, served with a tomato-based hot sauce with carrots, onions, and cilantro. The many appetizers include five ceviches, a rich Ecuadoran tamale, fried sweet plantain croquettes, and muchin de yuca, deep-fried yuca with egg and cheese. Ensalada de rabano, with sliced radishes, jicama, and thin yellow and red pepper strips tossed in a lime vinaigrette, tastes as good as it looks. Entrees, mostly meat- or fish-based, include churrasco, a pork chop, and three rice dishes that come with a choice of shrimp, steak, or seafood. There's also llapingachos -- a fried whipped-potato cake topped with thick peanut sauce and accompanied by a refreshing avocado-and-tomato salad, a fried egg, white rice, and beef sausage. There's live music Thursday through Saturday and karaoke on Sunday.
Price: $$
Payment Type: American Express, Discover, MasterCard, Visa
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