The next favorite after Indian cuisine for me could very well be Nepalese cuisine. Probably because the two are so similar. At least that’s what I’ve grown up believing because we are neighboring countries and many Indian restaurants sometimes serve Nepalese dishes.

But what I learned at the very start of this month, after a visit to the four month old MoMo Factory is, that Nepalese cuisine is in fact very, very different from Indian cuisine and utilizes a whole array of spices I didn’t’ even know existed. Not only that, Nepalese street cuisine is a whole different ball game. Can’t say I didn’t feel some regret for having missed out on this deliciousness for all these years!!

In addition to the restaurant’s hospitality, I also enjoyed an in-depth conversation with owner Karan Kandel. His sole goal was to bring Nepalese street food to Chicago, something that has never been done before. Furthermore, he wanted to offer the food from every main region in Nepal and even walked me through the giant country map on one of the walls at the restaurant.

The first dish I tried was a perfect introduction to the cuisine, their Vegetarian Combo Plate which came with three vegetable-stuffed dumplings, rice and chow mein (Nepalese, not Chinese). This was a pretty, and also a pretty tasty platter that could’ve easily served as my entire dinner.

But when have I been known to stop at one dish?! It was a tasting after all. The dumplings were so delicious, even the dough was made with cilantro and spinach. I had to have more.

Karan suggested I try their Choila (dumplings with mixed Nepalese spices), and the Jhol (dumplings drowned in a special Nepalese sauce). Both dishes seemed to have intense flavor of a special Sichuan pepper spice, called timur. Need to get my hands on it STAT because it can make magic in any dish!

The Chukauni was an interesting one, and certainly an acquired taste, but I quite liked it. A cold dish comprising of potatoes and yogurt, apparently cooked only on special occasions and festivals in Nepal. Well, don’t I feel special?!

The Vegetable Chow Mein although had Indo-Chinese cuisines style flavors was still pretty different. It was made fresh to order with lots of vegetables and spices. I’m always in the mood for noods!

The Batuk was a lentil fritter than was flattish and grainy in taste, with ground spices intermixed the dough. These could get addictive fast.

What a treat and eye opening meal! Seriously, the MoMo Factory can easily be hailed as a culinary ambassador for Nepal, to Chicago.

Delightful Pastries

Accurately named, everything at Delightful Pastries, a twenty-year old bakery located in the Jefferson Park neighborhood, is just delightful. And I’m not joking when I say, everything!

Their donuts are unbelievable, best paczkis in town, famous for their croissants, and their bread sells out within the first hour of opening. I witnessed myself!

Lucky me, I got the full overview, tour, and run down of this place, and got to sit and enjoy delicious treats owner and Pastry Chef, Dobra Bielinski. Her extensive background, travel and culinary training had my mind blown. Dobra opened the bakery with the primary purpose of serving authentic European pastries, and today owns a veteran establishment in the city. She runs it with her brother Robert who is also a chef.

Everything from the dough, to the jams are made-in house. I got my own private tutorial on stuffing paczkis which Dobra fried in front of us in their giant fryer. Then we injected them with apricot and plum jams. The plums, I must add, are imported all the way from Poland!

Dobra does not like to take any short cuts in securing her ingredients or her cooking. She sources the highest-quality ingredients and used only pure honey for her baked goods. Her belief is that her product should reflect the old -world uncompromised baking style. How nice is that to hear?!

They even serve coffee, lattes and cappucinos, which I got to enjoy a few times throughout my visit. Dobra immediately brought out an assortment of cookies and desserts to go with the coffee, and even some keto-inspired and vegan truffles. The freshness and sweetness were in perfect combination in every bite of everything I ate.

And believe it or not, I even enjoyed the Vanilla Meringue which I am usually not a fan of.

The gluten-free bread is a seven grain bread and is the most wonderful morning treat I tell ya. I’ll be enjoying it for days since Dobra sent me home with a loaf!

Their best selling item I learned are the Chocolate and Plain Croissant, and we got to try both. Both were butter-rich croissants with the former infused with Cocoa Barry bittersweet chocolate. Speaking of, what I loved the most about the sweets here was that not a single one was overly sweet. Give me that sugar high but don’t kill me with sweetness.

At some point after trying all the varieties of pastries, the sweet did get a little overwhelming. Dobra then surprised us with the savories. Perfect timing for the Vegetable Quiche which came with sautéed mushrooms, spinach, leeks and onions, mixed in with Swiss cheese. I absolutely devoured that French pastry crust.

The Latkes (potato pancakes) were just the perfect texture and flavor. It was served with a dollop of freshly whipped yogurt and scallions. Now just give me some smoked salmon and I’m all set!

I didn’t try the Beef Barley Soup but it looked like a popular choice with patrons. I did however go home with a box of their frozen Potato & Cheese Pierogies! All I had to do was defrost, boil and eat them! Best pierogies I’ve had!

The cakes looked incredibly creative too. The German Chocolate one caught my eye and I can’t say I wont be ordering that one soon.

Incase you’re wondering, the bakery caters to most dietary restrictions and even serves gluten-free goods.

The mini tutorial I received with the paczkis was fun and had me intrigued. Dobra mentioned that they regularly offer classes on certain Saturday afternoons and seem like they fill up fast. Sign me up and soon!

I can’ think of anything this bakery doesn’t have or offer. With 72 hours notice, you can even have your next party catered by this ‘delightful’ bakery!

Now please open another location closer to me!

Chicago North Shore Restaurant Month

I’m aware that by the time you read this, Restaurant Month in the North Shore will be over. But, I wanted to share my experience with you nevertheless, so you can gear up for next year and not miss out!

Earlier in February, I got a preview of restaurant month before it kicked off. All I can say is that, you really can’t go wrong with whichever participating restaurant you visit.

We restaurant-hopped at three beloved downtown Evanston restaurants to split our three courses across them; appetizers, dinner and dessert.

We also had a fun group of foodies which always helps!

Our first stop was Whiskey Thief, a classic American tavern with a rustic vibe. We were greeted with a whole bunch of drinks and hors d’oeuvres when we arrived which was fabulous! For being a bar, I was amazed at the creativity across their food and drink offerings. The Deviled Eggs were my favorite, and were stuffed with an avocado mousse instead of the usual yolk mixture. The tanginess of the stuffing blended so well with the egg white. Delightful presentation too!

The Shrimp Rolls sent out specifically for me (the only pescatarian at the table), were the perfect bite size sandwiches with buttery buns. The shrimp salad they were stuffed with was fresh and delicious. Why do Lobster Rolls get all the glory, when you can have shrimp ones this good?!

And let me not forget their yummy cocktails that they’ve carefully concocted too.

Next, we proceeded for dinner to La Macchina Cafe around the block. This quirky eatery left no stone unturned in its hospitality with a planned dinner of twelve courses waiting for us. Under new ownership by Chef Emanuele Bianchi, I’ll tell you they are ready to blow you away with their food.

After a warm welcome, they handed us each a flute of their berry Prosecco and then started whipping out dishes one by one. Out came a series of seafood, meat and vegetarian pastas and pizzas.

Their Traditional Seafood Soup was incredibly flavorful with rich tomato-enriched fish broth. Apparently, a special recipe from the islands of Italy, as Chef told us, was the perfect stew for a cold winter night.

My other favorite was their handcut Tagliatelle with porcini mushrooms and truffle. I can still smell the aromas from this mind blowing dish.

The Butternut Squash Ravioli with amaretti (cookie) and mostardo fruit was basically dessert in a butter and sage sauce. I couldn’t get enough.

In the pizza category, the Pinsa Pizza with mozzarella burrata with courgette flowers and roe was insanely good!

I’m still full as I write this because portions were sumptuous too. But that also means leftovers!

We finally ended with an espresso and a tiny drop of grappa as suggested by Chef, to help us digest all the food we had just consumed. How else would we prepare for dessert at stop three!

The Peckish Pig is the place for dessert. A charming gastropub owned by a father-son duo. They laid out a wide assortment of some of the best desserts I’ve had in my life ,and you know I’ve tried my fair share.

We started with a Strawberry Beer brewed in-house, and suddenly all the non-beer drinkers at the table were converted.

The Sticky Toffee Pudding with custard and the Warm Chocolate Ganache Cake were my favorites. The Coriander and Almond Pound Cake was pretty darn delicious too with winter fruits and creme fraiche.

I don’t have to tell you that we were beyond stuffed and satisfied. But we all went home with full bellies and smiles, wondering where our next Evanston dinner should be!

With the exception of Valentine’s Day, every year over 100 participating restaurants in Chicago’s North Shore offer special deals throughout the month of February. The offers can range from prix fixe menus, 15% off guest check, free dessert or appetizers and more!

This is month-long food event is not to be missed! #NSRM2020

Eataly Chicago

Eataly is one of those places I follow closely, because well, I am obsessed with this place.. Where else do you have a vibrant marketplace, carrying authentic and artisanal products, where you can also enjoy a gourmet meal at?!

So when a new restaurant emerges at this eatery that’s not just a pop-up, and they invite me to go in for a tasting, I am beyond excited. This month, I got to try their newest experiential restaurant, Osteria del Mercato and have to constantly remind myself, that I haven’t ‘actually’ been to Italy.

Their new market-to table concept is simply incredible. In addition to offering fresh seafood and pastas (two things closest to my heart), they also use the highest quality ingredients for all their creative dishes. You can tell that Executive Chef Will Serafini has spent some quality time curating this menu.

The wine selections as usual are mind blowing, which makes wine pairings even more fun. My pro tips would be to make sure you indulge in some vino with every course, and then to make sure to order something from their chalkboard specials. Trust me, you’ll thank me for both later!

I began my meal with a glass of the Serafini & Vidotto Pinot Noir 2018, and it was just perfect. If wine is not your thing, you can order a ‘birra’ like my guest did and they’d still serve it all pretty!

The Polpo was everything I had dreamed of. It was marinated and charred nicely and served with fennel and orange which created a welcome levity to the dish.

The Tuscan Kale salad with shaved brussels sprouts was amazing. It was garlicky from the breadcrumbs and creamy from the pecorino romano dressing. Not sure if its even healthy at that point, but I’m going with it, because I got my greens in!

The Salumi e Formaggi Misti was the prettiest platter of five cured meats and five artisanal cheese. There were also fruit preserves with it and we ate it all with the fresh bread served at the beginning. The charcuterie was such a great accompaniment to our drinks and allowed us to simply sit back and savor for awhile.. It doesn’t get more Italian that that!

Their daily selection of pescheria from the counter were the West Pacific Tiger Prawns (served head on). The marination on the plump shellfish was flavorful without being too salty, and the quality of the fish is mention worthy too.

Pastas as usual did not disappoint. While the Cacio e Pepe Ravioli was delicious with lemon butter and pecorino, the Gnocchi di Patate con Tartufo Nero was nothing like I’ve had before. The gnocchi legit melted in your mouth, leaving robust tastes of the Pine River butter it had been soaking in. Of course the fresh Italian black truffle did its part too in augmenting every flavor the dish already had. We wiped the bowl clean and would’ve licked it if we could.

My guest ordered the 6oz Lamb Rack with cannelloni beans. One bite into it and I think he wished he had ordered the 12oz. It looked very tempting and I’ll leave it at that.

Before dessert, we desperately needed a digestif. The Limoncello Arvero and the Amaro Nonino did the trick beautifully. Loved the orange zest flavors and the cocoa aftertaste from the Fruili.

The actual dessert was their Chocolate Tart with espresso-marscapone mousse, candied hazelnuts and candied orange peels. It doesn’t need further description than that it was decadent!

All this came with a giant serving of food coma! Yet, I’d do it all over again because a dreamy meal like that surely needs a repeat!

Chicago French Market

For someone who’s obsessed with France and French culture, an invite to tour the Chicago French Market in the loop was one of the most exciting invitations. I sprung at the opportunity to visit this European-inspired marketplace which is a one-stop food shop!

With over thirty kiosks, wine shops, and bakeries, this is the place to be! In addition to the variety of foods available at the market, I was blown away at just how diverse the selections were. And certainly not limited to French foods as I had always imagined.

In fact, my tour, which I did with a friend, entailed all but one French bakery. And we covered about nine places, starting with Aloha Poke.

While I’ve had their poke before, I’ve never met their CEO Chris Birkinshaw before. Chatting with him, gave me a real in-depth view of the restaurant’s philosophy. I also got to try The Crunch home bowl with cauliflower rice, which is now a new option.

The contrast of the warm, marinated fish with the cold veggies was such a delight. Absolutely loved the texture of the fried Maui onions and addition of avocado. Sumptuous, leaving me with a healthy feeling. Aloha Poke now also sells Christie Cookies, an old-school bakery in Nashville where all the goods are made with 100% real butter. These were amazing!

Our second stop was at JoKer’s Cajun Kitchen, a family-owned restaurant serving Cajun and Creole cuisines. From their low country-inspired menu, I had to try the Shrimp Po’Boy. Juicy Cajun shrimp served on a pillowy French roll, with a special hot sauce. So divine and I washed it down with large Hurricane drink. Anyone else ready for Mardis Gras?!!

Numero Trois was Turkitch. An eatery serving Turkish fare with all the country’s authentic eats. While the bulgur wheat salad with pomegranate molasses, dolma (grape leaves), baba ghanouj and baklava (both walnut and pistachio) were stellar, nothing could beat the warm Borek with cheese.

This was thin flaky dough filled with a special cheese, quite similar to Greek Spanakopita, but its boiled sibling. You ain’t eaten anything like this, I can guarantee that!

Then we had two vegan tastings. The first at Raw where we tried their delicious lasagna , and the second at Vegan Now, where I savagely devoured vegan “chicken” drumsticks lathered in barbeque sauce. The lasagna and kale served along with it were flavorful too. And of course the Chocolate Cake was a hit!

If that isn’t enough variety for you, wait till you hear what was next!

We had an ethnic journey with Vietnamese, Indian and Ethiopian cuisines next. I got to meet both sisters of Saigon Sisters who were waiting to greet us and have us try an assortment of vegetarian Baos, Pho and salads. The Jackfruit BBQ Bao was incredible, and this is coming from someone who doesn’t usually like jackfruit because of its pungency.

Klay Oven Kitchen as usual had to be my favorite. Not just because it was Indian food which happens to also be my favorite cuisine (surprise, surprise)! But also because they carry some of my favorite snacks and drinks that remind me of my childhood. Send me home with a bag of Chataka Pataka chips and Maaza drink and I’m the happiest camper.

When we arrived, owner and Chef, Tigist Reda of Demera Ethiopian Cuisine was waiting for us with open arms.

She had an assortment of stews and wots lined up for us (vegetarian and meat), but also a mini tutorial in making their famous Injera bread, which was the highlight. I held my own!

We ended the French way with a Chocolate Bomb from Vanille Patisserie and posing with it in front of a picture of the Eiffel Tower made me nostalgic but also very happy. The tour had come full circle with a bite of the global cuisine.

If you’re looking for an enriching foodie experience full of flavor and culture, look no further. The Chicago French Market is the perfect place for that experience. And guess what? It’s at the Ogilvie Metra Station, so you don’t need to even drive.

Hope you get to visit soon!

Sugar Factory

I can’t tell you how many times I’ve walked by Sugar Factory in River North and been tempted to go in. But I always thought it was a place just for dessert. How wrong was I?!

Because this month I celebrated Galentine’s Day at this American brasserie, with a few fellow foodies, and we had a sweet time!

When we arrived, there were giant goblets of special Valentine’s Day drinks waiting for us, along with savory bites, such as the Mac and Cheese Balls and Rainbow Sliders, to name a few. And although the latter was meat-based, they were so cute I couldn’t stop staring at them.

What I also didn’t know was that this eatery is already well-established in several metropolitan cities in the world, including Las Vegas, New York, Miami and Bahrain. Welcome to Chicago! We need you.

We got to try a whole array of cocktails from the overly dramatic Bubbly Kisses to the Naughty Cookies N Cream Milkshake.

We also indulged in the over-the-top White Chocolate Fondue Platter with all kinds of fixings.

Several birthdays were being celebrated that evening and I tell you what, this is the place to celebrate a special occasion. The staff comes out with giant sparklers, as the disco ball lowers and lights up, and the music starts blaring catchy tunes. Must like attention to enjoy.

Towards the end of the evening, we were given mini bags to fill with candy of our choice. The best part of the evening in my opinion. We went to town with all their selections and some unique ones like chocolate covered wasabis that I was eyeing. We also may have filled more than a bag each! Candy makes anyone greedy, doesn’t it?

For the whole month of February the restaurant offered specialty cocktails and themed milkshakes, and they even did a Valentine’s Day Pre-Fixe Menu.

It is such a fun atmosphere that for a few hours I forgot how cold and frigid it was outside.

So if you haven’t yet visited this place, you don’t want to continue missing out. Sugar Factory is a world within itself and surely making the world a sweeter place!

Breakfast House

If you' claim to be a breakfast/brunch lover and still haven’t been to Breakfast House in Chicago, it’s a travesty. Admittedly, I cannot believe it took me this long to visit here!

OMG, what a great place for brekky! And with two locations in River West and Lakeview, there is no excuse not to visit this amazing restaurant. I went Valentine’s Day weekend with a good friend for a Sunday Funday brunch at their Lakeview location. Only this location serves alcohol, so you can understand why.

And not to make this about the alcohol, but they’ve got some really creative breakfast drinks concocted for you. All types of mimosa flavors and even a Breakfast Chata! We settled in quickly so we could enjoy our Pineapple and Guava Mimosa each.

Pro tip: make reservations ahead of time or you’ll be standing in line out the door. Yes, it’s popular and packed!

The space is cute, nicely sun-lit and all servers have smiles on their faces. Not to mention how attentive they are! I ordered a glass of freshly squeezed orange juice, coffee and mimosa and all came out in time for me to caffeinate, hydrate, and then possibly dehydrate.

From their House Signatures, we tried the Corn Meal Cakes made with red peppers and cheddar. And we got our eggs scrambled with it. These came with a roasted red pepper sauce too. A dreamy dish!

We also started healthy with an Egg White Frittata which was an open-faced omelette cooked with imported feta and gruyere, then topped with a sautéed medley of mushrooms, spinach and tomatoes.

Both my friend and I said how we loved that the vegetable medley wasn’t salty and complemented the eggs perfectly. This low-carb delight completely won us over!

Then there was the Atlantic Salmon Cake Benedict, with two beautifully poached eggs on salmon patties placed atop English Muffin. They were drizzled over with a creamy Hollandaise sauce. This felt like the ultimate Sunday brunch treat, especially for me with the pescetarian touch to dish! Everything from the moistness of the cakes to the thickness of the sauce was perfection.

My friend also ordered the Chicago’s Best proclaimed Supreme Chorizo Hash, which was a large portion of two over and easy eggs with all the fixings. He took the leftovers home so I take it he was a fan. It did look tempting!

The Whole Multigrain Oatmeal Pancakes with chocolate chips were quite scrumptious. They were light, fluffy with an earthy taste to it, and may make it tough to go back to regular pancakes.

To say that we were full would be putting it mildly, and while we had stopped eating, we kept the mimosas coming. There were many more flavors to try after all!

So now if you see me at Breakfast House every weekend, hopefully you’ll understand why.

Art of Dosa

Dosa is not an unknown entity to me. I grew up eating it and I’m a fan. You can even say I’m obsessed with dosas and could eat it for breakfast, lunch and dinner. Then you can imagine then how thrilled I was to hear about Art of Dosa, a new concept introduced by owner Ravi Nagubadi, that offers both traditional and non-traditional dosas, for dine-in or to-go!

And although they’ve made their mark at several vegan food festivals around the city with soaring popularity, this is their first brick and mortar location. Located at Revival Food Hall which I had also been wanting to visit for a long time. A one-stop food spot right in Chicago’s loop downtown which I want to go back to to try other restaurants also..

Art of Dosa is almost the first eatery you see when you walk in. I had been invited in by the owner for a tasting, and we had the most fabulous time.

The line was long even for a cold, winter Tuesday- always a great sign! And my excitement knew no bounds that the dosa was finally making strides in the Chicago food community as people were finally learning about this delicious Indian crepe dish.

Ravi’s all vegan, gluten-free and nut-free casual eatery celebrates not only this South Indian delicacy but also other comfort foods of Indian cuisine, such as idli and biryani. The recipes are his own and his mother, Aruna’s, who is clearly his mentor and inspiration.

After years of refining recipes, they chiseled together the perfect Masala Dosa (dosa with potato and vegetable stuffing), along with sambar (lentil soup) and chutney (sauce), which are typical accompaniments with dosas. The dosas can be ordered as a wrap or a platter.

There are also several fusion dosa options on the menu from a Buffalo Dosa with soy chicken seasoned with curry leaf mayo sauce and their special “gunpowder” spice blend. That spice can make the blandest of food, tasty. I guarantee you!

Dosa 65 is a play on Chicken 65, made with another blend of spices to mirror the dish, and then folded into the crispiest crepe.

At some point, I got to roll up my sleeves, put on gloves and a hair net, and get my own tutorial in dosa-making; which I nailed!

The highlight for me was the plethora of housemade ice creams they serve, many with Indian-inspired flavors such as South Indian Coffee and pomegranate. Then I saw the most unimaginable thing happen in front of my eyes. Ravi made a waffle cone out of a mini dosa and piled dollops of delicious ice cream on it. One bite in and I literally could not stop. The salt and sweet flavors were mind-blowing and it beats me why no one has thought of this before!!!

I’ve always said that I am not an ice-cream lover, but if you can entice me well enough, I could be a fan. Here was that moment!

Everything from service, cleanliness, to the quality of food, gets full marks. Art of Dosa is a concept not to be missed, but I’m warning you, you’ll be wanting to go back!

Sushi Suite 202

There is a new restaurant concept in town about to take the city by storm. An in-suite sushi speakeasy at the Hotel Lincoln in Lincoln Park, has finally opened its doors, and this girl’s got the scoop for you.

One Sunday evening this month, I was invited in with a guest for an exclusive experience of the new concept. Chicago is the third location for this venture with the first two being in New York and Miami.

The tasting was for a 17-course Omakase dinner at the sushi counter with our own private chef making us our meal. If that’s not intimate enough, you’ll be glad to know that the unmarked suite to which you get a key card to, only seats 6 people at a time so its not overcrowded at anytime. Personally, I love that!

Upon our arrival, we were greeted by the Hotel staff where we checked in for our room key. The key opened into one of the best food experiences of my life. We were immediately treated to specially crafted cocktails before we sat down for our meal.

Our sushi adventure was further kickstarted with generous sake pours of Gekkeikan. Enough said! Then, an array of sushi-grade fish with special sauces and garnishes started arriving one by one.

Chef Jordan left no stone unturned in presentation, but I also loved how he took the time to explain what he was doing. The entire process felt very interactive.

From yellowtail, scallops, shrimp, blue fin tuna to uni, we had it all. My favorite had to be the hammer head snapper with tangelo kosho. The texture of this fish is unmatchable!!

Che’fs personal favorite, was also another favorite for me; the strip jack with ginger and chives.

It was fun to watch Chef torch the red snapper, and then to enjoy the taste of burnst favors on the fish.

The red snapper belly with a house citrus soy was incredible also, while the Canadian spot prawn was out of this world!

And these were just some of the highlights. Our multi-course meal ended with a couple rounds of sushi burritos with more uni and roe. Everyone in our group was in heaven.

We were full beyond words but our hearts and bellies were also very content. Good food just puts you in a good mood, doesn’t it? And to eat fish flown in straight from Japan was also very exciting.

I loved every second of this very off-beat experience which also felt like an upgrade from the sushi I’m used to. Not one fo fall easily for new concepts as they can often be tacky, but this one got me good. I ca definitely get behind this sushi suite speakeasy concept.

They are already sold out until April, so if you want to get your reservations in, don’t wait!

Roots Pizza

The new Roots location in Old Town which just opened, is amazing. One Monday evening this month, I went with a friend to attend their Annual Chef Specialty Series Pizza event, and boy was I impressed!

The eatery which serves quad cities style pizza was buzzing with energy with a room dedicated solely to event attendees. All the deliciously created pizzas were lined up created by a full roster of acclaimed chefs.

With this, we got to order drinks and may have tried a few of their fun cocktails to kickstart the week. TGIM, right?

Favorite pies for me were the, very pescetarian Clam Chowder Pizza by Chef Matthias Merges of Mordecai, and the French Onion Pizza (all-vegetarian) by Chef Oliver Poilevey of Le Bouchon. My heart was happy.

Oh there was dessert too. We ordered their Chocolate Pie and Brownie Sunday and both were decadent.

Guests also left with fun swag. What’s not to love about this kind of Monday?!

Gringo And Blondie Taqueria

Elmwood Park’s Restaurant week was in full effect this month, and back for its third year. And I got to visit the new Gringo and Blondie Taqueria in celebration of it. This place is the cutest eatery in my opinion.

It was packed when my friend and I walked in, and as soon as I saw a display of Jarritos (in all flavors) at the counter, I knew I was in for an authentic treat.

The restaurant aims to serve Mexican street food and does it really well. My guest and I had the cutest dining space all to ourselves, which also allowed for some great photos.

Jimmy, the owner, sat with us to help us with our order and I can comfortably say we got a full flavor of the restaurants offerings. Starting with two giant Margaritas, a classic and a strawberry (their best seller). I’ll say without reservations that, these were the best margaritas of my life.

There were a lot of ‘bests’ actually. We started our meal with their Street Corn appetizer (served on the cob) which was ‘mind-blowingly’ delicious too. I seriosuly felt transported to the streets of Mexico as I ate this. The grilled corn was tossed evenly in spices and had the right amount of tang.

The Guacamole did not disappoint either and was made fresh to order, then served with chips.

Both seafood tacos we ordered were incredible. The freshness of the corn tortilla really stood out to me. The Modelo Beer-Battered Atlantic Cod and the Shrimp were both served with a zingy Mexican slaw and a cilantro-jalapeno cream.

The highlight for me was the Cemita, which I tried for the first time. Can’t believe i’ve gone all this time without knowing this delicious sandwich existed. Originally from the Puebla area in Mexico, where the special puebla bread is made. A sesame seed roll with a delicious, indescribable texture, toasted and smeared with avocado spread, chipotle cream. The all-vegetarian Blondie Cemita which we got was enough to share, and came with portobello, red pepper and poblano peppers with ezapote and queso fresco. We could not put the sandwich down!

You ain’t eaten Quesadillas like their Poblano and Onion one, and I can assure you that. Fresh flour tortilla with a blend of chihuahua and oaxacan cheese melted within, with poblano and onions, and served with pico de gallo and sour cream on the side. Another addictive dish, and thank God I was starting to get full or I would’ve devoured it all in one sitting.

We also ordered some of their sides including the rice and beans. Also, very, very yummy!

With dinner being so superb, we had to order dessert. And we finished with their hot-out-of-the-fryer Churros sprinkled with cinnamon sugar. For our dipping sauce we opted for the chocolate sauce but next time I’m getting the cajeta (caramel). A side of Mexican Hot Chocolate, and I was ready for bed. Except I still had to drive back to the city.

Yet, every bit worth the drive to this amazing eatery. And a true taste of genuine Mexican cuisine which is what I was looking for. Now that’s how you kickstart a restaurant week tour!

Elmwood Park and restaurant row on North Avenue have created so many amazing dining options that the village has worked to expand to create a thriving food scene. As well as, sufficient parking options for restaurant patrons in the area.

Dinner dates in Elmwood Park could become a regular thing very quickly!