confession

I'll admit, Matt and I are one of those couples who check out restaurants based on drool-inducing shows on Food Network or Travel Channel. We went to Lucky's in Wrigleyville after we saw their french-fry-stuffed sandwiches on Man v. Food. Diners, Drive-Ins, and Dives featured Cemitas Pueblas, so we drove to Chicago to try it.

Unfortunately, sometimes these features mar the authentic local flavor of the place by sending out-of-towners like us flocking to try it. Comet Cafe in Milwaukee is often too busy for people in the neighborhood to get in since the suburbanites saw Guy Fieri's visit.

On the other hand, these restaurants are getting this kind of publicity for some reason. And each place we've tried at a TV show's recommendation has not disappointed. So, a few weeks ago, we did it again. My parents and their friends were going to do some sight-seeing in Chicago with us, and they had the brilliant idea to head for one of Rick Bayless' restaurants. He has a veritable complex of eateries: the high-end Topolobampo, mid-range Frontera, and a lunch place, Xoco, with churros that smelled soooo good. Brunch at Frontera was all we could get reservations for, which was fine since that's where we had seen an amazing dish featured on Food Network's The Best Thing I Ever Ate.

carne asada a la Oaxaquena

Matt and I shared this rib steak, which was easily the most flavorful, tender steak I've ever had. The smoky and slightly spicy sauce made the perfectly-cooked meat so succulent. Fried plantains topped with a bit of queso fresco and crema rounded out the meal as Bananas Foster's more subtle cousin. The other plates at the table were also good, but in my opinion none held a candle to that steak.

tacos al carbon with duck

sapitos: gorditas with chorizo & plantains, scrambled eggs, and chicken and black bean mole

frothy Mexican hot chocolate

chocolate hazelnut tart

The entire meal, from the tasty limeade margarita and chips and salsa to the desserts, was perfectly enjoyable. I would return to try the new menu when it changes. We even got to see chef Rick Bayless himself, making his rounds in the kitchen. Thank you again, food television.

so-so

I have a lot of fantastic food pics waiting in the wings. Before I unleash a stream of gushing upon you, I think I should clear something up and temper all that oncoming positivity with some reality. I've noticed that I may be fostering a perception that I either like everything I eat, or that I have spot-on taste in restaurants. The truth is that I just lack the motivation to post about meals that don't excite me. The food we eat is rarely downright bad, but sometimes it's merely mediocre. I also don't fancy myself a true food critic, so I don't always feel comfortable complaining about local restaurants. However, it's hard to trust the opinion of someone who likes everything, so to foster your confidence, here's an attempt at some negativity.

One so-so meal was our Valentine's Day dinner at El Dorado Grill on Williamson Street in Madison. The style is Southwestern, and the decor is fittingly and charmingly rustic. We expected good things from this member of the Food Fight family of restaurants, but were not blown away.


The chips and salsa were tasty, though not as spicy as we'd usually prefer. The highlight of the meal came early, in the form of the priciest margarita I had tasted to date. I asked the very helpful server for a tequila suggestion (something in the lower price range for a beginner), since their list of 70+ tequila options was fairly intimidating. The tequilas ran from $5 - $10 per shot, and I opted to add another $2 to get the shot made into a margarita. I would absolutely return for margaritas and chips.

pasilla chile chicken enchiladas

I would most likely not go back to El Dorado for the food. While the drizzle of sauce over my enchiladas looked appealing, the flavor was sorely lacking. The chicken was dry and bland as were the beans. I would sooner take the saucier and more complex enchiladas in green sauce at the more casual Food Fight Southwestern joint, Tex Tubbs.

I also don't fancy myself a true food critic, so I don't always feel comfortable complaining about local restaurants. However, it's hard to trust the opinion of someone who likes everything, so to foster your confidence, here's an attempt at some negativity.

machaca pork chalupas

Matt ordered the machaca pork chalupas. The pork flavor was nice, but again the sides were unremarkable. The whole plate (and flavor) was obscured by the blanket of bland greens on top. The meal was capped off by a decent, but not amazing, piece of chocolate pecan pie. All in all, the food that we ordered at El Dorado was not worth our money. I might give it one more chance and try one of the entrees from the specialties section on the menu or for brunch.

chocolate pecan pie

6+ years later

2003

2010

I promise I will get some food posts going soon. I have tons of great pictures from our trip to Kansas last week which I will put up as soon as I get a chance. Until then, I couldn't resist posting these similar lap polaroids.