Street smarts are not your specialty.
Just yesterday you gave your digits to a man named Drew in an orange jumpsuit.
Starting Tuesday, get shrewd with street food at Xoco, Rick Bayless’s new restaurant. Never mind its location next to Frontera and Topolo, Xoco’s a far cry from fine dining. This time around, the Mexican maestro’s debuting counter-service vendor grub using the finest ingredients.
Sniff around the brightly colored, LEED-certified space: steamy churros fried window-side, slow-cooked meats, wood-fired tortas (Mexican subs), crispy empanadas, freshly ground cacao beans (for hot cocoa).
Try barbacoa de borrego torta (twelve-hour smoked Crawford Farm lamb, black beans, avocado, Oaxacan pasilla salsa) or a carnitas caldo (a brothy bowl with slow-cooked pork, potato dumplings, chayote, and roasted serrano). Wash it down with a naturally flavored agua.
Your sense may be dense.
But your tummy’s no dummy.
Xoco, 449 North Clark Street, between Illinois and Hubbard Streets (312-334-3688 or rickbayless.com).







Comments