Chicago - September 04, 2009

Slick Rick

Xoco Opens

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).

  Breakfast, Counter Service, Delivery, Ecofriendly, LEED Certified, Locavore, Takeout