Heights Eats

For our final night in Chicago (which happened to be Sarah’s birthday) we went to Topolobampo, Rick Bayless’s most upscale restaurant. We were a bit nervous about bringing Jonathan, but they had a kid’s menu and he generally did really well.

Shortly after we were seated we were given a sort of guacamole amuse bouche with cucumber and jicama. The guacamole was fresh and flavorful with some sharp fresh chili flavor, and the vegetables were crisp and refreshing. And unlike the typical Mexican chips and salsa, this dish was not very filling, making it a perfect first course.

I ordered the Topolo Margarita (with Sauza Commerativo and Gran Torres) to start, which was a very good interpretation. Sarah had a carbonated limeade, which was quite good although a bit on the sweet side.

We started with a fish ceviche, which was outstanding. The fish was perfectly “cooked” by the citrus, and, as with almost all Bayless dishes, a sharp fresh (but not overpowering) spiciness … continue reading

On our recent trip to Chicago, Sarah and I stopped by XOCO, Rick Bayless’ take on Mexican street food, for breakfast. Sarah has been a Rick Bayless fan since before the Food Network was in existence, and we’ve always wanted to visit one of his restaruants. We were glad we did.

I ordered the open-faced torta with soft-poached egg and tomato broth ($4). The melding of flavors and textures was great. The sharpness of spicy hot peppers and acidic tomato was perfectly balanced by the saucy richness of the very soft egg. The only downside is that it’s hard to eat without a fork once the egg bursts.

Sarah ordered the chorizo-egg torta ($7.50), which was also excellent. All of the flavors–chorizo, egg, peppers, cheese and buttery avocado–melded well but were also distinct. The salsa verde on the side was a nice touch.

Jonathan’s amaranth granola and yogurt ($4) was also yummy, packed full of nuts as well as fresh and dried fruit. I was happy to eat what he couldn’t finish.

The “bean … continue reading