720 N State Street, Chicago, IL 60654
Items ordered:
- Tetela (stuffed triangle-shaped corn masa, chicken tinga, sour cream, creamy chipotle, queso fresco)
- Costillas De Res (braised short ribs, tomato, onion, charred avocado, brussels sprouts, blend of guajillo & ancho chiles)
I was in Chicago on a work trip, and had a rare off night with no plans. I decided to check out Tzuco, one of the restaurants of chef Carlos Gaytán, who competed on Top Chef. The style of cuisine here could probably best be described as contemporary Mexican. It was incredible, and I only wish I got to try a few more of the dishes.
I booked a spot at the Kitchen counter. This is already a unique experience, as it’s right next to the kitchen, and I had a view directly into seeing the preparation of all the food. I could clearly see the various stations, with one chef focusing on salads and ceviche, another two just focused on cooking proteins, and the one right in front of me finished and plated all the dishes. Because the plater was so close, I got a firsthand view of pretty much every single dish that the restaurant serves. The chefs were incredible, working at a breakneck pace. Every dish looked absolutely perfect heading out to the tables.
The one dish that looked absolutely stunning, but I didn’t order, was the mussels. It had a beautiful looking saffron-based broth, and all these little accoutrements like sautéed onions and pickled jalapeños. I was wearing slightly fancier clothing, and I didn’t want to get that broth all over my shirt.
The server was very friendly, and gave me a rundown of the menu. She politely tried to dissuade me from ordering both an appetizer and a large main, but I told her I had been fasting all day, and I was ready to take in some calories. She ended up talking me into the Tetela, a stuffed corn masa, and the Short Rib. Apparently the other proteins that the restaurant is really known for are the Cochinita Pibil (pork shank) and Barbacoa (lamb neck). My second choice was the pork shank, but ultimately I decided I’d rather have a beef main than a pork. Also, I regularly make slow cooked short rib, so I was curious how an elite restaurant would treat it.
The Tetela was served first, and, oh my, it was just a total flavor bomb. I normally don’t like queso fresco and sour cream, but I decided to just eat everything, including the sauces, the corn shell, and the chicken filling, in one bite, and it was heaven. I completely cleaned the plate. The red chipotle sauce was probably the best part of the plate for me, although the masa itself was really good too.
The main was the short rib, which was absolutely stunning. First of all, I got to see the protein by itself resting in the kitchen prior to them plating it. It is a HUGE piece of meat. It was accompanied by some flour tortillas, charred avocado, a tomatillo-based salsa, some pickles, fresh herbs, and a pinto bean puree. I wanted to get everything into one bite, so I made tacos for everything. It was some of the best tasting food I’ve had, but with more acidity and more spiciness than I’m used to (in a good way!). The short rib was so tender and unctuous, the best kind of fatty. And every little thing served its purpose. The green salsa was really good, and the charred avocado in particular just added another layer of richness and fattiness to the short rib.
I cleaned the whole plate for the short rib also, and at that point, I was probably pushing 3,000 calories. I didn’t even look at the dessert menu, although I’m sure it would’ve been good also. If given the chance, I’d love to come back and try a few other dishes, especially the mussels and the lamb neck barbacoa.
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