By Michael Philippi
Ungaretti & Harris • Restaurant Critic
One of the many problems with "The Situation," not counting the fact that he is part of the crew that ruined Seaside Heights, N.J., is that he gave himself his own nickname and you can't really do that. That's sort of the same reason that a restaurantthat calls itself "fusion" is immediately suspect.
Real fusion — the melding of two entirely different styles of cooking or use of spices — is really hard to find and even harder to do right. Vermilion, with Maneet Chauhan's amazing take on India meets Latin America, is a classic example of fusion done right. But she doesn't call her place fusion and neither does Carlos Gaytan when his Mexican heritage and style combine with classic French to create combinations of tastes at Mexique that might seem a little more familiar and approachable than Maneet's, but are every bit as special, unique and delicious.
This narrow, modern, 70-seat spot on Chicago Avenue — fast becoming the new foodie corridor — is warm and friendly, open for lunch and dinner and should be on your must-try list. Good, well-priced, nice big pours of interesting wines, house-made sangrias and Mexican beers are served in this deep room with exposed brick, a warm, family feeling and a soundtrack that floats from Spanish to French jazzy cuts imperceptibly.
Something as simple as French onion soup takes on a new, welcomed turn with smokey, roasted poblano peppers and a firm, but not crazy, gooey hand on the Gruyère cheese. Appetizers included mejillones, a heaping bowl of fresh, meaty mussels with little chunks of dried chorizo bathed in a saffron beurre blanc sauce that was light and flavorful enough to drink straight. Sopes de chorizo turned out to be flaky, crusted, silver dollar-sized rounds of pastry holding up a mix of black beans, chorizo, sour cream and a little jalapeño relish that had only the slightest bite.
But best in appetizer show hands down goes to tinga de pollo — shredded chicken on little corn tostadas with chipotle heat and crème fraiche cool. The spicing was a harbinger for the rest of the meal — enhancing instead of overpowering. Chef Carlos has an amazing knack for getting the heat just right. He's not afraid to use scary stuff either — like cochinita pibil, which is tequila/achiote braised pork shoulder on a banana leaf relished with habanero pico de gallo. Ever try to cook with habanero? It takes the practiced touch of a pro to pull out that unique habanero flavor without sending your guests running to the water spigot. Carlos is a pro.
The lunch menu also includes two huaraches, one with a zillion chunks of sweet, fresh shrimp, thyme with a guajillo salsa — again, lots of flavor, a little heat and the other a big rich portion of melt-in-your-mouth flank steak bites over spinach, black beans doused in a crazy rich and yummy goat cheese sauce. Both come on top of an oval, pancake-size corn masa that was advertised to be bacon infused, but just slightly.
The masa was delicious, but served more as an edible platform for the dish than an accompaniment.
Dessert starts with big mugs of fresh, hearty coffee. Choose the Grand Marnier crème brulee, a caramelized crust covering creamy, fresh custard. Or the apple tart, which was a warm, little sombrero-shaped, sugar-crusted pastry — think elephant ear — with Granny Smith tart and caramel sweet with, of course, just the right-sized little dollop of ice cream.
Mexique is just terrific fusion, hell, just terrific food, maybe a little off the beaten path, but not far enough to matter.
Traveler's tip: I had to go to Houston last week and Houston has a problem. Between the overdone air conditioning and horrific outside air, I just can't stand it. Plus most of the "nice" restaurants are in malls, so what does that tell you? So if you have to go to Houston, make it bearable by taking a couple of hours and driving south to Galveston, a gulf beach town that has been through enough stuff that the locals are tough, friendly and definitely not sweating the small stuff. Think New Orleans with a drawl. Eat at The Spot when you go. Tiki bar ambience — cold beer and great low-brow food from hearty burgers to oyster po' boys and this crazy good thing called shrimp kisses — big, fresh shrimp, wrapped in bacon and stuffed with pepper jack cheese. Have some fish tacos with them, look over the dog-friendly beach with the waves crashing and you are in a whole new world.
Lagniappe: OK, if you can't go to Galveston, at least get out of the Galleria and go to a gastro pub called the Big Red Cock (relax, it's about a rooster). Great craft beers on tap, friendly staff and a strong, locally inspired menu with such gems as panko fried oysters put back in their shell, but after adding spinach and magic sauce. Roasted chicken comes moist and crispy on a bed of asparagus swimming in bacon — and jalapeño-infused maple syrup — didn't see that coming, but sure am gonna try it at home.
Pleadings:
Mexique
1529 W. Chicago Ave., Chicago
312-850-0288
Court costs:
Appetizers: $7 to $12
Entrees: $18 to $29
Verdict:
Four Gavels