Ixcateco Grill: Revisit

Because of her busy schedule, it's rare that Brandy can make time to visit a restaurant more than once, so when she does, it's a good indication of just how good the place must be. This was the case when she found out that one of her favorite discoveries from last year, Ixcateco Grill, had revamped their brunch menu of authentic Mexican staples and new innovations. Ixcateco picked up all sorts of accolades last year for being one of the best new restaurants in town, even expanding their brunch service into Saturdays as well as Sundays to accommodate their ravenous fans. "I know a good brunch when I see one, and I certainly saw one there," says Brandy, "I'll be interested to see what, if any, improvements have been made to an already stellar menu." And so, she brought along her friend Bailey Blue (promising her one of the best cups of coffee she would ever have) and headed to Albany Park to see what wonders Chef Anselmo Ramirez had in store.

The meal started off with some classic Queso Fundido. This version had been dotted with bits of crispy house made chorizo, which not only made for a lovely contrast in texture to the stretchy Chihuahua cheese, but also gave everything a smokey flavor and a touch of heat. It also came topped with some pickled cactus, which added a nice brightness to the otherwise rich and indulgent dish. Brandy and Bailey had a grand old time piling the cheese mixture into some of the house made tortillas, so much so that they quickly ran out of them and had to borrow chips from the basket on her table to make sure every cheesy bite was consumed.

Next, Brandy and Bailey lightened things up with the house salad, or the Ensalada de la Casa. This version consisted of mixed greens topped with cherry tomatoes, almonds, Cincho queso, crispy corn tortilla strips, and a lemon dressing. The whole affair was quite crisp and refreshing, especially after the decadence and heat of the queso fundido, and Bailey rather liked how the tortilla strips added a nice crunch to each mouthful. Brandy actually found the salad a little disappointing, not because it wasn't good, but because it didn't seem as inspired as the rest of the menu. "It's just a run of the mill salad," she said with a sigh, "Lovely in it's own way, but not very inspired or interesting. I suppose I just have high flavor expectations, knowing what this place is capable of."

Bailey ordered the Huevos Motulenos for her main course, which was an interesting sounding hash made from black beans, green beans, ham, queso fresco, and plantains, topped with a fried egg and a Molcajete Sauce. "What is Molcajete Sauce?' Bailey had asked Brandy when she was trying to decide which dish to get. "It's a tomato based sauce prepared with a mortar and pestle," Brandy replied (after covertly Googling the answer on her phone). The dish certainly had a nice roasted tomato flavor with a little tang and a little sweetness. Bailey loved all the various textures of the ingredients blending together to make each bite unique. Her special favorite on the plate was the caramelized plantains, which she had to scoot to the center of her plate to keep Brandy from stealing bites of them.

Brandy had picked the Enchiladas de Mole Negro, which came slathered in a black mole sauce and filled with slow roasted pulled chicken meat. Brandy just loved the deep flavor of the black mole, which had a slow heat that really lent itself to the overall flavor, rather than impairing it. The chicken inside the enchiladas was very tender indeed, but Brandy felt it could have used a little something else to add some textural variety. "Regardless, this mole is so delicious that I barely care what it's covering," said Brandy.

Pleased to see that Ixcateco Grill was continuing to chug along in the right direction with their home style authentic Mexican dishes. "Wait, we can't leave yet," said Bailey as Brandy was gathering up her coat and purse. "You can't still be hungry?" Brandy questioned her friend. "I'm not," said Bailey,"But I do need another cup of that amazing coffee!"

The writers of this blog were invited to dine at the restaurant free of charge in exchange for an honest review.

Ixcateco Grill or Grill Master of the Universe

The Slow and Savory Review


Brandy has had a rough time getting in gear for 2016.  Perhaps it was the long holiday weekend that threw her off.  Perhaps it was two weeks of eating nothing but cookies and fruit cake for breakfast.  Or perhaps it was the sudden deep plunge of the weather into freezing territory.  Whatever it is, Brandy has simply been in a funk for a good majority of the year so far.  "I just feel like... I need a bit of color in my life," she sighed, "Like everything has suddenly gone a bit grey a lifeless.  Well, only one thing for it; when the world starts feeling colorless, its time to get outside and paint the town red!  And when I think red, I think spice.  I think its time for some Mexican inspired brunch."

Journeying into Albany Park, Brandy headed for Ixcateco Grill, where chef and owner Anselmo Ramirez recently began serving a brunch consisting of authentic home style Mexican favorites.  When he was 14, Chef Ramirez saw Rick Bayless on Spanish television and became determined to work for him.  Starting out as a dish washer, he worked his way up through the ranks to Sous Chef.  Over a decade working in the kitchens of Rick Bayless taught Chef Ramirez everything he needed to know about opening up his own restaurant, but success hasn't made him forget his roots.  Dealing in Mexican comfort food, Chef Ramirez combines his skills as a grill master with traditional recipes, all made from scratch, right down to the tortillas his parents help prepare daily.

Brandy was immediately put into a good mood by the bright and colorful interior, featuring original Aztec inspired art.  The atmosphere is was relaxed and comfortable, highlighted with retro mariachi music, which gave one the feeling of being able to have an un-rushed dining experience.  The dark wood and highly polished tables were beautifully uncomplicated amid the vibrant color scheme.

Brandy started off her brunch with what she thought would be a simple cup of coffee.  The coffee at Ixcateco, however, had actually been spiced up a bit with cinnamon and orange peel, which Brandy just adored.  "How can you not love that little bit of extra effort with something a lot of other places don't even think about?" she commented.

A complimentary basket of chips and salsa was quickly delivered to Brandy's table, so she decided to put in an order for the house guacamole as well.  The guacamole had a nice creamy texture with lots of big chunks of avocado.  The flavor was perfectly fresh with just a tiny hint of spice, exactly how Brandy likes her guac.  "There is a tendency for the authentic flavors of Mexican food to be adjusted to an American palate by over using spice," Brandy mused, "But this is as it should be.  A slight bit of heat used to enhance the ingredients, rather than mask them."

Moving on to some more vegetation, Brandy ordered the Ensalada de Betabel, a mix of beets, watercress, and jicama with goat cheese, candied pecans, and an orange scented dressing.  The earthy salad was much like the interior of the restaurant; a vibrant mix of colors and textures that was all at once rich, bright, and exciting.  Brandy especially loved how the crunch of the nuts mixed with the crisp veggies and the creamy goat cheese to make each bite a little different.  "I suppose this isn't what one would normally expect when ordering a salad, but it makes for such a refreshing change of pace!" as Brandy put it.

For the main event, Brandy went for the Chilaquiles Rojos, served with a side of black beans.  The deeply flavored red sauce was incredibly scrumptious, and even though there was plenty of it covering the tortilla chips that made up the main part of the dish, they somehow magically stayed crisp all throughout the eating of the meal.  Brandy also loved that the queso fresco had been used sparingly, insuring it remain an accent of the dish when others might have been tempted to make it a feature.  The beans on the side had a lovely, creamy texture to them that paired wonderfully with the crunchy chilaquiles.

"I do so love a meal that leaves me feeling refreshed and inspired!" Brandy proclaimed as she scraped the last bit of sauce from her plate.  Alongside friendly service and very reasonable prices, it was the care and thought that went into the simple dishes that Brandy really appreciated.  "It's meals like this that make one want to go out into the world and paint a picture or write a story or stitch the greatest quilt anyone's ever seen!  Just goes to show that comfort food from anywhere in the world when done right can do amazing things for the soul."

The writers of this blog were invited to dine at the restaurant free of charge in exchange for an honest review.

The Short and Sweet Review