Postcard from Bunny: Dinner at Mesa Urbana

Bunny recently stopped into town for a brief visit, and determined as she has been to explore the suburbs this summer, she rounded up her friend Starr and headed into the Glenview/Northbrook area.  "Where should we eat?" Bunny questioned, knowing Starr was more familiar with the area than she was.  "Well, there's a lot of Asian food around here, specifically Korean, so if you're up for that..."  "I did just get back from Seoul, so I would love something a little different.  Say, aren't tacos all the rage in Chicago right now?  Maybe we can find an exciting Mexican restaurant."

After a short while of driving to and fro, the ladies settled on a new restaurant by the name of Mesa Urbana, a Mexican fusion spot concentrating on a variety of share plates and cocktails made from fresh and seasonal ingredients.  "Aside from the fact that I like the idea of fusion restaurants in general," said Bunny, "A place that encourages sharing is exactly what we need in order to taste as much as possible!"

Bunny and Starr started off with a couple of delicious margaritas in Strawberry Pineapple and Watermelon Lime.  Both were perfectly mixed with refreshing and fruity flavors that were fun and vibrant all at the same time.  Bunny especially liked that fresh fruit had been muddled into the drinks, reiterating the point that all of the drinks at Mesa Urbana were made with fresh juice and not from any mixes.  "Oh, these are the most dangerous kind of drinks," Bunny giggled, "I could easily have three or four of these without even realizing it!"

For their appetizers, Bunny and Starr ordered a trio of dishes to share, abiding by the old tea time rule of one for each and one for the table.  First up was the Calamari Frito, served with an intriguing mango sweet chili sauce.  The calamari was perfectly fried so as to be tender and not too chewy, but the sweet, tangy, spicy sauce is what really made the dish truly unique.  Next up, they sampled the Quesadilla De Huitlacoche, made with black bean relish, melty cheese, Mexican herbs, and a huitlacoche, a type of mushroom that grows on corn and has a flavor that resembled truffles.  Bunny and Starr found the quesadilla very earthy with an unexpectedly bitter note that wasn't entirely unwelcome.  The texture was crunchy and gooey all at the same time, as a good quesadilla should be, but still light and fresh.  Lastly, they split an Empanada, which was filled with leeks, artichoke hearts, cream cheese, and lobster.  The casing of the empanada was doughy and buttery, while the interior was creamy, decadent, and very flavorful.  Bunny was happy to see that this dish came served with a side of greens, which helped to brighten up the otherwise very rich empanada filling.

Moving on to entrees, they again obeyed the rule of three.  Wishing to see if the tacos in Northbrook measured up to the high standards of Chicago's booming taco scene, they first sampled the Pescado, or fish tacos, made with pan seared grouper and topped with pineapple relish, cabbage, avocado, and a caper ailoi.  The fish was wonderfully flaky and added to the party of textures in the tacos, from the crunchy cabbage, the juicy relish, and the smooth avocado.  "I always think the true judge of a good taco place is their fish taco," said Bunny, "And this one certainly passes that test!"  Next, they moved on to the Flautes De Pollo, a different style of taco made with chicken, potato, cabbage, avocado, and dressed with plum sauce and creme fraiche.  The flautes had a crispy texture and an over all smokey flavor, making this a more substantial and bold dish than the fresher and lighter fish tacos (a good counter part, Bunny thought).  Lastly, they tried the Camarones Tropical, a shrimp dish made with pineapple, blood orange juice, asparagus, and jasmine rice.  Bunny enjoyed the bright and citrusy flavor of the shrimp, which almost resembled a Chinese style sweet and sour sauce, and actually wished that the sauce had permeated the shrimp a little more.

Finally, Starr and Bunny decided to share a Lava Cake for dessert.  This decadent chocolate cake came topped with macerated cherries and a scoop of vanilla ice cream, adding even more richness to an already sinful plate.  The cherries actually helped to even out the dense chocolate cake quite nicely with a dose of tartness, giving it a sophisticated finish.

Aside from the fresh food and the killer cocktails, Bunny was impressed by the friendly and knowledgeable staff, the bright and vibrant decor, and the fact that the place was comfortable even when filled to the brim with customers ("It's rather impressive that they've managed to fill up a suburban restaurant on a weekday evening as well!" Bunny observed).  All in all, Mesa Urbana turned out to be a worthwhile excursion and one that Bunny will be excited to revisit in the future as it grows and evolves.  "Now," she said to Starr as they got back in the car, "Tell me about these Pokemon things everyone is chasing around."

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

Max and Benny's or Matzo Ball Soup for the Soul

The Slow and Savory Review

Brandy sometimes worries that her extensive brunching adventures have turned her into a brunch snob.  "There was a time when a simple omelette, a couple of strips of bacon, a buttered crumpet. and a cup of coffee was all I needed to satisfy my hunger, but now I seem to get personally offended if there isn't local vegetables in my eggs, the pedigree of the pig my bacon came from isn't spelled out on the menu, exotic fruit jam isn't on my crumpet, and a meal pairing suggestion isn't presented with my coffee.  Maybe I've become too spoiled by all these chefs vying for my attention and approval with their culinary magic tricks, their modern twists on classics, and their seasonal produce obsessions."

Expressing her fears to her friend Hawk, he had to agree that perhaps Brandy's palate had become too pampered.  "You need some good old comfort food.  A greasy spoon diner or a mom and pop bakery or an established family restaurant," he said, "Hey, that gives me an idea!  What would you say to a road trip out of the city to visit a beloved suburban Jewish deli and eatery?"  Brandy mulled this over.  "I just don't know if my sophisticated palate is up for that kind of thing any more," she admitted.  "We'll put it to the test then.  If you don't like this place I'm suggesting, then it may be true that you are forever ruined."

So Hawk and Brandy headed out to Max and Benny's, a 30 year old institution and bastion of good old fashioned Jewish comfort food.  The location was at the head of an unassuming strip mall with the deli at one end and the dining area at the other of the massive space.  Resisting the urge to spend all her money at the deli before they'd even been sat, Brandy took in the unassuming restaurant interior, which was already buzzing with tables full of regulars and the servers who knew them all by name.  "It's not the most glamorous place I've ever been," Brandy said, "But I can't deny that its already putting a smile on my face."  That smile expanded once they were seated and the pair were presented with a basket of fresh bread rolls, and as their waitress (who had been at Max and Benny's nearly 15 years) explained to them, all the bread was baked in house twice a day.

To start off their meal, Brandy eyed up an old favorite of hers, the Fried Matzo (otherwise known as Matzo Brei).  She put in an order for the plain version with onions, which also came served with a side of apple sauce, and was delighted to see the dish presented simply.  The matzo provided a nice slightly crunchy and chewy contrast to the eggs, while the sweetness of the onions was really brought out by an accompanying dunk in the apple sauce.  "Needs a bit of salt though," Hawk commented, to which Brandy pointed out that that issue could easily be overcome by ordering the version with salami the next time.

Hawk decided on the Grandpa's Favorite, with consisted of corned beef, pastrami, and chopped liver on rye bread with a side of cole slaw and a pickle.  The beef was perfectly spiced and melt-in-your-mouth tender, which Hawk really admired.  The liver was maybe a tad overwhelming in competition with the other meats, but it ultimately fit in quite nicely.  "Does liking this sandwich mean that I'm now officially an old man?" Hawk wondered.  "No, it means your tastes have finally reached full maturity," Brandy corrected him.

Brandy had picked the Veggie Breakfast Skillet with corn, mushrooms, green beans, potatoes, and cheese, topped off with two over easy eggs and a side of pancakes.  Not only did she get what she ordered, but the meal also came with a wedge of cantaloupe and two slices of fruit cake, meaning Brandy was overwhelmed with things to sample.  The pancakes had an inherent sweetness and denseness to them that actually made them perfect as a side dish ("I prefer my entree pancakes light and fluffy and my side pancakes substantial," as Brandy put it) and the fruit cake was moist and flavorful.  The skillet was jam packed with crisp veggies and melty cheese, Brandy especially liking that the potatoes at the base of the dish had a lovely crisp crust on them to add in a bit of extra texture variation.  "I never thought I'd been swooning over a plate of eggs, vegetables, and cheese, but... swooning I am, none the less," said Brandy.

Lastly, they finished off with a plate of Red, White, and Blue Blintzes.  The crepe that formed the foundation of the confections was perfectly thin and eggy, while the filling was plentiful.  The red (cherry) and blue (blueberry) blintzes were sweet, almost like the filling of a pie, and perfect with a scoop of sour cream to balance them out, while the white (cheese) was sweet, creamy, and utterly savorable.  "It almost tastes like cheese cake!" Hawk exclaimed in delight, this being the first ever blintz he had experienced.

Still taken with the incredible food at Max and Benny's Brandy rounded out her day by raiding the deli for bagels, brisket pot pies, noodle kuggels, and matzo ball soup to take home with her.  She had been fantastically charmed by the authentic food, done thoughtfully and with love, served by knowledgeable an hard working servers at a price point that was more than fair.  "I may still be a brunch snob," Brandy said as Hawk helped her to haul bags of food out of the restaurant, "But its good to know I can still recognize good food when I see it, no matter where it's being served.  I tell you, this place is enough to make an old city girl like me think about moving out to the suburbs!"

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

The Short and Sweet Review

Prairie Grass Cafe or Buddha of Suburbia

The Slow and Savory Review

As much as Brandy loves Chicago, sometimes she does feel the urge to get out of the city.  "The eternal convenience of urban living sometimes starts to make one feel claustrophobic," Brandy explained one day to her friend Starr, otherwise known as Chicago Foodie Girl, "I do occasionally long for the space and the quiet of the suburbs or the country, especially in the winter when cabin fever starts to take hold."  Agreeing, Starr suggested they perhaps head out on a little foodie road trip to clear their heads.

Starr's suggestion was immediately agreeable to Brandy; Prairie Grass Cafe in Northbook, a spot she had stopped into last year.  Having already flirted with the food of their executive chef, Sarah Stenger last month when she visited the indoor Evanston farmer's market, Brandy was rather excited to see her style of comfort food with high quality ingredients and simplified French techniques in its home setting.

Being used to city restaurants where space is at a premium, walking into the spacious Prairie Grass Cafe was a bit of a shock for Brandy.  At the front of the restaurant was a long bar, done in natural stones, which transitioned into the dining area.  The light was plentiful and warm with soft watercolor paintings on the walls, rich wood tables and chairs that matched the highly polished floors, and stunningly large light fixtures that gave everything a golden glow.

Brandy and Starr began with a pair of cocktails, of course; a Raspberry Mojito for Starr and a Nordic Nectar for Brandy.  Both drinks were crisp and fruity (Brandy's being a pineapple infused vodka) without being overly complicated.

To start off with, the ladies split an order of the special of the day, Banana Bread Stuffed French Toast.  The toast came served with a perfectly bisected banana that had a thin layer of caramelized sugar on it.  Brandy just loved the tiny crisp of the sugar on the banana, which was a special treat with the dense, soft banana bread.  The filing seemed to be a cream cheese, and though it was a little overwhelmed by the richness of the toast, it was still a welcome addition to the decadence.

Starr went for the Chiliquiles as her main course, which came served with guacamole and sour cream.  Though the guacamole had a wonderfully creamy consistency and the two eggs on top were prepared perfectly over easy, the shear amount of tortilla chips in the dish made the thing less traditional chiliquiles and more breakfast style nachos.  "As good as this is now, I would add a bit of pork or chicken, just some sort of meat to round it out a bit," Starr commented, and Brandy quite agreed.


Brandy decided on the Portobello Mushroom Benedict, a twist on the traditional dish using panko breaded mushroom caps in the place of English muffins.  Brandy simply adored the crunch of the mushrooms when combined with the perfectly poached eggs and some tender sauteed spinach.  The potatoes on the side were also done nicely, with a perfect crisp exterior and just a little hint of spice.  "It's been a long while since I saw a truly innovative Benedict," Brandy mused, "Being in my line of work, I sometimes get quite bored with endless attempts to re-invent the wheel, but every once in a while, you come across something like this and remember why re-invention is a wonderful thing."

Not ready to head back to the hustle and bustle of the city quite yet, Brandy and Starr picked a duo of chocolaty desserts; a slice of French Silk Pie and a Chocolate Muk Muk Cake.  Already well acquainted with Chef Stegner's pie making prowess from seeing her wares at the farmer's market, Brandy was excited to try her take on the classic chocolate pie topped with whipped cream, and she was hardly disappointed.  The crust was buttery and tender, the filling rich and creamy like the center of a truffle, and little curls of bittersweet chocolate were the literal icing on the cake.  The Muk Muk cake was essentially a lava cake with a rich, melty chocolate center that sent Starr and Brandy's eye rolling into the backs of their respective heads.

The relaxed and delicious brunch at Prairie Grass Cafe was just the thing Brandy needed to get her mind cleared and her stomach filled.  The prices seemed fair for the quality of the food and the friendly service combined with the warm atmosphere made Brandy feel she could take her time enjoying her meal, a feeling that sometimes gets lost in busier city restaurants, where table turn over is more prized than customer experience.  "Us city dwellers can get a little jaded when it comes to the suburbs, I think," Brandy mused, "But knowing there is good food to be found even outside of the city does make me want to give these places a bit more credit.  I think some more exploration is on the docket for 2016!"

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

The Short and Sweet Review