El Rey de Chicago

When it comes to Mexican food, Rick Bayless is the King of Chicago! And his throne sits at the corner of Illinois and Clark Streets, where his 3 restaurants are side by side. I LOVE Mexican food. I think I could eat it every day. And I've always liked Rick, but after last night's meal at Topolobampo, I might be in love! He earned the title Top Chef Master for good reason - his food is phenomenal! And the 3 month wait was well worth it (seriously).

All 4 courses were fabuloso, so I will highlight them all! I started out with the Summer Margarita: Cazadores blanco tequila, fresh-squeezed lime juice, organic cane syrup and muddled organic cucumber, which was shaken at the table. It tasted like a day at the spa (if you drink tequila at the spa!)

The Trio, Trio, Trio of Ceviche was super fresh and oh so yummy!  Of the 3 (which were all excellent) our fave was the Ceviche Fronterizo: Lime-marinated Hawaiian albacore with tomatoes, olives, cilantro and green chile. Up next was the Ensalada de Jitomate: An heirloom tomato salad with lime-pickled tomatillos, watermelon, gelatinous cubes of cucumber, ricotta, a tiny quail egg and tequila-piloncillo vinegar. This was so fresh and light, I could have eaten a dozen more plates of it!

The Queso Fundido de Requeson: A lighter version of the traditional Queso Fundido, made with ricotta cheese, topped with roasted tomatillo salsa, caramelized  onions, serrano chile, cilantro and served with hand-made corn tortillas. This was so tasty, my boyfriend had to hold me back from licking the plate.

And finally on to the entrees… It would be a sin to dine at Topolobampo and not try the mole, so I had to order the Borrego en Mole Negro: pan-roasted lamb , topped with classic Oaxacan black mole (this sauce contains 29 ingredients!). When the dish was presented to me, I didn’t realize that the mole was poured on the plate after it is presented to you. I about had a heart attack thinking they brought out the wrong dish! After the sauce was poured, I was able to relax and enjoy one of the best things ever. It so was delicious, I can't stop thinking about it! T ordered the Langosta al Mojo Blanco y Negro: Mojo-poached Maine lobster, black & white garlic mojo and black & white rice. This was just as enjoyable, but still, I sensed a little jealousy from across the table as I was enjoying my mole goodness.

For dessert we ordered the Pastel de Tres Leches con Cerezes y Cerveza. Our server described it as beer and chocolate on a plate. Hello! The cake was infused with three milks, topped with sweet cherries, malty chocolate porter ice cream, beer caramel and pickled tart cherries. It all sounds quite heavy, but it was truly light and amazing.  No joke, it was simply outstanding and may be one of the best desserts I have ever had. Now, this plate we literally licked clean (with our fingers at least!)

If only Rick was there for me to profess my love for him. Hopefully next time.

Topolobampo
445 North Clark St.
(312) 661-1434
http://www.rickbayless.com/restaurants/topolobampo.html