Adobo Grill is part of a small chain of restaurants scattered throughout Illinois and Indiana specializing in a bright, vivacious Mexican cuisine that is as far from Tex Mex as dolphins are from donkeys. The tableside guacamole, made on the spot with the theatrical flourish of a Benihana knife juggler, is a must-have for first timers. It helps get you into the spirit of things and introduces you to the fresh, tropical cuisine that is its signature.
Try the tasting plate of three ceviches. The Marinated Tilapia Ceviche is a cool, zesty treat that will transport you to the Mexican seaside. Classic Acapulco Shrimp Ceviche deftly combines cilantro with citrus to waken your tastebuds. And Ahi Tuna Ceviche toasted in guajillo with avocado and orange relish is crisp and scrumptious. Put it all together with a Cuervo margarita and you will come as close to traveling without a passport as is possible in a restaurant.
Stay with dishes that combine rather than blend ingredients. Look for anything that features Pico de Gallo without overwhelming it. The Sapitos, which are crispy corn masa coins with chorizo, potatoes, avocado and queso fresco, also include Pico de Gallo, but you would never know it. The flavor is muted by the combination of heartier flavors in the dish. By the same token, take a wide berth around dishes that lean too heavily on brown sauces. The introduction of mole tends to overwhelm the delicate citrusy flavors that are the bellwether of this cuisine.
You are on firmer ground with the antojitos (appetizers). You can make a grazing meal of several of these. When you embark on the platos Fuertes (the entrees) you enter a different culinary regime reliant almost exclusively on pork, chicken and beef, heavier flavors all with hardly a nod in the direction of the wonderfully zesty salsas and seafood you started with.
Some concoctions simply don’t work. We had the Sopa de Almendra, a guajillo flavored toasted almond soup garnished with duck leg carnitas and panela cheese and were underwhelmed. The flavors coalesced into single rich broth that while toothsome all but vanquished the piquant flavors we’d grown accustomed to from the antojitos.
Dishes with black beans sustain the magic better. The Quesadillas stuffed with huitlacoche, cheese and guacsalsa were surprisingly good. Indisputably a cut above the usual quesadillas, the black beans balanced perfectly with the cheese to make for a savory treat. Again, the flavors combined rather than blended.
The service at Adobo in Wicker Park is always enthusiastic and reliable and has elicited favorable comments from us in the past. The room is airy and spacious with exposed brick walls and colorful Frida Calo paintings. And they have sidewalk café with a prime location at the corner of Damen and Division.
In a neighborhood with so many outstanding independent restaurants, a chain may be looked askance at. But as far as chains go, Adobo Grill never flirts with mediocrity. It is a superior Mexican restaurant. Think light and zesty and eschew the heavy brown sauces and meats. Think fish, vegetables and citrus and you will be transported.
Adobo Grill
2005 W. Division
773-252-9990 / Reservations Accepted
Hours: M-Th 5:30pm-10pm; F-S 5:30pm-11pm; Su 5:30pm-9:30pm / Brunch: Su 11am-3pm
Features: Sunday brunch, Outdoor Dining, Carryout
Avg. Price of a Meal for two including drinks and tax $85
Chef: Freddy Sanchez
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