La Fonda del Gusto has a secret. Psst, it’s the desserts. The head chef here had a previous life as a pastry chef and it shows. The ice cream sandwiches are like amped up versions of those DQ tasties featuring cake cookies on either side of vanilla ice cream – only better. The apples marinated with brandy are staggeringly yummy, making the most of the intertwining flavors and textures to be had when juicy marinated apples are floated on a light bed of custard in a fried pastry shell then drizzled with raspberry. Oh, and anything that involves a fried tortilla here just shines.
Yet La Fonda del Gusto is primarily about the business of being a casual, affordable sit-down Mexican restaurant, several notches above your typical taco joint, but several notches below gourmet Mexican, staking their claim in the same general territory as local favorites Las Palmas and Adobo Grill, yet transcending neither of those – except perhaps in the area of dessert.
The brainchild of husband and wife team Lisa Lee and Jose Palomino, the restaurant sits in the same Milwaukee Avenue location that used to house Taqueria y Restaurant el Gusto. Owned for 15 years by Lee’s aunt, the former incarnation was a less ambitious storefront that catered to the takeout crowd and appealed to penny pinching bohemians.
The current edition is slightly more upscale but is at pains not to put off the devotees of its forerunner. Thus, La Fonda del Gusto is BYOB and intends to stay that way. Actually, it’s really quite convenient since the 7-Eleven is right next door with a selection of beer and wine and the restaurant sets out a cup bristling with bottle openers in the waiting area so you don’t have to go searching around for waitstaff to get cracking, and there is no corkage fee.
One might think that an Asian/Mexican team would produce fusion cuisine, but Lee and Palomino stick strictly to the Mexican playbook. Here you’ll find the usual tacos, tortas, burritos and char-broiled chicken, but things are lifted to another level with more ambitious fare like Tamiquena, a grilled inner skirt steak topped with ancho chili butter and paired with roasted poblano cheese enchilada. The tequila lime prawns sautéed in spicy tequila-lime infused butter are likewise auspicious and certainly beyond the run-of-the-mill but not notably better than similar fare found at Adobo.
As a gauge of quality, a head-to-head comparison of the ceviche served at Adobo, Las Palmas and La Fonda would not redound to La Fonda’s advantage. They skimp on the shellfish and overdo the cilantro and salsa. What’s more, La Fonda’s décor is somewhat ho-hum compared to its competitors. Warm earth tones in a modern room accented with wood and copper lack the stylish appeal of the rivals, especially since the walls are denuded of pictures, making it seem almost unfinished.
But if La Fonda fails to outshine the competition for décor and entrees it triumphs when it comes to warmth and sincerity. The restaurant is family run with three generations contributing and all hands present. That genuine determination to please comes through, making La Fonda del Gusto a nice place to eat. You might even say it's kind of sweet.
Those fans of Mexican food who have a sweet-tooth will find La Fonda del Gusto sweet in all the right ways.
La Fonda del Gusto
1408 N. Milwaukee
773-278-6100 / Reservations Accepted
Hours: 3pm-11pm daily
Features: BYOB, carryout, private party facilities
Avg price of a meal for two including tax $50
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