By Raymond Ward, Chicago Crusader
Although the weather may not be frightful….yet… but inside the Ixcateco Grill it’s delightful.
Chef/owner of the Ixcateco Grill, located at 3402 West Montrose in the Albany Park neighborhood, Anselmo Ramirez has created five delicious new dishes that honor the authenticity of delicious central and southwestern Mexican cuisine….and you know just the mention of food will send me from one end of Chicago to the next.
New appetizers are the Ensalata de la Casa featuring cherry tomatoes, almonds, Cincho Queso and a crispy corn tortilla in a lemon dressing over a bed of mixed greens ($7); and the Queso Fundido, melted Chihuahua cheese, sauteed vegetables or wood grilled chicken, poblano rajas and molcajete sauce ($9).
The new main dishes include the Salmon en Crema, wood grilled salmon in a tomatillo cream sauce over white rice, plantains and microgreens ($19); and the Pozole de Camarones, wood grilled shrimp in a hominy stew with crab, cabbage, radishes and oregano ($20).
For mole lovers seeking something warm and zesty, the New York Strip a la Mexicana, wood grilled New York Strip Steak in a mole agostadeno sauce with chunky mashed potatoes, dried fruit and garnished with sesame seeds ($23), will more than satisfy that craving.
These dishes round out Ixcateco Grill’s menu, which still includes crowd favorites, Pollo en Mole Negro, roasted chicken served in black mole, accompanied by chunky garlic mashed potatoes ($17), and the Carne Asada, adobo marinated wood grilled skirt steak served with a tomato Molcajete sauce, black beans and guacamole ($18).
Ixcateco Grill is an intimate casual Mexican restaurant featuring authentically prepared dishes and BYO is encouraged. Dinner is served from 5 p.m. to 10 p.m. on Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday and Sunday, and from 5 p.m. to 10:30 p.m. on Friday and Saturday. Brunch is served from 10 a.m. to 2:30 p.m., on Saturday and Sunday. The restaurant is closed on Mondays. Ample street parking is available and all major credit cards are accepted. Reservations are highly recommended and for reservations please call 773-539-5887 or visit the website at ixcatecogrill.com to make online reservations.
