Mexique

Mexique
1529 W Chicago Ave

Here goes my first restaurant review. I owe everybody a warning: I'm neither a trained cook or journalist, just a plain aficionada. I guess in Chicago I could be considered a foodie, in Spain I would be considered normal. I like food, from the garden to the table setting, including the cooking process. And I feel at ease when I'm in my kitchen. I'm at my happiest. Which is how Carlos Gaytan must feel at his, otherwise his food wouldn't be as good as it is. I dine out often and there hasn't been a restaurant that caused such a good impression in a long time. The first thing being the space. From a Mexican-French restaurant you either expect your usual colorful decoration or some old fashion French. Mexique is none, it's a long sleek space, decorated with gusto and care, minimalist without feeling cold. It made us feel comfortable since we entered, despite the fact that our toddler was with us. They seemed kid friendly and accommodating from the beginning, which is welcomed in the quality restaurant circuit, where so many people are uptight at best regarding kids.
Our server was prompt to take our drink orders and bring them to the table. We were there for brunch, and the offerings were varied and original, as well as fulfilling. I order the Huarache de carne asada, and it was delicious. Riquísimo. The most tender carne asada I have ever tasted on a soft corn masa infused with rosemary. It melted in my mouth. And the chef respected my wishes. I like my meat well done, and he managed to do it without charring it or making it loose it's tenderness. Not an easy accomplishment, I can tell you. And the creme brulee we ordered for dessert was soft and delicate, as it should be, with a very fine cape of caramel con top. I loved it and I'm not a dessert person. I can't wait to go there for dinner. Hopefully, it will be soon, because the place is a keeper. Try it, because they deserve to stay around. And definite;ly bring your kids.

Restaurants

For a long time I have been writing random posts about parenting in this blog, and sometimes I review music or films. With the Fall approaching, and the purchase of my first lap top one month away, I would love to start doing this more often (now that I actually go to the movies :)) and add restaurant reviews. I have been looking around, and if I have found restaurant critic focused on kid friendliness, the subjects were family restaurants. I respect them and like them, but we like food too much to limit ourselves in that way. We have always liked cooking and eating out, and we included little L in our outings at the tender age of 2 months. Of course, we waited half a year to offer him food from our plates. Only in rare occasions he stays at home, like when we try to go on a date. Otherwise, he has been in Mexican, Indian, Italian, Chinese, Japanese, Ethiopian, Peruvian, German, French, Thai, Spanish and American restaurants. And in all of them he found something he liked. And it didn't come from the kids menu, from which we rarely order (why? It's basically Mac & Cheese and Chicken nuggets). At the age of three he is an adventurous eater who will try pretty much anything. His only pickiness is that he doesn't like cheese. But for me it was an acquired taste too, I didn't like it until five years ago.
Bottom line, I think it's totally OK to take kids to restaurants. But some restaurants don't agree, but don't worry, in the Chicago and Vitoria area, I will try to figure that out for you.
I'm also thinking about starting a blog in Spanish. Why not? I'm already taking two jobs, trying to go back to graduate school and taking care of my toddler and husband, so why not add something else in the mix, to give it a little shake? We'll see.

La Furia Roja

"¡Campeones, campeones, oé oé oé!" This is one of the chants we sang to the top of our lungs on Sunday. The other one would go "¡Yo soy español, español, español!" or ¡A por ellos, oé, a por ellos, oé!" And when Iniesta score the goal that gave us the victory I cried. I cried because we won, and I cried because as we did I was able to jump up and down wearing the Spanish national team's T-shirt, and scream "¡España!". And I was able to do all of this because I was in a bar in the middle of Chicago, 5000 miles from home. Back there, I would have never dared to do it. Where I come from, you don't display Spanish flag. You don't scream "¡Viva España!". You don't sing pasodobles. You don't walk down the street wearing your red and yellow T-shirt. You don't usually celebrate the victories of the national team. Where I come from, there is a beautiful land full of wonderful people and some snakes. And those snakes made it unbearable for me to live there. I don't want to live in a place where I cannot say what I think, as much as I miss it. I love going back there, because I haven't found yet a region more beautiful than mine, the Basque Country. If you haven't been there go without fear, it's an amazing experience, don't get me wrong. I love it, and because I love it so much it hurts even more that some people would say I'm not Basque enough. I am. But I am Spanish enough too. And today, still in disbelief like the rest of the country, I smile, because I was able to see on TV Spanish flags being flown in my hometown. That freedom made me happy. I hope we learn some more lessons from those humble kids who made history today. We need more Casillas, and Puyols, and Iniestas, and Villas, and Xabis and Xavis, who don't care that much where they come from, they just want to play well and defend their colors. And maybe, after they win, kiss their girlfriends.

De McDonalds y libre albedrío

Libre albedrío is the Spanish equivalent of personal choice, individual responsibility. We all know what McDonalds stands for in any language. Or don't we? I read in disbelief in the Chicago Tribune that several associations are trying to ban McDonals from giving toys with Happy Meals, and they even want to retire Ronald McDonald. How stupid are we getting? Do they really think McDonalds is responsible for childhood obesity? No, my friends, I don't think so. McDonalds doesn't put a gun on your head and make you eat a Big Mac. It's a choice you make. I make it some times, for that matter. My son loves the place, and we go once a month or so. I'm perfectly fine with that since he eats at least five pieces of fruit every day, milk, meat, fish, vegetables... He eats pretty much anything, and that's why I can go to McDonalds occasionally with a certain piece of mind. On top of that he is a firecracker who spends his days running, swimming, playing around... and yes, watching some TV.
The problem is not TV itself or big fast food chains. The problem is the amount, and that's within our control. The problem is the Big Mac followed by the mac and cheese, followed by the chicken nuggets followed by seven hours of TV. I have been extremely surprised to see how the same people who ban their kids from eating candy will serve them for dinner a gooey serving of the orangy stuff, or just pop processed food in a microwave.
If there is something I didn't adopt from the American way of raising kids, is the nutritional part. Since he was 1 Little L has eaten from whatever we eat. By age three, he eats pretty much everything but cheese, is adventurous about trying new exotic foods, and even helps me cook and plant vegetables and flowers. I want him to know where his food comes from. I was raised in the Spanish countryside, so I always did. And it does the trick. They will eat what they cook. But for that being possible, the parents have to cook in the first place. And stop blaming McDonalds for all of our culinary sins. I would be happy to post easy nutritious recipes that don't cost a fortune. And you can find cheap fine produce in many places, from Trader Joe's to Pete's to Mexican markets. Just give it a try. And enjoy your occasional Big Mac, Whopper, or the likes.