Fab Review: Lunch at Quiote

Quiote is a new, contemporary Mexican restaurant in Logan Square and features a seasonal menu serving regional Mexican cuisine. I always drove past the location, which used to be a bakery right off the highway. As soon as I saw a new restaurant open in that space, I knew I had to go try it.

Quiote offers something for everyone as they open early in the morning as a café as well as lunch in the afternoon and the back half of the restaurant opens up at night for dinner. There is also an underground mezcal bar on the lower level focusing on artisanal spirits.

{Ambiance}
When you first walk in, you will notice a wall of various types of alcohol as decoration. The restaurant has a minimalist design with potted plants hanging from the ceiling.

Past the wall of alcohol, is the counter where you can order coffee and Mexican pastries in the morning. The front half of the restaurant is a café in the morning beginning at 7 a.m. From 11 a.m. to 3 p.m., the space doubles as a counter-service restaurant that also serves coffee and cocktails.

FAB TIP: Serves Sparrow Coffee with a special blend made just for Quiote.

The café part of the restaurant is an open and cozy space with a few high-top tables lined up against the windows. There is also a green tiled bar along the counter with a few bar stools. There are a few more bar stools lined up against a second small counter at the front of the restaurant for extra seating. Beyond the café area is a more formal, yet casual dining space for dinner.

{Food}
I went to Quiote for lunch and the lunch menu is straightforward and simple. It consists of tacos, tortas (Mexican sandwiches), and pozole.

FAB TIP: Closed on Tuesdays.

Taco de Camarones
The Taco de Camarones (shrimp taco) was served on a corn tortilla with large marinated shrimp. Some restaurants that serve shrimp tacos just give you a couple tiny pieces of shrimp, but not at Quiote. The big shrimps were topped with onion, cilantro, and pineapple. I really enjoyed the addition of the pineapple as it added a hint of sweetness.

Taco de Pollo
The Taco de Pollo (chicken taco) was also served on a corn tortilla with braised chicken, guajillo salsa, onion, and cilantro. The salsa was a little spicy but its nutty taste added a lot of flavor to the taco.

Torta Ahogada
The Torta Ahogada, which is a Mexican-style sandwich on thick-cut bread, was my favorite dish. I grew up eating tortas so I thought this was a great updated version of one of my childhood favorites. The torta was made with pork and onion and dipped in a generous amount of tomato guajillo broth. The sauce was delicious and paired well with the flavor of the pork.

FAB TIP: You can choose to have it made with pork or chicken.

Mollete
The Mollete is an open-faced Mexican sandwich topped with black beans, queso fresco, onion, and cilantro. Although the black beans had good flavor, the onion overpowered the overall flavor of the sandwich. Traditionally, a mollete is flavored by a thick layer of beans with spice added to it. In this case, the layer of beans was too thin and could have been improved with more flavor.

Ensalada Fresca
The Ensalada Fresca was very flavorful and topped with a roasted serrano vinaigrette. It also had chicories, cilantro, and queso fresco. It had a hint of spice, which I really enjoyed since you don’t usually find that in a salad.

FAB TIP: The salad comes in a small and large size. The small size is still quite large and is pictured above.

Celery Shrub Cocktail
Quiote features wine, beer, and cocktails with an extensive selection of mezcal. I chose the Celery Shrub Cocktail, which was made with mezcal, mango vinegar, celery, lime peel, and Hawaiian sea salt. The cocktail was strong and well-made, but still light and refreshing. It had a strong scent of celery without having an overpowering taste. Mezcal usually has a very distinct flavor so I was pleasantly surprised that this one wasn’t and was also on the sweeter side. It also had a sweet/tangy taste to it.

{Experience}
I was very impressed by the flavors of the food at Quiote and definitely want to go back to check out the dinner menu. Not only is the food delicious with traditional and creative flavors, but the atmosphere is also warm and inviting.

{Location}
Quiote
Logan Square || 2456 N California Ave, Chicago, IL || P: (312) 878-8571

{Price Range}
$$ ($11-$36)

{Fab Rating: 4 Fabs}

Have you been to Quiote yet? What are your thoughts? Share below.

Eat, Eat, Repeat,
Lisette

Note: This meal was not complimentary. The views and opinions expressed herein are those of the writer.