Foodie Fridays: Antique Taco Delivers Unique Fare, Berrymoon Opens Up 3rd Location, Milk & Honey/Publican Quality Meats' Butcher & Brewer Dinner

What can you expect from a storefront cafe in the West Town community of Wicker Park? A lot if it's Antique Taco.

C-Style was invited to sample the menu from the newly opened establishment (it opened on May 16th) serving authentic Mexican fare.

Ashley Ortiz, co-owner with husband Rick Ortiz, says "I knew incorporating antiques in the restaurant was a must."  The design of the space is quaint and intimate and the dishes are served on, well, antique dishes!

Rick Ortiz, a Kendall College graduate and former Executive Sous Chef for fine dining operations at Soldier Field, related that it is his goal to blend the freshest available foods from the Midwest with his Mexican heritage.

Monday afternoon, Ortiz didn't disappoint with a tasting menu featuring 10 of the restaurant's available dishes.

The stand-out dishes included the Market Mushroom Taco, ( Local Mushrooms, Garlicky Kale,
Pickled Escabeche, Cilantro Cream); Chilli Cheese Curds, (Chorizo Chili, Beer Battered Cheese Curds,
Crema Fresca, Scallions); Meatball Mole', (Chicken, Mole Poblano, Bolillo Bread,
Giardinera, Queso Fresco);  Antique Taco Salad, (Kale, Daily Picks, Spicy Peanuts, Queso Fresco, Cranberries, Sesame, Cilantro, Corn Chips Pomegranate Vinaigrette); Guacamole and Chips, and for dessert, Abuelita's Pop Tart filled with Mexican Chocolate and Marshmallow, and served with a side of Vanilla Ice Cream.

One of the signature cocktails, Rosemary's Margarita (Tequila, Fresh Lime Juice, Fresh Orange Juice, Rosemary Simple Syrup), also deserves mention.

If you are looking for a nice afternoon of flavorful eating or a late-night dinner with friends or family, Antique Taco offers a place to kick-back, enjoy yourself, and maybe find an antique treasure or two!

For dining hours, menu selections, and more information about Antique Taco, go here.

Fro-Yo chain Berrymoon is expanding, set to open their third location on May 19, 2012, in the former Twist N’ Twirl space located at 111 W. North Avenue in Chicago’s Old Town neighborhood.

In celebration of the new location, Berrymoon is throwing a huge Grand Opening Party on May 26, 2012 and inviting the whole neighborhood to join in on the festivities. Berrymoon is strategically using their already popular social media streams, Facebook, Foursquare and Twitter, to ensure the opening party engages hundreds of frozen yogurt lovers! 
 

Berrymoon will open at 10 a.m., with games and giveaways throughout the day. Highlights of the day to include live tweeting/Facebooking, as well as the following:

• Guess the Weight of your Fro-Yo: From 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Berrymoon will play “Guess the Weight of your Froyo.” Customers who guess within +/- 1 oz. of their creation will receive 50% off of their frozen yogurt purchase. 
• Free Fro-Yo!: From 5 p.m. – 9 p.m., Berrymoon customers will receive FREE frozen yogurt (up to 8 ounces).
• Foursquare: Throughout the day, customers who check-in on Foursquare and use the hashtag #BerrymoonOldTown will be entered to win a $5 Berrymoon gift card. Berrymoon will choose 10 winners, notified via Twitter.
• Twitter:  Followers are encouraged to tweet a photo of their Berrymoon Froyo to @Berrymoon_Froyo! Berrymoon will select 10 winners to receive a $5 Berrymoon gift card, winners announced via Twitter.

Facebook Fro-Yo Creation: Customers are invited to imagine the ultimate Froyo treat by creating a name for their favorite mix of flavors and toppings and posting it on the Berrymoon Facebook Page. Berrymoon will choose 5 of the top creations and allow people to vote for their favorites on Facebook. The top 3 winners will receive a $5 Berrymoon gift card.

Heads up!  Justin and Craig from Big Star and Cosmo from Publican Quality Meats will be cooking burgers at Milk & Honey Cafe (1920 W Division St # 1) Monday, May 21st from 6pm - 10pm. This will serve as a test-run for the Publican Quality Meats Burgers, Bourbon, & Beer night slated for Tuesdays at Publican Quality Meats starting June 5th. 

First come, first served. No substitutions.

BURGERS
Publican Quality Meats Signature Burger - Spicy dill relish, PQM special sauce, caramelized red onion, Bongard’s Creamery American sharp cheese, $10

Milk and Honey Café Burger - Hand crafted with slow roasted plum tomato, bacon and Salemville Gorgonzola spread, $10

All burgers are cooked medium and served on a potato bun with little gem lettuce and house-cut french fries with garlic butter and parsley


SIDES
Smoky Macaroni and Cheese, $4.00
Apple, Carrot and Cabbage Slaw with Creamy Cider Dressing, $3.00

DESSERT
Ice Cream Sandwich with Lemon Sugar Cookie and House-made Strawberry Ice Cream, $3.50

BEER (Greenbush Brewery, Sawyer Michigan)
Beer Buckets, $15 (4)
Single bottles, $3.50

 


Photo credits: Antique Taco courtesy of Antique Taco