As the winter has stretched on, and on, and ... on, we've been searching for dining options that make us think of warmer days. Setting up a lawn chair in the apartment and drinking pina coladas doesn't quite count. So when a friend of Chicagoist suggested getting dinner at Costa Rican restaurant Irazu, we jumped at the chance. And we are very glad we did.
This 17-year-old family-owned restaurant is located a few blocks from the Western Blue Line stop on Milwaukee. The cozy space is packed with tables at different levels, and Christmas lights strung up around the space give it a homey charm. The menu features an extensive list of Costa Rican classics to choose from; those intimidated by trying a new cuisine shouldn't be concerned. Many of the flavors and ingredients are similar to those used in other Central and South American cuisines.
We started off with the Tostones con Mojo with black bean dip. Tostones are garlic topped, deep fried plantains. If you haven't ever tried them, make it a priority. The garlic was strong, almost to the point of being overpowering, but the thick and crispy plantain provided a strong counter. When we tried them dipped in the black beans, it was like eating the nachos of our dreams. No soggy chips or gloopy cheese sauce; just the crunch of the plantain, the bite of the garlic, and the creamy mellowness of the black beans.
For entrees, we decided to play it safe, since we were Costa Rican newbies. As intriguing as tinted squid sounded, we aren't sure what our take on tinted squid is, so we decided to pass.
Irazu's special is the Casado, which can be ordered with either chicken or steak. For only $9.95, this dish is a steal. It comes with caramelized onion, rice, plantains, cabbage salad and an over-easy egg on top, and it is enough food for two people to enjoy. We tried both the chicken and rib-eye versions. The chicken breast was perfectly cooked without being dry; we were less impressed with the rib-eye, which was a little on the tough side. The plantains served with this dish were different than the tostones, as they were both thicker and sweeter. The tangy cabbage salad perfectly balanced the richer aspects of the dish. And an egg on top of the entire dish? Well, that was the proverbial icing on the cake.
We also tried the shrimp mixed with rice. This dish came served with the same accompaniments as the Casado, minus the egg on top. While the shrimp were tasty, we thought this dish lacked some of the zing of the house special.
As for drinks, Irazu is BYOB. The lack of a corkage fee is a nice touch. Milkshakes are a house specialty at Irazu, if you want something without booze. These aren't your standard chocolate-vanilla-strawberry shakes. Flavors like pinolillo corn meal mamey and guanabana soursop lemonade were intriguing, but we opted for the avena oatmeal papaya, which turned out to be an excellent choice. It tasted like a cross between oatmeal and horchata, with a slight taste of papaya — delicious.
Irazu is located at 1865 N. Milwaukee Ave., 773-252-5687. Monday - Saturday 11 a.m. – 9 p.m.; closed on Sunday.
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I know it sounds weird but you HAVE to try the oatmeal milkshake it's f-ing delicious
Oh, man, Laura, thank you for reviewing this. I have been meaning to check this place out, and I think you've given me the impetus to do so, with the black bean plantains sealing the deal. Along with casados (which I've strangely never seen served with egg on top), I used to eat the black bean plantains all the time when I was down there. So good.
I absolutely LOVE Irazu (and would like to take credit for recommending it to Ms. Oppenheimer, even though she doesn't remember it). They have a pretty good veggie selection, too. And no matter what I order, I always get it with a side of fried plantains.
Do we really need a review of Irazu? Its not like the place is new or hurting for business. It was featured not to long ago on Check Please. That said, I love it and always recommend it to veggie and meat eaters looking for cheap eats.
Marquee,
Point taken. It seems like everyone I know is now telling me "I LOVE Irazu." And yet, before last week, I'd never heard of it. So despite the universal Irazu-love, I think its OK to add one more voice to the chorus.
laura:
thanks for the review. i am familiar with irazu but have never actually been in there before. now maybe i will try it, thanks to your review and the accompanying accolades. since i work most nights, i don't always get to catch check please, the hungry hogs or dining dogs or whatever is on ch. 7 and other reviews.
Too bad the salsa here is so bad. Like others have said, the oatmeal shake, fried plantians, and veggie buritio are amazing. Irazu is also BYO if you're so inclined.
I remember loving the fried plantains. I forget what I had as an entree. I remembering getting a shake. And lastly, I remember being more lactose-intolerant-sick than I'd ever been, and that was after taking at least one Lactaid with the meal. So I haven't been back, even just for plantains. :-(
I'm not sure how somebody could live in Chicago and not know about Irazu heck it's about the only business on that strip that's been there for more than a few years. Since Irazu's been so good for almost 20 years I'd figured everybody would know.
JK,
They make the shakes sans milk if you just say so. That's how I usually get my mango, awesome.