Review: Tepatulco Mexican Worth One Visit
By L. Stolpman in Food on Mar 24, 2008 2:20PM
The ordained Mole Master, Geno Bahena, opened Tepatulco to showcase a mixture of traditional Mexican food and contemporary Mexican cuisine. We stopped in for a quick bite to see if the rumors about good food but poor service were accurate.
We were quickly seated and after less than a minute, when the server had not appeared, the hostess came over and offered to bring us drinks, apologizing that we had waited. She continued to serve us throughout the meal and was polite and gracious. The passion fruit margaritas were served within minutes of ordering and admittedly, tasted like fruit punch and tequila ($9 each). That didn’t keep us from ordering more than one, though.
We began with the entremes surtido for two, described as "an appetizer platter with Mexico City-style quesadillas (turnovers), crispy chicken taquitos with sour cream, tangy ceviche tostadas, and guacamole" ($12.50). The ceviche tostadas were flavorful and light. The turnovers were delicious but heavier and slightly greasy. Next time, we’ll try the vuelve a la vida, on the menu as "a seaside cocktail of shrimp, ceviche, fresh-shucked oysters, and avocado in Tangy, Tamazula-sparked cocktail sauce" ($10).
The main entrée was yellow-fin tuna marinated in achiote and garlic, cooked over a fire and served with pickled red onions, xnipic and yellow rice ($18.50). The fish was just slightly dry but had a lot of good flavor. The best part of the dish was the grilled zucchini served alongside the fish; the zucchini had that delicious grilled taste that worked well with the pickled red onion and it had the right amount of bite and salt.
Overall, the food was good, but not extraordinary. The restaurant was slow (only one other table was occupied) and so it was odd that the server was not prompt – but this did not take away from the service at all since the hostess filled the shoes readily and capably. With the wealth of good Mexican restaurants to choose from in Chicago, Tepatulco would not be our first choice but it does warrant a visit.
2558 North Halsted Street.