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Plenty Of Pozole: Chicago’s Only Pozoleria

By Minna A in Food on Jan 10, 2012 8:00PM

With winter chills expected just around the corner, now is the perfect time to visit Humboldt Park for one of the best kept secrets in this city: Chicago’s only pozoleria.

Pozoleria San Juan is another Humboldt Park favorite, and shares its name with the original restaurant in the Guerrero region of San Juan. They offer a traditional menu of pozoles in addition to other Mexican favorites. While the pozoleria is nestled on an unassuming stretch of Pulaski Road, a step inside shows unmistakable Mexican pride. Picturesque murals of the Mexican landscape and cityscape line each wall, illuminated in red and green neon lights making the entire restaurant glow in the colors of the Mexican flag.

Pozole, a traditional Mexican soup made of hominy, or dried maize, kernels, is the speciality of the restaurant, although a wide variety of flautas, tacos and tortas expand the menu. Keeping true to their heritage, the pozoleria offers three kinds of pozole: roja, verde and blanca, each representing a color of the Mexican flag.

The white and green pozole soups are milder in taste, and are more typical of the style of pozole in the Mexican state of Guerrero. The white pozole is a simple concoction with pork broth, while the green pozole is seasoned with serranos and jalapenos, with each concoction brimming with slow-cooked chicken and plenty of filling hominy. The spicier red pozole is flavored with guajillo chiles typical of the pozole found in the Jalisco region. Each order comes with a plate of toppins to make each dish your own, including crunchy cabbage, crisp radish, flavorful cilantro, zesty limes and a fresh helping of avocado.

Craving savory and zesty pozole at all hours of the night? Pozoleria San Juan operates 24 hours on Fridays and Saturdays; operates 8 a.m. to 1 a.m. on Sunday through Thursdays.

Pozoleria San Juan is located at 1523 N. Pulaski Rd.