takito kitchen.

last saturday, josh & i made a somewhat impromptu visit takito kitchen over in wicker park on w. division street.

un poquito about takito ... "takito kitchen features mexican-inspired cuisine ... seasonal shared plates, ceviche, tacos, soups & more with a focus on fresh ingredients and complex flavors, all tucked inside a homemade tortilla."

ok, so i have been surriously craving tacos lately. i don't know what it is. maybe i am just dreaming of the warmth of mexico in the midst of this horrific cold we've been experiencing in the aptly named windy city as of late. (k, i know that's not why we are called that. but it fits on both levels, amirite?)

here's what i had ...

caliente margarita :

lime, agave, chipotle, morita, cointreau, corazón blanco. 

wow, yum. i love spicy, so i was super excited about this. delicious &, more importantly, strong. 

all three salsas & escabeche w/ masa crackers :

listed in order of preference since i don't remember which was which ...

tomato hibiscus ghost pepper : tomato, onions, garlic, hibiscus tea, ghost pepper, cilantro.

seasonal escabeche : pickled vegetables & chilis. 

seasonal smoky salsa : lo siento, i don't remember the ingredients.

tomatillo pistachio : tomatillo, roasted onions, roasted garlic, pistachio, roasted serrano chile, arugula, cilantro. 
in all honesty, all the salsas were super sabroso. buuut i wasn't obsessed with the masa crackers. for me, i want some crunchy, salty tortilla chips when i am eating salsa. these were almost graham cracker-like. don't get me wrong, i still snarfed.

avocado pine nut puree :

pickled garlic, jalapeño & cilantro.
code for fancy guacamole in the best way. this was awesome. and i thought the masa crackers were better with this than the salsas. don't know why ... the real win, though, occurred when we mixed a bit of this + the ghost pepper salsa.

vegan tacos :

corn torilla, roasted vegetables, seasonal salsa, sesame & arugula.

the fact that there is a pre-vegan-item on the menu all the time makes takito generally amazing in my book. these were good ... my only issue was the inclusion of a sweet potato/squash type. i mean, i get that the tacos are seasonal, but i just decided i am not a big fan of those veg, in general. otherwise, perfection.

takito is a great, casual spot for lunch, dinner ... and most certainly drinks. i plan to try the cucumber margarita next time. if you find yourself in the area, i highly recommend.

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takito kitchen
2013 w. division street
chicago, il 60603