When I think
of the communities that stretch from Wilmette to Lake Forest on Chicago’s north
shore of Lake Michigan, I am not one to gravitate towards ethnic foods outside
of pub and upscale dining. Those venues better reflected the pocketbooks and
the half million plus houses in those communities. Starting ten to fifteen
years ago, in communities like Highland Park and Highwood, a new wave of
immigration from Latin America added unique must go to spots. In a way it’s no
different than the immigrants from southern Europe (mainly Italy) over a hundred
years ago that my family has direct ties to in that area.
I wasn’t
raised around the rich culinary history of Mexican or Latin American food. My
Mom was second generation Italian-American (with all their hearty dishes) and
my 3rd generation German-American father, the son of a farmer,
instilled with a meat a potatoes diet to provide enough energy for the man to
work 40 years of backbreaking labor as an electrician. But as my brothers and I
grew up, met friends that opened our eyes a bit at the table, and exposed ourselves
to the globalized world, we couldn’t help but to turn down offers such as
checking out La Casa de Issac and Moishe in Highland Park.
My buddy
Nick decided to take me to a restaurant we had both never been to before. The
deal was an old arrangement that these two culinary geeks, in public and in our
apartments, would treat each other to a new spot for their birthday. Mine was a
tad belated with our schedules.
A few blocks
north of downtown Highland Park, the vibrant adobe and teal colors of La Casa
de Issac and Moishe greet you to what you will notice on a Saturday night is a
happening place, each table packed. I wish you good luck finding parking in a
flash; Nick parked two blocks away. Who knows, you could even find a celebrity
in a visit. Two tables away from Nick and I was Chicago Cubs/WGN television play-by-play
announcer Len Kasper. Was it awkward that I stared at him for two minutes
straight?
I would
describe La Casa de Issac and Moishe a north suburban version of what Rick
Bayless produces so well with his Frontera chain on North Clark Street in
Chicago. Issac and Moishe has less of what people would call Tex-Mex and more authentic
plates of Mexican dishes from Pollo en Mole Rojo (Chicken in red sauce) to
Bistek ala Mexicana (rib eye gone south of the border). Nick and I decided to
take advantage of the duck festival last Saturday. He ordered the shredded duck
enchiladas with a rich Serrano salsa verde and I the in-house made blue corn
tortillas topped with shredded duck in adobo sauce, topped with fresh chunks of
pineapple and mango salsa and a killer side of that salsa verde. Our appetites
were given a beat down by what seemed like a never ending wahaca (made from
black volcanic stone) filled with house made guacamole. You will need that
doggie bag. We had to take at least a third of our meal home.
The night
seemed appropriate to end off with two Don Julio anejo tequilas in tiny snifter
glasses. My sister-in-law claims to be a growing aficionado of tequila when I
am one of scotch and some beers. Hope I made her proud!
http://www.lacasadeisaac.com/
Oh wow, that sounds yummy! I am currently working at a Mexican restaurant (that tends to be a little more traditional than La Casa, to be fair!) so I was interested to see what you'd found. Those dishes sound so good I might try my hand at making something similar at home.
ReplyDeleteThough I do have to raise my glass to the Don Julio anejo- that is my favorite!!! Sending my best to you and yours :)