Yes, Frontera Grill. When I said I wanted to go to Frontera Grill, no matter how intense that feeling might have been, I wasn't exactly expecting that I would get what I want. Yet my host family gave me another treat; I am almost starting to wonder if it's Grandpa George's or my birthday now. Yes, once it is related to food, I am spoiled.
Because I always and only come to Chicago during thanksgiving weekends, I didn't know that Frontera Grill has an outdoor seating. Well, I don't think people want to eat outside in the near-winter chicago weather when the wind makes your food cold in a minute or too. Anyway, it looked pretty nice and I would have been sitting out there if the counter seats weren't available.
Another noisy day at a Frontera Grill. Or should I say lively to make it sound nicer? Don't get me wrong. I do like the atmosphere. It's just that sometimes I have to concentrate with extra care to hear the waiter explaining the daily specials.
Linnea, Lizz and I got a counter seat, right by the kitchen. It was a place where I always wanted to sit but couldn't because we had a bigger group. Today, we were at Frontera Grill little before 11, and they served brunch menus. It was less crowded than regular lunch times, yet with quite a crowd. Since Frontera Grill does not take reservations for group less than 5, when we had traffic jam on our way to Chicago, we were joking about how we should head straight to Frontera Grill and sleep out there instead, so we can get immediately after it opens.
The first appetizer was, of course, guacamole. We knew that the little guacamole that comes on the appetizer platter is not going to be enough. The tortilla chips were nice. I like how it's not heavily salted like the chips you buy at grocery stores. I really don't understand why all American snacks are so heavily salted that you can hardly feel any other taste. Anyway, this guacamole was good as usual.
We also ordered Entremes Surtido, an appetizer platter including cheese quesadillas, chicken taquitos, jicama salad, ceviche tostadas and guacamole. I was thinking of Sopes Rancheros or Queso Fundido, but the platter sounded nice in that we could try some different stuff.
So this is the ceviche tostadas. I think it was marlin, but I am not sure. I never tried ceviche before and it was refreshing. Worth a try unless you absolutely dislike any kind of seafood.
The cute mini guacamole and cheesy quesadillas. Filled with Jack cheese, the little corn masa turnovers were delicious. This made me want to try the quesadilla with chicken or shrimp for lunch next time. Even taking into consideration that I am nearly obsessed with melted Jack cheese, this was impressive.
The jicama salad was also something new. It was my first time trying it, and it tasted like slightly sweet tasting radish without its unique flavor. By itslef it was rather bland, but with the pineapple it was interesting. I am not sure if I would order it separately, but trying a little like this was an interesting experience. 
The mahi mahi it is. I forgot what the green sauce was made of, but I remember Linnea had the same dish when she came for the last thanksgiving break. I remember how we all dipped our tortillas to the delectable sauce. Yet it was somewhat less impressive than last time, and Linnea agreed. I liked the mahi mahi though, and the sauce was still pretty good. Ah, this reminds me of my last time's visit, the only disappointment I experienced at Frontera Grill. I ordered shellfish of the day, glad that it was scallops. It was too fishy for me, and after leaving I was wondering if I should have returned it. Still, I didn't because everything else that day was amazing and I tooks bits from others' dish anyway.
Lizz ordered a brunch menu, probably Huevos Fronterizos. It had two sunny-side up eggs, salad, buttermilk biscuit and a kind of ground meat with chipotle garlic sauce. We all thought the garlic sauce was too garlicky, and it is pretty garlicky when a garlic lover like me says it's a little too much. It tastes more like raw garlic extract mixed with cream rather than a garlic sauce; it was that strong. I really liked the texture and the meat, but wish they would hold on to the garlic a little. Otherwise it would have been a great dish. Maybe Lizz should have tried Sapitos, gorditas each with different toppings such as scrambled eggs, grilled chicken, chorizo- our waiter recommended it from the brunch menu. It sounded interesting, but I could not resist the temptation of...
this, Taco al Carbon, a basic classic. I remember last time having it with skirt steak. So I tried it with red chile-marinated pork, pastor style with charcoaled pineapple, slab bacon and red onions. Though there was a tiny spicyness, the chile wasn't very noticable. The other ingredients went along nicely and the meat was soft, which I really liked. The beans were good, even though I generally do not like beans, and the guacamole my favorite was again served. The only sad thing was that with pork, they do not serve roasted pepper rajas. But the onions were good enough.
These corn tortillas are nice. I like the texture, warm and moist, it actually makes me like something that is not chewy.
This was our waiter today, and I asked him if I could take a picture of him becuase I remembered that he was our waiter last time too. When I first came to United States, I remember how I couldn't quite catch his fast explanation with an accent; I was only used to standard news announcer accents on television. I used to be like, "oh, just forget about the daily specials, whatever. I don't understand English", but now that I catch things, I'm enjoying things more.I also saw Rick Bayless today, and got today's menu signed. Now I wish that I took a picture of him, but I was a little too shy to ask at that moment. Well, hopefully there will be some other chances, for I plan to visit Frontera Grill again. I think next time I'll try the Milanesa de Puerco, breaded pork with tomato sauce, the very first entree I tried there, or the quesadillas- unless I get an unexpected attack of an attractive daily special or a new seasonal menu.
Now, the spoiled child shall go to sleep. As I always say, I feel like I hear my fat cells growing. What a glorious, painful sound I hear.
