the foodie life

I loove any kind of fried food, especially deep fried. And since I heard great things about Lito’s Empanadas, Alvin took me to the small restaurant in Lincoln Park so I could have a taste for myself.

Together, we ordered 6 different flavors: spinach, bbq chicken, hawaiian, beef & rice, champinon chicken, and choco-banana. Now, I don’t consider myself an empanada expert, but I was a little disappointed with Lito’s. If I had to pick, I would probably say the spinach empanada was my favorite, but even that was just OK to me. I’ve tasted better elsewhere, but these are Alvin’s favorite empanadas, so who knows? Check it out for yourself!

Spinach (spinach, mozzarella and onion)

BBQ Chicken (slow-cooked BBQ chicken with potatoes)

Champinon Chicken (chicken and cheese with sauteed mushrooms, tomato, and onions) & Hawaiian (ham, mozzarella and pineapple)

Rick Bayless sure knows what he is doing with Xoco — it’s no wonder he was crowned Top Chef Master!

After enjoying the gorgeous Diamond Exhibit @ the Field Museum, we headed over to Xoco for an early dinner. We got there just in time — behind us, the line grew very long, very quickly! Here is what we ordered:

• Guacamole, Chips & Salsa
• Xoco salad w/chicken
• Pepito torta
• Churro

The guacamole & chips were good, nothing special. The salsa was ok (I prefer fresh salsa). The salad was beautifully presented and the chicken was cooked well, very tender and juicy. But OMG the Pepito torta was what really made my night. It was sooo delicious! My mouth is watering just thinking about it. The torta was so good that Alvin & I both regretted sharing one. Next time I will have to get my own. The meal ended with the perfect churro (I could’ve easily ate 3).

I will definitely be back. I can’t wait to try the breakfast menu!