The results were in. The New York Times released their list of America’s favorite top 50 restaurants of 2021 and my family group chat was abuzz. Bouncing with excitement, we gushed over the places we knew or the ones we were eager to try.
I was psyched to share their plans until I remembered the near 2,000-mile distance between us. This, however, did not damper my adventurous spirit. After reevaluating the list, I spotted a Chicago location: Mi Tocaya Antojería. I was enticed by the array of colorful Mexican dishes and their mission to honor ancestors, women and the earth through age-old recipes. Unable to eat with my foodie family members, I recruited the next best thing: my two friends Caroline and Izzy.
We made our reservation two weeks in advance to beat out other diners now dying to try the Logan Boulevard location. In preparation for our feast, we compiled a list of must-try dishes mainly focused on names we did not recognize — the outing an opportunity to expand our flavor horizons.
When the day arrived, we trekked to Chicago, eager to find out if Mi Tocaya was worth the high praise. It may have met the critics’ standards, but was it up to ours?
Upon entering Mi Tocaya, we were hit with the mouth-watering aroma of charred peppers and burnt sage. The hand-painted tables and mosaic countertops made for a vibrant setting — as did the tropical plant backsplash featured along the bar.
Ready to eat, we perked up at the site of guacamole and tortilla chips. Freshly muddled in a traditional molcajete, the flavor of the avocados was deeply umami with hints of roasted garlic and serrano pepper-lime oil. The appetizer foreshadowed the exquisite food to come.
I would never expect to be blown away by a salad, but the Broccolini en Nogada was criminally good. Pomegranate honey, creamy cashew nogada and pickled cranberries came together to emulate the flavor of Mexico’s popular Chiles en Nogada. Served alongside a zesty ceviche, the two created a dynamic partnership — which Caroline called “legit.”
Next came the dark horse, the curveball, a dish we knew nothing about: Tuétano con Sabores de Caldo. The mountain of onions and carrots, tender short ribs and fatty bone marrow atop a fresh flour tortilla was pure magic. Scooping out the marrow onto the hand-rolled tortillas made every bite all the more thrilling. An ode to head chef Diana Davila's father, Tuétano con Sabores de Caldo was truly a food of the gods.
To follow was Tlacoyo de Nopalitos — black beans topped with dark salsa macha and homemade requesón (ricotta), cushioned by a bed of blue massa. The deconstructed pupusa had a kick of spice and an herbaceous aroma, and the creamy texture brought the dish to another level.
Now approaching fullness, we finished our feast with Repollo Enmasado. The vegan dish featured tender savoy cabbage and nutty masa, wrapped in silky banana leaves. Steamed to perfection, the plant-based parcel was drowned by succulent lentils and a rich mole sauce. The flavors of this dish were dreamy and the Repollo Enmasado was quite simply, a masterpiece.
Through spice and familial ambiance, Mi Tocaya Antojería activated all our senses. For minutes, we sat more than satisfied at our hand-painted table basking in the afterglow of our unforgettable meal. In our Uber back to campus — during which Izzy enjoyed a slice of Tres Leches Cake to-go — our endorsement of the New York Times' review was unanimous: Mi Tocaya is an exceptional experience and one of the most exciting restaurants in America today.