First in a series devoted to Chicago restaurants offering regional dishes
At Birrieria Reyes de Ocotlan (1322 W. 18th, 312-733-2613) in Pilsen, the Reyes family has offered birria and little else for about 25 years, serving it in soup and tacos. For the soup the cooked goat is added to a rich tomato broth seasoned with chiles and cloves and served with chopped onion and fresh cilantro; the dish isn’t highly spiced, but on each table are bowls of toasted chile arbol, common in Jalisco. Birria is typically prepared by cooking the meat over, not in, water, but to ensure that their birria stays moist, the Garcia family of Jalisco Restaurant (4224 W. 31st, 773-254-4149) in Little Village boils it, a technique that makes it lose some flavor. The goat is served here with sauce, not broth; you spoon hunks onto a tortilla and add onion, cilantro, and parsley. Jalisco Restaurant also offers barbacoa, beef prepared in the same manner as birria, with spices including guajillo chiles and cinnamon. If you’ve shied away from tongue, take the plunge with a flavorful gordita de lengua. Even if you freak halfway through, you’re out less than two bucks.
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The torta, or Mexican sandwich, was born in the 19th century with the arrival of French invaders, whose expulsion is celebrated on Cinco de Mayo.
