Dlongs wrote:FYI Mejellas = Sweetbreads. I enjoyed them quite a bit when I last had them, though I have other favorites that I get more often. I also agree on La Caparrita using the smaller tortillas, so you may need one or two more than normal. Finally, don't forget the knob onions.

Right, sorry, I know sweetbreads were mentioned. Had some mental wires crossed. Gizzards would make a strange taco!

Oddly though, Google Translate gives mollejas as the translation for both gizzards and sweetbreads. Similarly, my Collins Spanish-English dictionary gives gizzard as the translation for the singular molleja but sweetbreads as the translation for the plural mollejas. A bit of online research suggests that usage varies among Spanish speakers of different regions.

And, you've all convinced me to add the knob onions and the longaniza, molleja, and even tripa dorada tacos to the list.

The only good thing about jury duty at the Laughton Criminal Court building is that I can squeeze in lunch at Chaparrita during the 45 minute assigned time if I do a rapid march. Today I tried a suadero taco for the first time and really enjoyed it. Also had my usual cabeza and lengua with that great salsa verde. Extra nice service on this trip with free samples of tepache and vanilla licuado plus a big glass of ice water for the record heat, even though I didn't ask for it.
Firing on all cylinders; remains near the very top of my list.

TomInSkokie wrote:The only good thing about jury duty at the Laughton Criminal Court building is that I can squeeze in lunch at Chaparrita during the 45 minute assigned time if I do a rapid march. Today I tried a suadero taco for the first time and really enjoyed it. Also had my usual cabeza and lengua with that great salsa verde. Extra nice service on this trip with free samples of tepache and vanilla licuado plus a big glass of ice water for the record heat, even though I didn't ask for it.
Firing on all cylinders; remains near the very top of my list.

You really need an order of one of the aguas frescas (the melon is my favorite and the watermelon is greatly refreshing) when it's super hot out!

Decided to introduce a few friends to La Chaparrita and happy to report that the tacos and aguas frescas are as good as ever.

My friends were a bit suspect of the deliciousness of tripe and they've now converted to the good side.



I have to put more effort into finding something closer to home in Albany Park, but the pull from these tacos in Little Village is powerful.

Behavioral wrote:Decided to introduce a few friends to La Chaparrita and happy to report that the tacos and aguas frescas are as good as ever.

My friends were a bit suspect of the deliciousness of tripe and they've now converted to the good side.

Can confirm, I am one of those friends. Man, I could wax poetic about this place for a real long time. I doubt any of this is news to the good folks of LTH, but, whew. That was something.

I am not the biggest fan of offal. Actually that's probably underselling it. I actually can't stand a lot of those cuts. They make me gag.

Not to say I haven't given these less-than-desired bits the ol' college try, but it's a texture thing for me. Intestines are a mixture of chewy and crunchy, little pops of cartilage between the molars that never seem to dissolve or break down. Stomach, with those little folds and creases, is often covered with the smell of rotting grass, all the more difficult to clean out. And tendon, like the type often found in pho, is immensely chewy, squeaky even, unless it's cooked down so far that it becomes pure gelatin, in which case it's like biting into beef flavored jello. That ain't for me quite.

It just takes incredible skill to coax these organs into something tasty.

But La Chaparrita did it with that tripas taco. My. God. It's honestly shocking; you could pass those strips of small intestine as any high-end cut of slow cooked meat, but firmly browned and deeply flavored. It's like bacon, but better, sort of like a mixture of heavy browned meat and delicately quivering, tender fat. There's no off-flavor, no funky or grassy element, it's just pure, intense, meaty glory, folded between two almost unnaturally soft, delicate tortillas (which I can only assume are made by El Milagro but it was fire). I saw them dipping said tortillas into that cauldron of sausage and meat they keep other fillings bubbling away in, using the juices to steam them and impart some additional complexity.

The other tacos I had were also super good, and far more approachable. But the tripas is in a league of its own. It's not only the best taco I've ever had, but one of the better bites of food I've had.

Been far, FAR too long. Need to have a taco blowout WITH an agua fresca de alfalfa.
Those other agua fresca flavors are truly outstanding, but if anyone has not tried the alfalfa yet, just because of the name?... DAMN. Melon, Sandia, both distant 2nds. I'm tryna think of a better soft drink around town...not holding my breath tho.

Just read through the entire La Chaparrita thread after watching them on Check Please 8-years later as good if not better than ever.

Also, once again, I misspoke in my first post and corrected myself in later posts. Tripas at La Chaparrita = intestine.



La Chaparrita, Count me a Fan!

Brought a client of mine w/his full crew for lunch yesterday. As good as ever.

Been WAAAY too MF long. Gotta get back for an alfalfa aguas fresca and a PILE of tacos de tripas y longaniza.

Both pictured (under my fave salsa) along w/lengua.

G Wiv wrote:He immediately seemed sorry, said his uncle would kill him for talking about La Chaparrita,

Almost nine years later seems his uncle's fears have come to pass. I just saw on FB La Chaparrita was one of the stops for Chef Driven Food Tours for the WWE, World Wrestling Entertainment, pre-show entertainment.

This is simply the cap on a string of well deserved publicity ranging from Check Please, Chicago Reader, Chicago Magazine, Serious Eats, Chicago Tribune and Bon Appetit, to name a few.

G Wiv wrote:

G Wiv wrote:He immediately seemed sorry, said his uncle would kill him for talking about La Chaparrita,

Almost nine years later seems his uncle's fears have come to pass. I just saw on FB La Chaparrita was one of the stops for Chef Driven Food Tours for the WWE, World Wrestling Entertainment, pre-show entertainment.

This is simply the cap on a string of well deserved publicity ranging from Check Please, Chicago Reader, Chicago Magazine, Serious Eats, Chicago Tribune and Bon Appetit, to name a few.

Gary, do you happen to know more about this WWE pre-show food tour? Never heard such a thing and didn't even know there were any foodie wrestlers out there haha

Behavioral wrote:Gary, do you happen to know more about this WWE pre-show food tour? Never heard such a thing and didn't even know there were any foodie wrestlers out there haha

Nothing aside from it came up on my facebook feed and I thought it odd so I clicked on the link. Type Chef Driven Food Tours in the facebook search and it should come up with more info.

G Wiv wrote:

Behavioral wrote:Gary, do you happen to know more about this WWE pre-show food tour? Never heard such a thing and didn't even know there were any foodie wrestlers out there haha

Nothing aside from it came up on my facebook feed and I thought it odd so I clicked on the link. Type Chef Driven Food Tours in the facebook search and it should come up with more info.

I'm assuming it was a company outing during the few days wwe was in town for events at allstate arena last week.

That reminded me of an article I stumbled across during my Tokyo travel research. There's a steakhouse that pro wrestlers frequent in Tokyo during their trips out there. It's fascinating

https://www.wwe.com/classics/inside-ribera-steakhouse

Embarrassed to say that I'd never been here. It's been on my radar since Gary's post 9 years ago, but just never in these parts...

Ran an errand this morning and wasn't too far, so headed over. Since I'd be eating in the car, just got tacos. I've obviously been missing out on some fabulous tacos. Two pastor, one longaniza, one suadero, and one cecina. Since they aren't large tacos, and since they're delicious, order more than you think you should order. Could have easily handled one or two more. The only one I'm not sure I'd order again was the cecina, I've had better and Chaparrita has better options IMO.