Perhaps more than any other chef, Rick Bayless has brought lesser-known Mexican dishes to the midwest. Case in point: corundas. I'd searched the city for these triangular tamales from Michoacan, and at Topolobampo, there they were, stuffed with requeson, a Spanish version of sweet ricotta, and paired with an Alsatian pinot blanc. Yucatecan-style ceviche was a delicate melange of finely cut habanero, cilantro, and onion mixed with tiny, flavorful shrimp and razor-thin calamari. Cochinita pibil, another Yucatecan standby, featured flavorful pulled pork under a cucumber-jicama julienne and served with a few slabs of pale loin. Lamb came in mole coloradito, made with anchos, chocolate, and almonds. With dessert there was hot Oaxacan cocoa with a blast of mescal and a small complimentary chest of chocolate and até, candied fruit. The entire menu changes monthly; perhaps because of the shifting lineup, service often falls short of the four-star food.
Price: $$$$
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