-----BEGIN PGP SIGNED MESSAGE----- Hash: SHA1 About a week ago, my wife and I went to a "quick service restaurant" that serves Mexican food. (The industry *hates* being called "fast food".) Normally, when someone says something like that, I immediately think "Taco Bell", followed by "ugh". (Not that TB is horrible, just that it isn't my idea of a good time. Quick, cheap, so-so "Mexican" food, nearby. I eat there when I need to.) However, "BoomBacha Mexican Grill" breaks that stereotype delightfully. It has been in business for just a few weeks. Located in a storefront in the strip mall on the SW corner of Milwaukee and IL-60 (just South of Hawthorne Shopping Center), this establishment is quick and cheap, but really tasty. Each of the main dishes is just under $5. Soup, salad (without meat, or with for an extra $1), and various sides costing less. Tables and chairs are simple, but nice. Overall ambiance is a half step up from most quick service restaurants. The chips are fried crisp, apparently on the premises, and had a fresh taste with good crunch. Any of three salsas of different "heat" are available. (We tried, and liked, all three -- one with chips and the others with each of our main dishes.) They range from a mild Pico de Gallo through a medium Green Tomatillo to a hot Red Tomato and Chipotle. The last, as I recall, had a slightly smoky flavor that implies that they used a smoked or grilled Chipotle pepper. I didn't think that it was all *that* hot, but my father probably would. My wife had an assortment of three Tacos, Steak, Chicken and Pork. In an oddity of menu pricing that I do not understand, a combination of any three tacos costs less than three steak or three chicken. All had very good flavor, though the pork needed a bit more draining of grease. She also ordered the Tortilla Soup, which had a very nice and fresh taste. I had the "BBQ Chicken Burrito: A Boombacha original! Grilled skinless chicken dry-rubbed and slow-marinated with cayenne, cumin, black pepper, garlic and oregano, then coated with sweet and tangy BBQ sauce and served in a giant flour tortilla with whole pinto or vegetarian black beans, cilantro-lime rice, sour cream, cheese, sweet corn with roasted peppers, and salsa." Wow! I had it with the black beans. Having spent some time a few years back on "the rice diet", I have developed quite an appreciation for rice as something more than what you ladle the real food on top of. This cilantro-lime rice had good texture and a really nice flavor. The whole concoction presented a very tasty blend of flavors that I found surprisingly good. In another pricing oddity, it costs only $0.10 more than a normal chicken burrito. I was disappointed that the "Guacamole Especial: With sun-dried tomatoes and basil" was not available, but will try again for it next time. Vegetarians will find Grilled Veggie Burritos or Tacos, Guacamole Fajitos, two salads (without the meat), and (I think) the Tortilla Soup. They have the usual assortment of fountain soft drinks and lemonade, both with free refills, plus a small assortment of bottled water, wine, and beer. We went at an "off" time, so I have no idea how they do in a meal-time crunch. But I can compare their speed with that I experienced at an Einstein Bros Bagel establishment in the Detroit area a few weeks ago. BoomBacha had my burrito completed and on my tray in less time than it took the person at Einstein to do any ONE of: - determine that they did not have the proper bread to make my sandwich - determine that they did not have the side salad I ordered - spread cream cheese on the tortilla-like affair that was my second choice - place, with the utmost care, cucumber, tomato, and capers - roll the tortilla-like affair into a burrito-like shape Recommended! BoomBacha Mexican Grill Hawthorn Hills Fashion Square 700 North Milwaukee Avenue Vernon Hills, IL 60061 Voice: 847-362-7890 FAX: 847-362-7811 -----BEGIN PGP SIGNATURE----- Version: PGP Personal Privacy 6.0.1 Comment: My Keys: 0x571B55BD and 0x628ECED2 available from keyservers iQA/AwUBNkh3Zmasl5Jijs7SEQIMgwCbBsNdV1nszuV9PXoHQ6YVoYVAusIAn1Gy XEY7GxkJPblL6qyqoOSKryNU =Ms4F -----END PGP SIGNATURE-----
Chicago, IL