Two years ago, when Rick Bayless devoted the entire eighth season of his PBS series Mexico: One Plate at a Time to the syncretic food of Mexico’s Baja Peninsula, someone should’ve guessed that his long-gestating, closely guarded plan for Randolph Street—something he promised would be completely new to Chicago—would be somehow related.
Fruits and vegetables sometimes feature prominently among this section of the menu. Avocado, coconut, hearts of palm, and pineapple all take center plate, the latter grilled and mounted atop dollops of goat cheese from Indiana’s Prairie Fruits Farm & Creamery, with a hazelnut-based salsa macha to approximate something like a 70s-era hors d’oeuvre as done south of the border.
Speaking of mezcal, which is having its moment right now, the list at Leña Brava is overwhelmingly broad, broken down by some 20 agave varietals. One could easily drown in the depth and variety of this group of spirits. Initial tastes feel like the first tiptoeing explorations into a country whose character would take a lifetime to comprehend, so it’s a pleasure to listen to expertly trained staff expound on the production process. Among them is general manager and Bayless progeny Lanie Bayless, whose command of the 20 small- production, light-bodied Baja wines is striking. Beer is limited to Bayless’s Tocayo Hominy White Ale. For more you’ll have to go next door to Cruz Blanca, the sister cervecería/taqueria.
900 W. Randolph 312-733-1975rickbayless.com
