As you probably know, there are dozens of Mexican restaurants in Chicago, but only a handful focusing on the coastal seafood from there. NBC Chicago’s Steve Dolinsky takes us inside one in Pilsen.
As you probably know, there are dozens of Mexican restaurants in Chicago, but only a handful focusing on the coastal seafood from there.
And our Food Guy says a new Pilsen restaurant is also bringing in French and Italian influences, offering a one-of-a-kind menu in the city.
From the team behind an excellent taqueria and a pair of French restaurants, comes a Mexican mariscos concept, where they elevate both raw and cooked seafood, in a very laid back dining room, next to one of the city’s premier live music venues.
“Traditional” isn’t necessarily a word you’d attach to the menu at Mariscos San Pedro, the latest incarnation of the space next to Thalia Hall, along 18th Street in Pilsen. That’s because co-chef and owner Oliver Poilevey and his partners hail from different countries.
“Inspired by different coastal eateries in Sinaloa and even Mexico City,” said co-owner Oliver Poilevey. “My background is French, our other partner – his background is Mexican – and we have an Italian partner as well,” he said.
Consider giant scallops, each crowned with hoja santa, a Mexican herb, gently seared, then placed over a sweet corn puree with ‘nduja vinaigrette, a very Italian-inspired Calabrian sausage.
They think nothing of spreading pistachio mole on tostadas, adding a golden raisin tapenade, along with crunchy pistachios, before torching four giant, plump sardines, which will eventually grace that crunchy base.
Whole shrimp is marinated in adobo, then roasted quickly, in one of their two wood-burning ovens.
“We cook ‘em very high heat, very quickly,” said Poilevey. “A little avocado puree, some salsa macha, which is kind of like a Mexican chili crunch with nuts and sesame seeds in it. A little bit of pineapple salsa with habaneros in it, and a little compressed pineapple and an herb salad,” he said.
Feeling out of the loop? We'll catch you up on the Chicago news you need to know. Sign up for the weekly Chicago Catch-Up newsletter.
Snapper and shrimp ceviche is topped with fried ginger, coconut and black lentils, adding lots of texture.
“I love pops of acid, pops of crunch. I think that goes really well with raw seafood,” said Poilevey.
Oyster aioli is spread thin on homemade tortillas, before adding cornmeal-fried oysters, and some French-inspired garnishes.
“We did a little celery remoulade – very common bistro salad that you’d find,” he said.
Snapper is fried whole – the carcass serving as a base for the individually fried pieces of filet; served with colorful garnishes for a serious make-your-own taco experience.
If there’s room left, dessert should include a plantain.
“We cook the plantains very slowly for about nine hours to get that nice custardy texture. Brulé it, homemade Requéson cheese that we pipe into it, a little bit of pepitas; cajeta sauce - which is a goat milk caramel – finger limes, for a little pop of acid,” he said.
“We’re definitely not going for traditional here, we’re going for a more personalized take on it. Other than that, we’re just going for the most delicious flavors,” Poilevey said.
1227 W. 18th St.
312-508-4700
