Ceviche belongs in the summertime. The Latin American dish, made by “cooking" raw seafood in a citrus-juice marinade, is just as refreshing as slowly pouring a cold beer over your head on a hot day. Fittingly, it’s often paired with sips of one. "The most common drink [to pair with] is a Mexican beer,” said Mely Martinez, the Washington, DC–based food blogger behind Mexico in My Kitchen. Her homestyle Mexican recipes, which have won praise from the likes of NBC Latino, are often inspired by the seasons. In the winter, she favors hearty soups and stews; in the summer’s glow, her thoughts turn to fresh, flavorful seafood.
Born in Tampico, a port city in the Mexican state of Tamaulipas, Martinez became familiar with ceviche—and where it comes from—at an early age. “The most common ceviche in my hometown is the one prepared with a fish called ‘lisa,’” a term for mullet, she said. "People will often gather at the marketplace where all the fishing boats arrive early in the morning to buy the fish there, where it is sold already chopped into cubes for ceviche."
She later became a teacher and moved around Mexico for her career. As she traveled, she noticed differences in the recipes of each region. “There is a great variety of ceviche, such as the ceviche blanco in the state of Veracruz that uses chipotle peppers, [and] the famous aguachiles cocktail in the state of Sinaloa made with shrimp and ground chilies verdes,” she said. Living on the Yucatán Peninsula, she witnessed firsthand the variety that three-sided ocean exposure brought to the dish: "Besides shrimp, fish, and octopus ceviches, you can also find ceviche made out of blue marlin and calamari."
Martinez traveled extensively to gain her in-depth knowledge of ceviche, but Chicagoans needn’t go far to taste the recipes she describes. That’s because the city’s large Hispanic populations make it easy to find many varieties of the quintessential dish. Mexican eateries specialize in regional preparations, and Peruvian, Ecuadorian, and Spanish restaurants craft their own versions of the citrusy seafood, serving it with crackers or plantain chips for dipping. There’s also a new generation of chefs who prepare creative riffs on the classic. "There are some versions of ceviche that use tequila, vinegar, or a mixture of lime juice and orange juice [to marinate the fish]," Martinez said. "I have even seen some recipes that use orange soda."
Based on Martinez's descriptions, we’ve put together a ceviche guide for Chicagoans:
For a Sinaloan-style ceviche, try Frontera Grill at 445 N. Clark St.
At this Rick Bayless restaurant, called “outstanding” by the James Beard Foundation, chefs craft ceviche with blue shrimp imported from the Sinaloan city of Mazatlán. They flavor the seafood with serrano chilies, lime juice, crunchy jicama, cucumber, red onions, and micro cilantro.
For a taste of the Yucatán, try Mariscos El Veneno at 1024 N. Ashland Ave.
Sample a simple marlin ceviche or a mixed cocktail of marlin, octopus, shrimp, clams, and oysters at this East Village eatery. It’s BYOB, so bring along your favorite Mexican beer or, alternatively, a barrel of mead and a group of friends dressed in medieval garb.
For a creative ceviche, try Mercadito at 108 W. Kinzie St.
Here, chefs venture into new flavor territories with specialties such as bay-scallop ceviche in lime-habanero broth with mint, red grapes, and pumpkin seeds.
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Inside Kings, it can be hard to pinpoint the source of clattering sounds and uproarious cheers. The noise might stem from the bowling section, where glowing squares of abstract, retro wall art bookend the alleys. It might also come from ricocheting billiard balls, a well-aimed skee-ball, or a shuffleboard shot in the game room. Maybe someone spotted a celebrity—Bill Murray, Salma Hayek, and Lady Gaga are all on an extensive list of past famous visitors. Wherever their origins, the telltale echoes of competition and camaraderie beckon to guests throughout the venue. They're accompanied in the air by the scents of comfort food, from staples such as popcorn shrimp to inventive fusions such as cheeseburger spring rolls. Sweeter aromas waft from multiple bars as the staff flavors martinis with gummy bears, pop rocks, and ice cream instead of the traditional fixings, olives or entire lemons on toothpicks. As for sights, the surroundings blend vintage flair with luminous technology. More than 30 high-definition televisions line the space, broadcasting sports games and bowling scores. Though the game-room amenities differ slightly based on the town—Boston's Back Bay has six Brunswick Gold Crown pool tables, and Dedham boasts four miniature-roller-ball lanes—each Kings location hosts group events, including parties and corporate getaways where you can finally laugh at your boss's ridiculous shoes. Weekly themed nights for the public also encourage dancing, karaoke, and trivia.
Kings Rosemont
Rosemont,
IL
US
In a homey diner setting with stained glass and a large mural that depicts a small town, patrons perk up for the day with PC's menu of European and American breakfast and lunch fare. True to its name, PC’s offers a diverse roster of classic pancakes, which can come flecked with bacon or chocolate chips; baked with fillings such as spiced apples and peaches; or spread thin as crepes and sewn onto the elbows of sports jackets.
Not content to let pancakes hoard all the oven territory, thick-baked omelets jostle for space with hearty fillings such as portabella mushrooms, red peppers, and cheese. Fresh-squeezed orange and grapefruit juice make for a refreshing quaff, and cups of Kona coffee—specially blended for the café—send toasty aromas steaming into the air alongside carafes of real whipping cream.
Sandwiches and salads populate a lunchier section of the menu, alongside burgers such as the towering Lemont-ster burger: dual half-pound patties draped in cheddar, toasted onion strings, and thousand-island dressing.
1264 State St
Lemont,
IL
US
When he lived on the South Side of Chicago, James “Jimbo” Mandra had his pick of pizza joints––until tragedy struck. His family relocated to the burbs, suddenly leaving James deprived of the quality thin-crust slices he’d enjoyed all his life. Never one to turn down a challenge, he rolled up his sleeves and began baking his own pies. From that endeavor came a line of pizzas that fit his passionate standards as well as his original creation, the Lemontster: a 19-inch pizza that claims to be the biggest available in Lemont. Today, Jimbo’s cartoon likeness stands as a proud emblem on the tomato-hued walls of his own pizzeria, which recently added a full dining room. Natural light pours through large front windows as thin- and thick-crust pizzas arrive laden with pepperoni, spinach, and spicy hot giardiniera. After finishing off one of Jimbo’s beef pockets, diners may also surprise a date with a Chicago-style hot dog or impress the kitchen staff by getting the pizza oven to play fetch.
12267 Walker Rd
Lemont,
IL
US
For more than two decades, American Mattress has promoted peaceful slumber in bedchambers throughout the Midwest with their vast selection of mattresses, headboards, and linens. The sleep experts strive to stay abreast of the latest bedding technology: their Serta mattresses are made with gel foam that supports curves, and Tempur-Pedic mattresses repel allergens, mites, and poltergeists looking to spoon. This devotion to a good night’s sleep has helped them earn the title of Best Mattress Store from suburban Chicago’s Daily Herald five years in a row. Additionally, American Mattress doubles down on each of its beds with a 30-day comfort guarantee and a 60-day best-price guarantee.
1217 State St
Lemont,
IL
US
Inside Ultimate Exposure Tanning Centers' Chicagoland locations, a full lineup of UV- and spray-tanning equipment infuse skin with a healthy summer glow year-round. Individual sessions in the automated spray-tanning booths?such as VersaSpa?or UV beds gild bodysuits for nights on the town, and unlimited monthly packages fashion a continuous golden hue previously only available to sunbathing satellites. The salon stocks a variety of tan-accelerating lotions from Swedish Beauty, Australian Gold, and Designer Skin, which deepen bronze hues and moisturize skin to fashion a long-lasting radiance.
1060 State St
Lemont,
IL
US
The kitchen wizards at Slammers Pub and Grill plate hearty pub fare with homemade sauces in a family-friendly establishment marked by tableside TVs and sports memorabilia. More than 20 sandwiches and a lengthy list of half-pound Black Angus steak burgers prevent rumbling tummies from bellowing at referees on the eatery's 22 screens, and custom pizzas encourage culinary exploration. The friendly staff stands ready to cheer on patrons brave enough to tackle the 3-pound Slammer burger, rewarding victorious diners with a half-pound burger every week for a year, or a one-time prize of 26 pounds of ground beef. A robust events calendar keeps the bar bustling with karaoke, live music, and buffets during Bears games.
1243 State Street
Lemont,
IL
US
