118611 Tue Oct 18 16:27:22 -0700 2005 12 7 Chicago Area 0 647390 I tried the brand-new Frontera Fresco at the State Street Marshall Field's 7th floor food court for lunch today. For $12.90, I had one shrimp quesadilla (comes with a small side salad), a chicken tamale and a limeade. So, yes, it's pricey for a non-airport food court. I just expected the quality to be better. The quesadilla was woefully short on queso, so much so that there were bare spots of nothing but tortilla. The quantity/quality of shrimp was OK, but they just tasted like small defrosted boiled shrimp. De Cero's shrimp tacos and Chilpancingo's shrimp/chipotle quesadillas are vastly superior (as is the one served at the real Frontera Grill). The side salad was delicious--fresh/tasty mixed greens, not overly dressed and sprinkled with aged cheese. The chicken tamale was not good. The masa was nice and light but the first 2/3 of the tamale had no filling at all. There was just a little blob of filling in one small section. Salsas were good, as one would expect. My raspberry/cactus apple liemade was good, but too sweet. Before a final judgement, I want to try some of their tortas and other items, but my first visit just merits an "eh." Certainly better than Taco Fresco, but shouldn't expect more? Tue Oct 18 16:27:22 -0700 2005 0 Pugman 1 647391 I didn't know they had a 7th floor food court. What else is there? Tue Oct 18 16:53:56 -0700 2005 647390 0 HB 2 647394 Besides Frontera, there's a place that makes entree-sized salads (mediocre), a soup/sandwich counter (good La Brea Bakery breads), a noodle place serving Asian-ish stir-fry (so-so), and a grill serving quite respectable burgers (beef, turkey, buffalo) and other sandwiches (steak, grilled chicken, portobella mushroom, BBQ pork, grilled tuna). Oh, and the fries are good (unless you don't like seasoned fries). The hamburgers are quite good...not as good as my faves (Paradise Pup, Naha, Morton's and the brand-new Fulton's on the River), but way above average. It's also a NICE food court...real plates and silverware, beverages served in glasses, and exceptionally courteous employees. Once holiday shopping season is in full swing, I would advise getting there before noon. The line at the grill gets very long because everything is cooked to order. Tue Oct 18 17:46:34 -0700 2005 647391 0 Pugman 3 647726 They use to have a really good soup counter in the 7th Floor food court. Out of this world Cream of Mushroom soup...miss that!! Would like to try Frontera Fresco, love Frontera Grill. Thu Nov 03 00:30:58 -0800 2005 647394 0 Susan 1 647398 Thanks for the review. Yes, it's a bit pricy even for a Loop food court. Maybe people will expect too much from a fast food operation as compared to a full-service restaurant - and that's the risk Rick Bayless is taking in associating himself with this type of operation that'll be difficult to control the quality of. About the tamales - your description of what you were served fits almost to a "T" the description I'd give you of tamales I buy and eat when traveling throughout Mexico. I've never eaten a tamale in Mexico that was completely full of the filling - I don't think that's done, intentionally. So, if my recollection is accurate, he's serving an "authentic" tamale. I might wander by the 7th Floor to see what it looks like, but I doubt I'll fork over that high price for what's served-up. Again, thanks! Tue Oct 18 20:09:38 -0700 2005 647390 0 Bill 2 647399 Funny about the tamales! I had a feeling that what I was served might be quite "authentic." Of course, that doesn't necessarily mean it tastes good. I grew up in SoCal and ate lots of really good, and apparently, "inauthentic" tamales. I've always admired Bayless, so I hope that his organization keeps a keen eye on the quality at the new venue...otherwise he is going to set himself up for a lot of criticism. Tue Oct 18 23:07:25 -0700 2005 647398 0 Pugman 3 647401 As "beauty" is in the eye of the beholder, "taste" is in on the palate of the person eating the meal. "Authentic" isn't always what people want to taste. As you know, cooking isn't an exact science. Two people preparing from the same recipe often present results/meals with different taste/appearance. I think Bayless has made a mistake with the fast-food concept. He can't "win." Being at the restaurant and in his kitchen is one thing. Having someone else watch remote locations is another. The two are not always compatable. My own tastes in Mexican food are difficult to satisfy . . . or reach the approval stage. I compare what I'm served in Chicago with what I'm served while traveling in Mexico. Maybe I'm expecting too much here. Wed Oct 19 00:00:07 -0700 2005 647399 0 Bill 4 647428 I have never eaten at Frontera Fresco, but will do so soon to decide for myself if this was a bad idea. Just a few thoughts about the ongoing discussion. It is true that tamales vary from chef to chef, but I was taught to make tamales by a home chef from Aguascaliente, Mexico, and hers were perfect, not too much, not too little filling. I don't entirely agree that big name chefs opening fast food establishments are all failures. I worked at and have eaten at Trotters To Go many times, and the quality and creativity of the food never ceases to amaze me. Even though Chef Trotter has a famous restaurant, is opening another one in New York, and is constantly jet-setting around the world for various events, he still makes sure the people running his fast food establishment hold the same standards that he does for his restaurant. It is a little pricy, but so are the ingredients he puts into the food, so it is worth the few extra dollars. And he recently opened a new branch on Monroe near Franklin downtown, so it can't all be bad. I am not trying to shout the praises of the mighty Chef Trotter, but good food is good food. If he can do it, it is certainly attainable for other celebrity chefs to create popular and good fast food establishments. Thu Oct 20 09:49:58 -0700 2005 647401 0 Leena T. 3 647730 Hahahahahah!! I'll be you guys have never actually made a tamale in your lives! As someone who has made literally thousands in her lifetime, let me tell you that when "las comadres" (godmothers) get together & have a "tamalera" (tamale-making get-together), they're making them so fast that they don't have time to make sure that the filling goes in very neatly. Just spread on the masa, put down a tablespoon of filling, & fold the corn husk over to form the tamale & get it ready for the steamer. Not exactly pretty! I've seen one of Bayless's programs on public television where he showed his set-up in his restaurant & he had a few "authentic Mexican" women in his kitchens who just crank out freshly made tortillas & tamales every day. So I don't think your tamale wasn't "authentic". It's just that every woman's hand makes them a little bit differently from the next. Some like to tie up each tamale with a corn husk strip, but I never went to all that trouble. I just left one end open & stacked that end up in the steamer. By the way, nowadays, you can buy the masa already premixed with lard in some grocery stores' dairy cases. You can find the dry corn husks & dried chiles in the Mexican food section. All you need is to buy a pork shoulder (or filling of your choice) & you can make a pretty good product right at home. It's not hard, just time-consuming (hence, the women getting together to share the work). If anyone was REALLY interested, I suppose I could share my recipe for the filling preparation, too. Just drop me an email. The holidays coming up are the times that most Mexican families will be making them to eat in the morning with hot chocolate or good, strong cafe con leche. Wonderful!! Thu Nov 03 03:00:27 -0800 2005 647399 0 Artemisia 1 647414 Thanks for the review. I've been meaning to try it - maybe I will go tomorrow. I was curious about this operation because there really wasn't anything *wrong* with the previous occupant of Frontera Fresco, which was a similar operation that offered quesadillas, tacos and like fare. This is an interesting venture by Bayless, someone who, in my opinion, makes some questionable business decisions (anyone remember the Burger King commercials?) and whose apparent desire to be national household name akin to Emeril often trumps the reality of what I personally find to be his off-putting personality. That said, I eat on the 7th floor probably once a week, when I meet for lunch the *one* person I know who will actually spend the above-average prices charged by the vendors in that operation. Everyone else I know thinks it's "too expensive" for lunch. Thus, I don't know how a $12.90 quesadilla/tamale/limeade lunch will go over with the Loop lunchers. Apparently, they're going for tourists. Wed Oct 19 16:17:32 -0700 2005 647390 0 aschie30 1 647432 Mexican casual / street food like tamales are made quickly and by hand so it doesn't surprise me that there would only be filling in one end. If I buy a dozen for $4 from a street vendor in Rogers Park, I wouldn't be disappointed if it's a little lopsided. What seems amiss to me is that if it's part of a $12 lunch, your'e going to scrutinize everything much more and notice things like this. Thu Oct 20 13:33:41 -0700 2005 647390 0 scott 1 647468 I was there opening day (not on purpose). I had the queso huraches (sp?) - a flatbread with black bean spread, 4 cheeses, salad greens on top. It was really good - just the right size for lunch. I also had chips and salsa - I was disappointed - chips from the bag and salsa from a jar, not fresh-made (and they sell the chips and salsas at Fields, so I'm not surprised, but still...). The mango limeade was WAY too sweet - I diluted it with a glass of water. Bayless himself was there overseeing things, along with about 5 corporate types. No less than 4 people stopped by my table to ask how everything was. I'll go back, but I'll skip the chips & salsa and limeade. Sat Oct 22 18:44:43 -0700 2005 647390 0 Hissyfit 1 647742 Been there three or four times now. The quesadillas are good, but absolutely nothing special. Tortillas, cheese, chicken, and onion. I could make that at home and save myself eight dollars or go to Chipotle for about half the price. I don't know what all the fuss is...I kept going back thinking maybe I was missing something, but each time, I found myself upset I had wasted so much money for lunch. I will not be going back. Thu Nov 03 11:19:17 -0800 2005 647390 0 rilee