Some of you (hopefully) may have noticed that I’ve been MIA for a few weeks, posting less or sometimes not at all.  Well that has to do with a few things but mostly I’ve been busy traveling, my ‘real’ job, and just wanting to take a bit of a hiatus (love that word) to get rejuvenated.  But guess whose back?

Sorry, I couldn’t resist.  I still love Eminem…

Anyways, awhile back I had the opportunity to check out Tavernita with two of my girls on a weekday night.  I might be a little rusty but let’s get on with it.

Moody:
Tavernita is a beautiful establishment and also one of THE places to see and be seen.  I’m usually not into that but Tavernita drew me in.  The main dining area is low lit with calming hues of browns and golds.  There are unique details like the ceiling and the room separators that just push the space over the edge.  Tavernita is undeniably beautiful.  Ninja star awarded.

Boo Factor:
Everything about Tavernita makes it a great date place.  For something a bit more casual, you can check out the bar and sit near the open windows on a nice day while enjoying some sangria and food to share.  Sitting in the main restaurant is romantic, just make sure your date likes to share food.  Ninja star awarded.

Service:
Our waiter was on his game.  He was energetic, funny, patient, and very informative about the menu.  All of his recommendations were spot on as well.  Ninja star awarded.

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DD:
I really appreciate that Tavernita lets you pick two cocktails and try a mini version of both, more places should do this.  However, I resisted the temptation and went for the red sangria.  I loved it.  The sangria had the right alcohol content so it was still drinkable while not overbearingly sweet.  I could have had a couple more and the fruit was delicious.  Ninja star awarded.

Sangria

Pretty Yummy:
All the food looked absolutely flawless on a plate and it took all the self control I had to not just shovel everything into my mouth immediately.  Ninja star awarded.

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Smell Meter:
No stand outs here, no star.

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Harmony:
Tavernita’s menu was definitely designed to share.  The menu is broken down into Crudos, En Pan, and Platos.  We stuck to the bread (carbs!) and plates options although the raw offerings sounded very delicious.

Here is the breakdown of what we had.  The Pan Con Burrata with tomato marmalade and burrata cheese on crostini.

Pan Con Burrata

The other crostini we picked was the Escalivada which was crostini topped with eggplant, red peppers, hazelnut romesco, and goat cheese.  Both were yummy but the Escalivada had more sophisticated flavors that just put it over the top for me.

Escalivada

The waiter also raved about the Pork Belly Bocadillos with apple jam and pickled red onions on a brioche bun.  Absolutely one of the tastiest little sandwiches that I’ve had in some time.  The flavors were on point and the mix of sweet and savory was executed perfectly.  I could eat an entire order myself.

Pork Belly Bocadillos

Next, we moved on to the plates.  I had done some reading on Tavernita prior and I was dying to try Greg’s Meatballs and the Corn Pudding.

Greg’s Meatballs are made of Wagyu beef, pork, and topped with a hazelnut romesco sauce.  Surprisingly, they were not the star of the show for me.  They were a bit too spicy for me and I didn’t love the sauce.

Greg's Meatballs

However, the Corn Pudding with shrimp, chile poblano, and herb salad lived up to all the hype.  Pure heaven and the textures of the corn and shrimp complimented each other to produce a satisfying dish.

Corn Pudding

Last but certainly not least was a recommendation from the waiter, the Croquetas with Serrano ham and saffron aioli.  These were fried balls of heaven and unexpectedly became one of my favorite things we had all night.

Croquetas

Tavernita only disappointed me mildly with one of the dishes we tried, I think a ninja star is warranted.

Overall Yummy in My Tummy:
A memorable meal with a few welcome surprises deserves the star.

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Banoffee Factor:
A girls night out is not complete without dessert and we decided to go big or go home and get two desserts to share.  I can’t really recall what the two were named but the one was a Salted Caramel dessert.  This was simply okay.  The salt was nice but the chocolate wasn’t sweet enough for me and the flavors just didn’t wow me.

Chocolate Salted Caramel Dessert

The other dessert was a Deep Fried Custard dessert that was unique in every way.  The texture was creamy and the flavors were something I’ve never experienced before.  Now only if I could remember what was in it.  Either way, ninja star awarded!

Fried Custard Dessert

Tavernita weighs in at a well deserved 8/9 ninja stars!

I can’t wait to go back for some more pork belly and croquetas…

Till next time, peace out food ninjas!

Chicago Vacations