What is the difference between frontera grill and topolobampo

Frontera had been open for three years before Bayless found a local farm that would supply him. But by the end of the year, the farm had gone under.

Out of those grew a no-interest loan program that provided small farmers with the capital needed to improve their productivity and profitability. Looking back on his career, Bayless inevitably falls into some it-was-harder-in-the-old-days gripes, but quickly recognizes it and self-deprecatingly laughs it off.

Sometimes I feel like the old guy on the street, because I am the old guy on the street. View the discussion thread. Skip to main content. Search WTTW:.

Today's feature fish, crispy black bean-filled tortilla, white wine escabeche olive oil, caramelized onion, sweet spices, sherry vinegar , Nichols Farm vegetables, pickled red onion, quail egg. Wood-grilled natural-raised flank steak, Oaxacan black mole, chepil tamal, tatume. Mexican vanilla-milk chocolate ice cream, Mexican chocolate brownies, cajeta, whipped cream, meringue. Melon-nopal sorbet, summer fruit raspberries, melon, cucumber , herby lime "broth".

Mashed Michoacan avocados, cilantro, lime, green chile, tomato. Just-made tortilla chips. Fresh corn tortilla, homemade fresco queso, sweet plantain, chorizo, silky black beans, Veracruz salsa negra. Shucked to order, chipotle salsa negra, tomatillo-habanero "minoneta" limes. Dozen oysters, traditional accompaniments, classic ceviche, tropical tuna cocktail. Sashimi-grade Hudson Canyon scallops, Florida pink shrimp, local melon pico de gallo, spicy-smoky aguachile broth lime, orange, morita chile , marigold.

Dark broth infused with pasilla chile , wood-grilled chicken, avocado, Meadow Valley Farm Jack cheese, crema, masa crisp. Red chile rabbit barbacoa with aromatic avocado leaves , Oaxacan yellow mole guajillo and pulla chiles, roasted tomato, herby pityona , white sweet potato tamal, local squash blossoms. Warm salad of roasted eggplant, Tocayo braised leeks, heirloom tomato, guajillo-arbol salsa macadamia, peanut, roasted garlic , Bayless garden greens.

Wheat-flour tortilla, salsas, Bayless Garden greens. Filling choices: huitlacoche, woodland mushrooms, corn, truffle oil, salsa negra; braised shortrib, spinach, charred tomato "salsa huevona"; smoked Gunthorp pork loin, homemade chorizo, crispy bacon bits, poblano chile, mashed pinto beans.

Today's Feature Fish, crispy black bean-filled tortilla, white wine escabeche olive oil, caramelized onion, sweet spices, sherry vinegar , Nichols Farm vegetables, pickled red onion, quail egg. Grilled Gulf shrimp, roasted maitake mushroom, charred corn esquites, huitlacoche pudding, creamy corn broth chile pequin, epazote, lobster stock , dry jack chicharron with black lime.

Husband made reservations for 4 in March for two special birthdays, he made them directly on the restaurant's website. We arrived at our designated time and were told that we had no reservations! Then when we showed them our confirmation emails, the women at the front desk told us that "someone" had "moved" them to the following week at 8 pm. How stupid did they think we were?

They told us they would not have a table until 8 pm no surprise! So they brought us downstairs to their new space where they comped our appetizers and drinks, as they should, however, we did not order much considering we were waiting for what we thought would be great meals. The manager came down at 8 pm to take us to our table. In the two hours that we sat the server asked us ONCE if we wanted drinks.

My husband brought a drink up from downstairs and the glass sat on the table for two hours. Why should we have to remind a server in a 5 star restaurant to remove a dirty glass? At the end, which was already after 10 pm, we complained to the manager and I can not believe how useless he was. All he said was "thanks for your comments. A worthless comment? Never again, save your money! For a 5 star restaurant the service and the way we were treated was totally unacceptable. This was for a birthday dinner.

What a great experience. This place never disappoints! Ever changing menu and oh so delicious!! Had the tasting menu with wine pairing I love this place!!! Two shockingly bad experiences. Dining had person with noted severe allergies being served the wrong allergy prone dish.

Many mistakes in plating and plate delivery. Very bad wait for valet to take car— 10 mins waiting on street. Uneducated hostesses kept saying just to wait. I asked them to take my key and give it to valet whenever he finally came Then I wrote long email to management about complaints. Never got them. Outrageous and sad. This was, by far, the best meal I've had in a restaurant in my life.

Bayless' knowledge of Mexican food is palpable and he respects the traditions where the flavors and dishes come from, while at the same time creating and innovating. This was our first time here and we were very excited to finally be trying this fantastic place. I will get the good out of the way first - service was outstanding.

Our waiter Christian was very attentive and we never had to worry about anything. Second, the food was really good. You could taste the quality. Each course was unique and different. I know further research could have given me more info about the specifics, when I found out the only real options were pre-set multi-course options, I was not excited.

Each of the courses were of similar size. I honestly felt like going out to eat after we went out to dinner just to feel satisfied. Although great food and service, just too expensive for what you get. Would rather go to Frontera, and save a couple hundred bucks. When you want to splurge in Chicago, this is the place to do it. The staff knows every detail of what they're serving.

Every course was an incredible experience. Wine pairings are totally worth it. It's expensive, but you can see why when you indulge here. The best restaurant in Chicago!

It bridged the gap for Middle America, eschewing the combo plate but luring customers with smoky wafts from the grill fueled by hardwood coal, build-your-own tacos, and enigmatic moles. Precision-engineered margaritas smoothed the conversion.

Two years later the Baylesses launched fine-dining Topolobampo in a room off one side of Frontera. It was the sophisticated approach to Mexican cuisine that Bayless had wanted to take in the first place, though he was smart enough to know he needed to first win over palates with Frontera's accessibility. He wooed at Topolo via saucing: wild turkey breast with heady chocolate mole, mahi mahi with poblano cream, empanadas napped in avocado puree. Topolo is celebrating its twenty-fifth anniversary this fall.

Since then, Bayless has opened other restaurants, including a second location of casual torta shop Xoco in Chicago's Wicker Park last month the original Xoco is next to Topolobampo and two locations— with a third on the way —of his Mexi-Cali concept Red O in Los Angeles.

Checking in on the siblings that became icons, I Bayless-binged by lunching at Frontera Grill and then having dinner at Topolo. Street food trio: duck carnitas memelas masa cake , cheese enchilada, shredded beef sopes.

One of my closest friends, a Chicago native, took me to Frontera Grill on my first visit to the city in We stood huddled in the cold outside, waiting in line, and the restaurant's spasm of primary colors and campfire scents thawed us as soon as we shuffled through the door. I remember being mesmerized not just by the warmth of the flavors but the exactness of the food's seasoning: the fastidious ratios of salt and citrus in the ceviche, the black mole's dusky-sweet alchemy, the revelation of fresh corn tortillas.

Eating at Frontera was an awakening. The same friend and I are having lunch at Frontera over two decades later. We're wiser now: We arrived at the restaurant at a. She wants all the classics: guacamole, smoked chicken taquitos, tacos, the killer chocolate-pecan pie with Kahlua whipped cream hat's been a staple since the restaurant's first month. I'm eyeing the novelties that frequently revolve through the menu and keep the kitchen's energy kindled.

We order some of everything. Part of Bayless's savvy as a restaurateur has been to distill his years of research into menus that provide all-inclusive tours of Mexican cookery. Oaxacan chile-marinated steaks and Mexico City-style quesadillas that resemble cornmeal turnovers share the spotlight with Veracruz salsas and Yucatan ceviches. Rather than a regional immersion, it all blurs into a satisfying whole.

And the kitchen sometimes takes creative liberties with staples. Beyond the standard guacamole, for example, there are seasonal variations: We try one with fresh habaneros, grilled onions, roasted garlic, sour orange popular in the Yucatan , and minty hoja santa as an intriguing departure from cilantro.

The description sounds cacophonous but the flavors mellow and merge harmoniously. Duck with date mole. Not every dish electrifies, though; the kitchen doesn't seem as rigorous with its execution as it once was.