Don't Bother Ordering: The Fully-dressed Guacamole - if you must choose your toppings carefully
Expect: A service, A food, $$ prices
Uniqueness: With no shortage of food options at O'Hare it's still nice to have a spot that you don't go to just for the bar.
Summary: The newest addition to the Bayless family, Torta Frontera does an amazing job of pairing unexpected, non-traditional foods and techniques to make innovative, delicious Mexican staples.
I'm reopening the book on my brief, uneventful food critic career for a very special experience. I've always been skeptical of Rick Bayless if for no other reason than his non-Hispanic heritage. I know - for shame. But Tortas Frontera shut my mouth. Immediately upon sitting down at the bar you're transported from gate B11 at one of the world's busiest airports to a cantina in Mexico City. The lively music drowns out all remnants of last boarding calls (be warned) and is almost as intoxicating as the favorably strong Deal Maker Margarita. The only thing that kept me from dancing - aside from the absence of my husband - was the Smoky Garlic Shrimp torta that was served to me in an unassuming brown cardboard box (a note to the recycled materials found throughout the establishment).
The bread is toasted to a crispy crunch, unlike any torta I've ever seen, while the shrimp with it's just right spice is perfectly accented with creamy goat cheese, poblano peppers and arugula. Goat cheese and tortas...who knew?? The accompanying salsa is as authentic as any other (aside from the mild flavor), but - in my opinion - is not needed lest you are a salsa junkie and demand the extra moisture. Everything was so good I had to stop in (from an entirely different terminal) on my flight back in to pick up more for my husband to try. This time the Pepito was vastly overshadowed by the Chipotle Chicken and the fully-dressed guacamole was too salty to eat. Not sure if it the chips, bacon, or other toppings were the culprit.
All in all, Timeout Chicago wasn't kidding when in 2011 they named Torta Frontera "the best reason to fly again". Lord knows this airport needs one. Thank you Bayless for showcasing the beautiful food that Chicago has to offer at one of the least likely of places. And to think this used to be a Quizno's...ha!
