Go Guatamalan in Albany Park

offal = incredible

Hi!

I’ve had a busy few weeks and I’m finally trying to catch up. First off there was Kenji’s visit to Chicago, then I judged a comedy cooking show at the Lincoln Lounge called Sauteed Standup (which I’ve done multiple times now), and then I took a trip to Louisville, Kentucky, to go visit KFC’s headquarters for a behind-the-scenes press trip. I’m finally catching up on sleep and boy, does that feel good.

In any case, we’re just getting out of a gnarly cold snap, and when it’s that cold outside, it’s hard not to want a bowl of soup or stew. Winter in Chicago always feels like it’s 12 months of the year, might as well dig into some comfort food if we’re stuck.

And if you’re looking for something hot in a bowl that’s probably a little different from what you usually get, I’ve got a cool place for you to visit.

You should all take a trip to Amatitlan Restaurante on Kedzie, in Albany Park.

I visited Amatitlan with my friend Kenny Z last year, and I’m finally getting around to talking about it. I was late and in a rush and ended up accidentally smacking some guy’s rear view mirror while trying to park (no damage). I ended up giving the guy some money since I felt so guilty, though he wasn’t at all concerned. Cool story.

We started with the chicken empanadas, pictured above, and they were crisp, dipped in a mild red salsa, and topped with a crumbly white cheese. I could honestly have crushed three of them, if that’s all we were eating. The shell was crisp and shattered to the bite, despite being soaked in sauce, and the chicken inside was shredded and tender.

We split a bowl of pepián de pollo ($15), which from what I’ve read, is considered Guatemala’s national dish.

The bowl of red stew comes with a generous amount of bone-in chicken, potatoes, and green beans. There’s a ton of chile flavor packed into that sauce, but it’s not spicy, and since the sauce is thickened with pumpkin seeds, it’s got a rich velvety texture that feels very nourishing. I can certainly see why this is Guatemala’s national dish, I’d be proud as hell of it too.

I imagine that in Guatemala each family has its own slightly different version, all of them pretty spectacular.

Kenny was particularly interested in this stew, however, called revolcado ($20).

My God, I couldn’t get enough of it. It’s a Guatemalan stew that uses pig head and organ meat like liver and heart, which gives it a very distinct mineral-like flavor. I realize that organ meat isn’t everyone’s favorite, because it can taste a little funky for those who’re sensitive to its flavor (or the idea), but if you’re the kind of person who’s inclined to order things like beef liver and onions from a diner, this is right up your alley.

While the pepián was rich, it couldn’t hold a candle to the revolcado. The sauce was thicker and infused with the flavor of the organ meat, but not in a way that hits you over the head. It felt like it’d make for a perfect hangover remedy somehow.

I could have eaten the whole bowl of revolcado by myself (trust me, I was tempted), but I saved some for Davida. When I brought home the leftovers, she killed them in no time, remarking independently about how much she loved it.

While there’s a little rice to be had on the side with both stews, the tortillas were handmade, thick, and expertly made.

I can’t stress enough how wonderful and important they are to your meal. You could make yourself a little wrap of the chunky parts of either stew, or simply tear off pieces and pinch up some meat and shove little bundles in your mouth, like I did. You’ll want to absolutely dunk them into the sauce of either to the point where they’re messily saturated. Or just eat it all out of the bowl with your spoon. It’s your life, be free. My hands were an absolute glorious mess after I was done eating.

When the weather gets annoyingly cold again as you know it inevitably will, and you’re done threatening to move to somewhere warmer (all Chicagoans do this), you can commiserate over a bowl of Guatemalan stew. Just a warning, however: The food will make you rethink ever leaving this place.

Amatitlan
4053 N Kedzie Ave
Chicago, IL 60618
(773) 971-5221

Hours:
Open every day between 9 a.m. - 10 p.m. (that was easy)

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Thank you all for reading The Party Cut, and as always, it’s a pleasure to write for you all. I want to go grab some stew now. Though the newsletter’s small, it sure packs a lot of information, so feel free to share it with everyone you know:

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