Openings

What To Eat At Mercadito, Opening Thursday

New York's Mercadito
New York’s Mercadito

There are rumors flying that Mercadito, the long-awaited River North outpost of the NYC taco joint, is soft opening today. While the restaurant insists that their opening isn’t until Thursday, odds are good that you could swing by to say hello this evening and find yourself faced with a bowl of guacamole and a tequila shot or two.

Once things do kick into gear officially, expect a serious scene: Mercadito Chicago’s menu reads like a best-of list of dishes offered at its Big Apple outposts, both Mercadito and Mercadito Cantina. Along with the guac, expect a strong seviche showing, as well as the chainlet’s signature tacos. They’re served on house-made corn tortillas in groups of four, and hew towards simple preparations: a seared fish taco with tomatillo-garlic mojo and chiles poblanos, a shrimp taco topped simply with roasted garlic chipotle sauce and some diced avocado.

What To Eat At Mercadito, Opening Thursday