Eater Chicago | Ashok Selvam | February 12, 2020
The Lincoln Park restaurant from Quiote’s ex-chef has an opening date
Mundano — the much-anticipated Latin American-influenced restaurant that’s generating buzz for both its creative dishes and the innovative approach management is taking toward workplace ethics — has an opening date. The restaurant, headed by former Quiote chef Ross Henke, should open on February 24 in Lincoln Park.
Henke has brought over a few of his former colleagues from Quiote, an acclaimed modern Mexican restaurant that closed last year in Logan Square. Trista Baker is Mundano’s front-of-house manager. She’s also the founder of the Restaurant Culture Association, an organization that holds events to encourage inclusivity, transparency, and ethics within restaurants. Their latest event covered allyship, which is how people of privilege can support marginalized communities — say, men who see women colleagues suffer workplace harassment. Both Henke and Baker worked at Quiote, and Henke wanted Baker’s prowess at Mundano to establish workplace policies that they hope will become shining examples for other restaurants.
Mundano’s menu (see below) touches on several cultures. There’s savory churros with manchego, and tortellini with hominy soubise, French onion broth, and chives. The menu also has a bit of Chinese influence with dan dan noodles featuring lamb chorizo, chile morita, garlic, and a condiment Henke calls “Mexiracha.”
The restaurant’s owners, Baligh and Moe Abu-Taleb, also run Mesa Urbana in suburban Glenview. Read the menu below as Mundano, one of the city’s most anticipated restaurant openings of the year, prepares to debut.
Mundano, 1935 N. Lincoln Park West, scheduled to open February 24.
SVN | Chicago Commercial’s Scott Reinish participated in the transaction for this restaurant space.