If you like your fajitas with a side of "see and be seen," then River North's newly opened Dos Diablos is the place for you.
The restaurant spikes classic Tex-Mex with a strong shot of urban chic. Think deep red walls and loud club music mixed with Mexican art. Expect to see groups of coworkers forgetting about the workday over pitchers of margaritas, and gaggles of skinny straight women dressed in halters and stilettos ( and then men who ogle them ) .
The menu consists of Tex-Mex basics like tacos, enchiladas and fajitas. Of course any Mexican restaurant is only as good as its chips and salsa, and Dos Diablos does not disappoint in this department. The homemade tomato salsa is fresh and flavorful without being too spicy, and the chips ( also baked in house ) are thin, crisp and have just the right amount of grease. I found the guacamole a little bland, but certainly edible.
You'll want to kick off your evening with one of Dos Diablos' cocktailsand there are plenty to choose from. The My Maria is a creamy blend of guava and lime juices, Ketel One vodka and muddled strawberries. I like the idea, but there were so many chunks of strawberries that consuming this cocktail required more eating than drinking. The Mexican Moonshine will dispel any illusions you might have that pink drinks are for amateurs. This deceiving concoction combines Patron tequila, Citronage and a splash of pomegranate liqueur.
The cocktails are worth checking out, but if you want a sure thing, order a margarita. The frozen margaritas boast the perfect consistencysmooth and thick ( but not so much so that you can't drink it through a straw ) . The passion fruit margarita tastes suspiciously like fruit punch ( if fruit punch included tequila ) . It's good, but starts to taste too sweet before you get to the bottom of your glass. Go for the classic frozen margarita instead.
If you prefer your margaritas on the rocks, you'll want to try the El Diablo, which is hand-shaken and includes a secret ingredient. This drink is so strong the menu kindly asks you limit yourself to just three. I didn't stay long enough to find out if that rule is enforced, but I can report that I felt warm and tingly and a lot less stressed out after about five sips.
If you're looking for a starter other than chips and salsa, go for the Mexican saganaki, which is Panella cheese flamed with Mexican brandy and lime. It's deliciousand the waiter will set it on fire right at your table.
The best thing about Dos Diablos is its homemade flour tortillas. They are warm, doughy and obviously fresh from the oven. The shrimp fajitas came with about eight big grilled shrimp, a mysteriously delicious "Mexican butter" and all the trimmings. I think I'd love just about anything wrapped in Dos Diablos' delicious tortillas, so the fajitas got my stamp of approval. The carne asada was spicy and flavorful, but the meat was a little chewy for my taste.
If you haven't had enough sugar in the form of margaritas by the time you finish your meal, Dos Diablos has a few interesting desserts. Skip the chocolate tamale, a chocolate cake baked in a corn husk. I was really looking forward to this one, but apparently chocolate cakes aren't meant to be baked in corn husks because this was a dry, crumbly mess of unremarkable chocolate that I had to awkwardly dig out of its casing. The coco loco pie, on the other hand, is a very pleasant surprise. It's thick layers of baked shredded coconut in a mango sauce served with rich and creamy strawberry ice cream. It sounded kind of weird, in my opinion, but it was fantasticand the perfect end to what was all in all a pretty satisfying meal. I won't be rushing back to Dos Diablos, but I think it's a nice spot for happy hour and a good bet if you're in the area and in the mood for Tex-Mex.
Dos Diablos is at 15 W. Hubbard; 312-245-3100; www.dosdiabloschicago.com .