A Mexican Bakery – can someone explain?
 

I’ve seen “Mexican” bakeries all over Chicagoland and decided to try one.

Tried a cheesecake, triangle shaped pastry w/vanilla filling, a thing that looked like a heart and was similar to the elephant ears pastry, a biscuit, and a flan.

The flan was outstanding, not too sweet, good caramel flavor, almost granular custard, not silky smooth like ultra processed flans.

Everything else was terrible, just awful. Cheesecake was dry as a bone and had no real cheesy flavor. Biscuit I could have used for a hockey puck and had the taste of one (being an ex-hockey player I know what they taste like http://www.flyertalk.com/dining/ftdining_forum/wink.gif ). The heart shaped thing was ok, but a crisp elephant ear is more what I prefer.

I was hoping someone could explain the “thrust” of Mexican Baking as I did not see it, nor taste it. Are there certain items I should have tried?

Bravo Bakery has two locations:

Palwaukee plaza in Prospect Heights
And
1758 W. Algonquin Rd in Mt. Prospect.

I haven't tried any of their other stuff, but Pierre's in Berwyn has tremendous cakes, especially sheet cakes. We drive a good way to pick them up, probably passing up 20 bakeries on the way.

One of their big advantages is that they have very long hours, including Sunday hours. One of my cousins that lives in Berwyn and turned us onto them tells me that bakery goods are an important part of most of her Hispanic friends' weekend social lives. That might be stereotypical, but it is one data point.

I have to agree with ElmhurstNick, Pierre's is great, especially for sheetcakes. I think there is another one on Milwaukee Ave. in Logan Square.

The best Mexican bakeries aren't in the northwest suburbs. Go to the predominantly Mexican neighborhoods in the city (Pilsen, Little Village, Logan Square, et. al.) or suburbs such as Berwyn or Cicero. You're likely to find better baked goods there.

You know, I have and the quality (IMO) is just not there. I have not tried the sheet cakes though.

That's probably one of the better products from these bakeries. I reccomend either Pierre's or Roser's on North/Kimball. Great cakes!