The "New" Maxwell Street Market - Central American Eats for CHEAP!
Jun 1, 2003, 8:19 pm
#1
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The "New" Maxwell Street Market - Central American Eats for CHEAP!
I am a Chicagoan who did not experience the original Maxwell Street Market.
Today I went to the New Maxwell Street Market on Canal Street and Roosevelt Road.
The market is primarily a Hispanic oriented market.
There are plenty of food stalls w/lots of food to try. Most items go for $1-$2.
I was in heaven trying the various items while sipping a Horchata. Horchata is Mexican rice water or rice milk made from rice, water, cinnamon and some sugar. While I believe it is considered a dessert, I enjoyed the sweet cool liquid w/my salsa-hot items I ate.
Tamal Oaxaca serves some terrific tamales, only 75 cents for a small one. Make sure to pour over the green salsa that comes in a squirt bottle. The salsa is not hot at all and lends a full pepper taste to the tamale. Great start.
At Sabrosos Tacos, they serve an item called chorizo w/red sauce. A flat bread/tortilla thing is heated w/chorizo (Mex sausage), cheese, and a rich full red sauce. TASTY.
I lost my notes after this, but remember eating more varieties of tacos (including a potato) and tacitos (small fried stuffed tacos).
One very yummy item was a quesadilla made with the fungus that grows on corn. Very earthy, kind of a mixture between a mushroom and truffle. Very good as well.
The market itself is ok, mostly tools, tube socks, Latin music, but the food is definitely worth a visit.
The New Maxwell St Market is every Sunday at the corner of Roosevelt and Canal in Chicago.
Today I went to the New Maxwell Street Market on Canal Street and Roosevelt Road.
The market is primarily a Hispanic oriented market.
There are plenty of food stalls w/lots of food to try. Most items go for $1-$2.
I was in heaven trying the various items while sipping a Horchata. Horchata is Mexican rice water or rice milk made from rice, water, cinnamon and some sugar. While I believe it is considered a dessert, I enjoyed the sweet cool liquid w/my salsa-hot items I ate.
Tamal Oaxaca serves some terrific tamales, only 75 cents for a small one. Make sure to pour over the green salsa that comes in a squirt bottle. The salsa is not hot at all and lends a full pepper taste to the tamale. Great start.
At Sabrosos Tacos, they serve an item called chorizo w/red sauce. A flat bread/tortilla thing is heated w/chorizo (Mex sausage), cheese, and a rich full red sauce. TASTY.
I lost my notes after this, but remember eating more varieties of tacos (including a potato) and tacitos (small fried stuffed tacos).
One very yummy item was a quesadilla made with the fungus that grows on corn. Very earthy, kind of a mixture between a mushroom and truffle. Very good as well.
The market itself is ok, mostly tools, tube socks, Latin music, but the food is definitely worth a visit.
The New Maxwell St Market is every Sunday at the corner of Roosevelt and Canal in Chicago.
Jun 6, 2003, 11:52 am
#3
Join Date: Mar 2003
Location: Chicago, IL
Posts: 13
Haven't been to "La Garra" (what Mexicans call their flea markets I guess) in like 5 years.Last time I went had some tacos under a tarp, awesome stuff. Have to go back out there again one of these Sundays. I need some tubesocks anyway. :-)
[This message has been edited by Skyliner (edited 06-06-2003).]
[This message has been edited by Skyliner (edited 06-06-2003).]
Jun 12, 2006, 8:17 pm
#4
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United's Hemispheres magazine recently had an article on the Maxwell Street Market.
Maxwell St (is) one of the most vibrant Mexican street markets in the US - with stall after stall of enticing street snacks. For me, a great Sunday morning begins with El Guero's steaming caldo de birria, red-chile beef broth with fresh cilantro. Think "marketplace" rather than "market" (I've seen queen size beds next to Mexican wrestlers' masks). Grocery stalls play to the Mexican cook. The Villa family sells Mexico City-style huaranches (huge oval corn masa cakes filled with black beans, slathered with salsa, and sprinkled with various toppings); tear them into pieces as you would pizza. There's something for everyone. My daughter loves rummaging through the "designer" sunglasses. My friend Carlos swears by the Russian guy who sells Cossack-style fur hats. Me, I can't take my eyes off of the hand-hammered copper cazos (cooking pots) from Michoacan Mexico.
Jun 12, 2006, 8:32 pm
#5
Join Date: Aug 2004
Posts: 103
As you mentioned, it's open Sunday morning, so it makes a good thing to do when a lot of other things are closed.
Most of the merchandise is pretty cheap stuff, although I found a few useful trinkets, but the food is really interesting aand inexpensive.
The people watching is really good, too!
Most of the merchandise is pretty cheap stuff, although I found a few useful trinkets, but the food is really interesting aand inexpensive.
The people watching is really good, too!
Jun 14, 2006, 10:25 am
#6
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Originally Posted by Sweet Willie
I am a Chicagoan who did not experience the original Maxwell Street Market.
Later in life, we used to drive down during the week to Little Mexico on Maxwell St for the great Enchiladas Suizas. (usually around 2AM
)
Jun 14, 2006, 3:00 pm
#7
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I knew a number of contractors who would go to the old Maxwell St. on Sundays to buy back their tools and equipment which had been stolen during the week. Also, when your hubcaps got stolen, you could always find perfect matches there
Sometimes only one or two hubcaps were stolen, and, lo and behold, they'd just happen to have only one or two where were exactly right.
I also recall tables with stacks of car stereos, with loose connector wires hanging out of the backs.
Sometimes only one or two hubcaps were stolen, and, lo and behold, they'd just happen to have only one or two where were exactly right.
I also recall tables with stacks of car stereos, with loose connector wires hanging out of the backs.