One of my favorite things about Chicago is that there are so many different neighborhoods and areas to explore, as well as festivals and markets. I’m not very familiar with the western parts of the city, so I was intrigued to check out the Maxwell Street Market. Lindsay had been going for quite a while and was a big fan of the market and the tacos, so we all jumped at Emily’s suggestion to check it out on Sunday morning.
We found a lot of interesting things for sale at the market, varying anywhere from CDs, DVDs and video games; clothing, including bras and underwear…; perfume; packaged and fresh food; and lots of very random items that you’d find at a yard sale. Emily found a new friend:
Don’t worry. She didn’t buy it.
At one point we were about to turn around but realized Kelsey had gone missing. I turned to look and saw a bunch of small children looking at toys… and then Kelsey towering over them as she walked through. Of course…
After looking around at all the vendors, we headed over to the food tents to get some lunch. I was SO excited about this because I’m a big fan of Mexican food (which is probably shocking to my family because as a child I turned my nose up at it) and I knew the food at the market would be fresh and authentic.
We ate at Rubi’s, which awesomely enough has a twitter and an instagram.
I was tempted to ask them to just make me a bunch of tortillas to eat. No need for toppings. They were pressing them all right there!
I decided to branch out and try something new, so I got the Nopales taco, which is just cactus. I don’t remember having ever eating cactus, so I thought I should give it a try. I ended up LOVING it! Not only was the tortilla amazing, but I actually really liked the cactus. Everyone else compared it to green pepper, but I thought it tasted a little different… more sweet? Either way I was a fan.
picture from Emily’s instagram (p.s. Erin was there too… Em apparently just cut her out…)
I will definitely be going back to try some more of the food, I hear the tamales are pretty amazing!
Oh, by the way, did I mention that we had book club this weekend? The book was Stiff, which I read a bit of but wasn’t able to finish due to finals and bar prep. It’s really interesting and I hope I can find some time to get through it.
Yes, the cover is totally creepy.
Of course there was tons of good food…
And then when there were just a few of us left, we broke out the game Fruit Ninja! I’d never played before but we got pretty into it and had a good time!
Pretty good weekend if you ask me!
Have you ever had Mexican food made fresh right in front of you?
What’s your favorite kind of taco?
What’s your favorite video game?
I need to know more about Stiff before I put it on my TBR list. Is it creepy?? It’s non-fiction, yes?? What is the premise?
I’ll do a full review when I’ve finished (only about a third through) but it is non-fiction and about all the things that happen to cadavers (so far it’s all scientific research) and the history behind a lot of it. It is definitely creepy and gross but really interesting – the author basically goes around to see all of these things and ask the questions that everyone is thinking but wouldn’t actually say out loud. Gross but I liked it, as did everyone who read it in bookclub. She has other similar books as well about less gruesome subjects 😉
I’ve never had cactus. I’m a little intrigued, but I’d also be a little scared. It’s just so…different.
My favorite kinds of tacos are those with seafood (shrimp or fish) and pineapple (with other stuff, but those are the essentials). There’s a restaurant in Austin, TX called the Hula Hut, that’s an amazing mix of Hawaiian and Mexican food, and they have the best tacos I’ve ever had.
Oooo I bet Hawaiian tacos are amazing! Haha and the cactus really wasn’t that different, it was good!
I’m going to have to stop by that Market when I’m in Chicago later in June – I love outdoor markets! I’ll have to check out that book. Can’t say I’ve ever read a book about human cadavers… Hope BAR prep is going well!
It’s open Sundays, definitely check it out! Polk & Des Plaines
True story: I tried to get Ian to take me out for more tacos on Sunday night. I just LOVE tacos.
We should make the Maxwell Market a more frequent thing although I do feel like we’re cheating on Taco Joint though.
Lol I know, you said you were at that weird Cuban restaurant! And we could just go to both Maxwell and Taco Joint all the time. yes?
I’ve become addicted to fish tacos! My friend from CA has taught me how to make authentic fish tacos, and now I love them.
The Maxwell Street Market looks fun! I love stuff like that. 🙂
those tacos sound delicious!
Mmmmm I LOVE fresh Mexican food. So so much!!! Thats why i’ve been obsessed with Cafe Rio–p.s. when you come visit ME I will take you there 🙂
Ah YES!!!! You are so taking me there WHEN I come visit!!!
I’m coming tooooo! 🙂
PARTY IN UTAH!
That market looks like a really fun place! I love playing fruit ninja on my kindle fire. i’m really bad at it though.
It was so fun to play on the TV, although we all looked like idiots, haha
OMG Dying at these pics of me! You creeper! Those kids are lucky I didn’t step on them to death…
Sadly no toys were bought 🙁
Lol they are very lucky little children
I have been wanting to check out Maxwell market for awhile, but haven’t yet!
I love nopales! It is so good in a salad with tomatoes & onion! I had in Mexico and has become a favorite!
You really should go check it out, I think you’d love it!
Now that I know about these amazing tacos I have a feeling I’ll be dragging Jason there a lot this summer.
Haha you must! It’s so close for you!
What a fun weekend! Mmm I LOVE Mexican food! I love pretty much any taco, but my favorite is a chicken soft taco.
I’d take pretty much any taco too!
My husband and I LOVE fruit ninja! We go a bit crazy on the ipad trying to beat each other’s high scores. The fun saturday nights of married people.
I didn’t realize it’s an iPad game too, we just played on her TV! I think it was Wii?
Gross. That doll!!! And Kelsey cut half of Erin out of the pic. In the words of Michelle Tanner… how rude. 🙂
Haha yessssss Full House!
I’m a lover of traditional tacos. I usually just load them up with beef, salsa, guacamole and any veggies available! 🙂
Sounds good to me!
I absolutely adore going to Mexican restaurants and having the guacamole made right in front of you – nothing beats that!
I’ve done that once, amazing!