Depot Nuevo on the right track
On a recent Monday night trip to downtown Wilmette, I noticed a curious hum taking over the sidewalks. Families, friends, couples on dates were all pouring into a new Latin-inspired restaurant housed in a not-so-new building. To have that buzz on a night that's considered slow in the restaurant world is about as good a compliment to executive chef Alvaro Chavez as it is a testament to his culinary imagination.
The scene
Depot Nuevo's new home was originally the Wilmette train station, built with money donated by citizens of the town following a fire that destroyed an earlier one. Black-and-white photographs of the building, which is more than 100 years old, grace the brightly colored orange, blue, and red walls of the restaurant (look for the pics toward the back), with one even showing the building being transported from its original location to where it is now on Wilmette Avenue. On the night I visited, the true party was happening outside on the wraparound patio, where there's room for about a dozen tables.
The food
We started off with the Escalade Margarita, a lemony creation with Don Abraham Reposado tequila and the sweet touch of Grand Marnier, together with the sour tingle of fresh lemonade and orange juice. If tequila isn't your poison, there are plenty of beers, from the Dos Equis Amber to the 22-ounce Fat Tire, as well as a very good collection of Argentinean and Italian wines.
The single-page menu does not claim to be authentic, but rather inspired by Latin cuisine.
The chorizo shrimp is one of about 10 appetizers, including a seviche Boliviano and tamale con rajas. With three juicy jumbo shrimp sauteed with crispy fried chorizo sausage, bell peppers and onions, plus a handful of wild rice, this appetizer seemed to strike the perfect balance and proved to be an excellent choice.
The main course includes numerous seafood dishes featuring tilapia, salmon and trout, but the meats don't take second place. Argentinean flank steak, for example, is grilled and served with a light and creamy chimichurri sauce and jalapeño-sour cream mashed potatoes, together with crispy green beans. Although recommended medium-rare by the kitchen, the steak arrived a definite medium and there was slightly more effort in cutting it than needed to be. The chimichurri added a good burst of flavor with its garlic, paprika and oregano spice, while the potatoes had a perfect consistency and jalapeño kick. The salmon filet came brushed with a delicious smoky and sweet barbecue glaze, and it too had as accompaniment the jalapeño-sour cream mashed potatoes, though this time with steamed broccoli.
Eager for a true spice kick, we were tempted by the pan-seared pork tenderloin, which our server warned us was very, very hot because of the green tomatillo salsa covering it. The dish became a little extreme when the salsa upstaged the pork at times because it was spread too thick over the meat, but the Latin-spiced, oven-roasted potatoes and grilled chayote (from the squash and cucumber family of veggies) restored the balance dutifully.
A soft and moist Mexican chocolate cake with a chocolate-pecan glaze and topped with Homer's cinnamon ice cream was one chosen end to the journey, as were a pair of absolutely amazing warm and sweet churros coated with cinnamon and served with Homer's French vanilla ice cream and caramel sauce. Yum.
The experience
When the people working at an establishment greet you with a smile and anticipate your every whim and desire, you can be sure they truly care. The fact that this place was bursting at the seams on an otherwise uneventful Monday shows not only its local appeal, but its potential as a foodie's destination. And, at only 2 months old, this train is going full steam ahead.
Depot Nuevo
Location: 1139 Wilmette Ave., Wilmette; (847) 251-3111, www.depotnuevo.com
Cuisine: Latin
Setting: Vibrant family style and/or date night fiesta
Hours: 5-10 p.m. Monday-Thursday; 5-11 p.m. Friday and Saturday; 4:30-9 p.m. Sunday
Price Range: Appetizers: $7.50-9.50; Main: $12-18; Dessert: $4-7