Don Juan’s Cantina

We asked local chefs and restaurant owners for their favorite dishes that are perfect for fall

By Trent Modglin

Don Juan’s Cantina — Carne asada à la tampiqueña con un chile relleno
650 N. Northwest Hwy in Park Ridge
DJsCantina.com

Details: Talk about the complete meal, this one certainly checks a lot of boxes. “This is one of four legendary carne asada entrees on the menu,” says co-owner Jake Concannon. “We’ve been pretty proud of this for a long time.”

How about a 10-ounce, hand-trimmed, grilled-to-order skirt steak with a cheese-stuffed chile relleno that’s smothered in a mild red salsa suiza with sour cream and queso fresco, and then served with a side of guacamole and rice and beans? Corn or flour tortillas are available on request if you prefer the taco route.

It’s always been one of our most popular dishes for sure. Mama Maria taught us well. She never cuts corners with her quality recipes.”

Why it’s their favorite thing going right now: “It’s one of best steaks in town, and we’ve been doing it the same way for many, many years, which says a lot. It’s always been one of our most popular dishes for sure. Mama Maria taught us well. She never cuts corners with her quality recipes.” — Co-owners Jake Concannon and Mike Corvo Jr.

Don’t forget: Don Juan’s boasts some quality daily specials, including Taco Tuesdays ($16.95 for three tacos, rice and beans), half-price bottles of wine on Wednesdays, half-price margarita pitchers on Thursdays, and happy hour on Fridays (3-5 p.m.), Saturdays (11 a.m.-5 p.m.) and Sundays (12-5 p.m.). And don’t forget it’s a great place to watch Bears games and playoff baseball, and the parking lot tent (with big screen TV) and sidewalk patio will be open for alfresco dining until Nov. 1.

Harp & Fiddle — Jambalaya risotto
110 Main Street in Park Ridge
TheHarpAndFiddle.com

Details: Sure, you probably have your favorite items on the menu here, and no doubt have enjoyed the Dubliner burger, fish & chips, or the steak tacos, but in case you didn’t know, they do a jambalaya. And they do it well. Really well. Chef Edgar put one together for us late one summer evening, and we couldn’t believe we missed it on the menu… until now. Texas brown wild-caught shrimp, shredded chicken, andouille sausage, mixed bell peppers and onions are tossed with risotto in a creole cream sauce that carries just the right amount of kick. What a perfect combination.

Why it’s their favorite thing going right now: “It’s something that’s a little bit out of our wheelhouse that we originally did as an occasional weekly special, and then people kept asking about it, which is always a good thing. So now it’s become a regular staple on our menu. It’s loaded with robust flavors with a little subtle heat.” — Co-owner Jerry Kowalczyk

Don’t forget: Harp & Fiddle will be adding several creative new seasonal items to their menu this fall, including a lemon basil chicken with fingerling potatoes and Canadian walleye. And the Main Street patio remains open until Oct. 15. Their annual Chili Cookoff is Oct. 11 from 11:30 a.m.-4 p.m. with a Bears-Packers watch party right after.

Cafe Touche — Steak frites
6731 N. Northwest Hwy in Edison Park
CafeTouche.com

Details: This charming, sun-drenched French bistro is a serious draw for weekend brunch in Edison Park, but the dinner menu routinely wows us as well. This is not just a few small, thin-cut slices of steak here, folks. Touché’s version of this Parisian staple is a thick 12-ounce NY strip or eight-ounce filet, cooked to your liking with a bordelaise (wine-and-marrow-based brown sauce) or au poivre (bold, creamy peppercorn pan sauce), all with a pad of butter melting over the top as it arrives at your table. The crispy, seasoned fries deserve a worthy mention on their own too.

This is not just a few small, thin-cut slices of steak here, folks. Touché’s version of this Parisian staple is a thick 12-ounce NY strip or eight-ounce filet.”

Why it’s their favorite thing going right now: “The quality of the beef we use really shines in either preparation — and keep in mind, both the bordelaise and au poivre can be ordered with either the NY strip or the filet, so you have options.” — Joey Calabrese

Don’t forget: Touché is a great place for brunch, as well as baby and wedding showers, group dinners, etc. And their shaded sidewalk patio, beautifully enclosed by fencing and flowers, is available to use — weather permitting — well into October generally. Wednesdays are half-price bottles of wine, martinis are $8 on Thursdays, and free valet parking is always a plus.

Elia Café — Spanakopita Benedict
90 N. Northwest Hwy in Park Ridge
Elia-Cafe.com

Details: It didn’t take long for the new Elia Café to become one of the area’s top breakfast, brunch, and lunch spots, and a primary reason is they do so many things well. One of them is this gem of a dish, which features two spiral spanokopita (instead of your standard English muffin) topped with two poached eggs, homemade whipped hollandaise, and paprika to create a beautiful blend of flavors… and may just tide you over until dinner.

Everyone loves eggs Benedict with the classic English muffin and ham, but nobody has ever had it where a spinach pie is used as a substitute, and it’s pure perfection.”

Why it’s their favorite thing going right now: “The thing we love most about this dish is its simplicity and its originality. Everyone loves eggs Benedict with the classic English muffin and ham, but nobody has ever had it where a spinach pie is used as a substitute, and it’s pure perfection. The creamy spinach and feta filling blends so elegantly with the fluffiness of the hollaindaise and perfectly poached egg with runny yolk.” — Co-owner Billy Pyroulis

Don’t forget: Elia is available for private brunches, parties, and catered events. And make sure to try the mimosa flight or creamy pistachio latte — and then thank us later.

fire + wine — Wild mushroom sacchetti
608 W. Touhy, C2 in Park Ridge
FireAndWine.net

Details: Chef-driven pastas (as well as weekend steak boards, creative cocktails and seasonal specialties) are all the rage at this newish hot spot, and decisions never come easy because everything looks enticing. The wild mushroom sacchetti was re-introduced to us recently by way of their new fall menu, and it’s the kind of rich, savory dish you’ll be telling others about all week. It features three types of fire-roasted wild mushrooms, black truffle-filled sacchetti (purse-shaped noodle), spinach, goat cheese, chili flakes and a rich parmesan cream sauce.

Why it’s their favorite thing going right now: “The mushroom sacchetti is an amazing dish year round, but it takes on a whole new life in the fall and winter months. If you love a hearty mushroom dish that’s bursting at the seams with flavor, then this is the one for you. It tastes better when it’s half off on Monday too!” — General manager Evan Berry

Don’t forget: Mondays happen to be half-price pasta night, a favorite start to the week for our family. The happy hour here is popular, as is the new Friday lunch (open at 11 a.m.). And keep an eye out for several new fall menu items coming out in September, including a red curry scallop dish with seasonal vegetables and the long-awaited return of their lobster bisque.

Tavern on the Point — Bone-in short rib
6724 N. Northwest Hwy in Edison Park
TavernOnThePoint.com

Details: Admittedly, one of our favorite things on the impressive menu of elevated comfort food at Tavern on the Point is the simple, yet magical, short rib grilled cheese. So we ultimately knew this dish would be right up our alley, yet somehow it managed to exceed expectations. Some funny expletives were used by owner John Capesius to describe this chef’s favorite, which looks like something that would’ve been served up on an episode of the Flinstones — in a good way. A huge piece of tender, bone-in short rib is braised for five hours in a rich sauce that includes carrots, celery, onions and tomatoes, all served atop a bed of creamy mashed potatoes. You may need to skip lunch, but you won’t regret it.

It’s just a beautiful dish, and we braise it to perfection so the short rib just falls clean off the bone. … It’s just really dialed in and delicious.”

Why it’s their favorite thing going right now: “It’s just a beautiful dish, and we braise it to perfection so the short rib just falls clean off the bone. We like to say that we’re “always on point” here, and this recipe is a perfect example of that. It’s just really dialed in and delicious.” — Owner John Capesius

Don’t forget: Tavern on the Point has a ridiculous happy hour from 3-6 p.m. Monday-Friday where kids are half off, select appetizers are half off, and drink specials abound ($5 house wines, $15 domestic buckets, $8 cocktails and more). Also, a new daily special on Wednesdays includes 25% off five different chicken entrées.

Mazî Greek Taverna — Mixed grill
24 Main Street in Park Ridge
MaziGreek.com

Details: In case you missed the transformation in August, the owners of Mully’s and Social 18 shifted the focus away from the golf simulators in order to tie into their Greek roots, and the end result was the beautiful new Mazi. The Greek word is “pikilies,” which translates to “mixed grill” — and they have four different variations that include meats, vegetables, seafood and a Greek mix. For the purposes here, we honed in on the original mixed grill with pork, chicken souvlakia, Greek sausage, meatballs, lamb and chicken gyros, fries, grilled pita and tzatziki. In other words, perfect for sharing.

Why it’s their favorite thing going right now: “This whole section of pikilies, or mixed grills, is our favorite part of the new menu because it’s the epitome of what we are,” co-owner Tom Sotos tells us. “That’s exactly what Mazî means — we order together, we eat together, we drink together, the meal isn’t rushed, the wine is poured, and plenty of stories are shared.”

Don’t forget: Live music is the norm on the patio each weekend. Also, keep an eye out for their Week of Greek, a week-long celebration for the grand opening for Mazî, which will be coming up in October (keep an eye on MaziGreek.com and social media for more details).