Lena Brava
Asha GriffithAsha Griffith|Guest Contributor|RESTAURANTS, CHICAGO Updated : Jan 18, 2017, 03.23 PM IST
Asha Griffith
A love of South East Asia saw Asha leave her homeland of Australia for the hot nights and cool breezes of tropical Asia. She has been based in Cambodia for the past 4 years and travelled extensively around the world, eating, drinking and walking until it's time to eat again.
Lena Brava is the much anticipated new restaurant from restaurateur Rick Bayless. Meaning “ferocious wood,” Leña Brava highlights the live-fire style of cooking found in the Mexican region of Baja California, and the many mescal and wines they have there. Although, tricky to get a reservation, we recommend you to try and get a table at Leña Brava to sample some of the most authentic and tasty Mexican food in the country. There are of course, traditional ceviche options with a tasty twist like the Leña ($14) with Hawaiian albacore, lime, ginger, tomatoes, olives, and spicy green chilly. Other cold items include fresh salads of coconut three ways with lime, scallions, and basil ($12). The business side of the menu is serious about its seafood, and sources high quality produce from all over the region. We recommend the octopus “carnitas” – char-grilled octopus with creamy bacon dressing ($24). Mexican food isn’t the only thing Leña Brava brings to the table, as they also have an extensive beverage list full of Mexican wine, cocktails, and of course- mescal.
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