Cilantro Taco Grill - Rosemont

"Rosemont, not exactly home to the hottest new restaurants and an electric food scene. Today we are throwing a lifeline to those of you who work anywhere near O’Hare, or maybe you're a huge fan of the Fashion Outlets of Chicago. You may also be a degenerate gambler, and the proximity of today's review to Rivers would interest you too. Either way, in the land of corporate office buildings and Holiday Inn Express there are usually two options: 1. Get stuck eating the same d*mn thing every day, or 2. Bring your lunch. But every now and then you need to let loose and break up the monotony of the day, and in this case let loose means a taco and torta party at Cilantro. We recently learned Cilantro has additional locations in Addison, Stone Park, and one off the Las Vegas strip, which makes absolutely zero sense to us. What does make sense is that whether you’re on a routine hour long lunch break or looking for an afternoon escape from the cube monkey life, Cilantro is surprisingly a legitimate option for some Mexican food. There was a period of time we were around these parts for lunch, and while the line would tell you Cilantro isn’t a secret, we are here to spread the good word. Located on West Higgins Road near the I90, I190, and I294 rush hour sh*tstorm, there’s an unsuspecting strip mall next to a 7-11 worth a lunchtime trip. We first inadvertently encountered Cilantro on a Taco Tuesday and took it as a sign from the big guy upstairs. Cilantro is a small restaurant with limited seating and you’ll most definitely wait in line during prime lunch hour. This isn't amateur hour - do yourself a favor and call ahead if you're in a hurry to get back to work. These burritos, tacos, and tortas will not treat you wrong, and the green chili, red chili, and cilantro cream sauce at your disposal add some extra zest and spice. We promise Cilantro will treat you well, leaving both you and your wallet a little heavier for the day. Of course, all bets are off if Rivers is on deck. Food Rundown Chicken Tamale Overall, a decent tamale. The masa is a little bland, but nothing a good dousing in green chili can’t solve. Chicken Torta This is a great torta. Quality bread, good meat, beans, sour cream, avocado, lettuce and tomatoes. One of our favorite items here. Steak Burrito Old faithful. It won’t be bursting at the seams, but the ingredients are fresh and it comes piping hot off the grill. Fish Taco Not always the same, but expect some sort of lean, white fish, such as tilapia. Some spices and the grill are what bring the flavor. Barbacoa Taco Mexican barbecue. Beef that's been slow cooked and simmered in its own juices. Tender and rich. Steak Taco Same meat as the burritos, same delicious taste. Cecina Taco Thinly sliced and salted steak. Definitely saltier than the regular steak, but a different kind of flavor and also good." - Sam Faye