You love to go out. We love to go out. You love to eat. We love to eat. You love to drink. Well, you get the idea. So when you're itching for the lastest Chicago nightlife has to offer, check out The Extrovert for up-to-the minute details on the scene.
ALL BOTTLED UP: Irazu
The spot: From the outside, Irazu may not look too promising, a small, green-roofed building surrounded by a well-worn asphalt parking lot. But to pass it by is a mistake. Costa Rican natives Miriam and Gerardo Cerdas opened Irazu, the city's first Costa Rican restaurant, in 1990, naming it after one of the country's many volcanoes. In the cozy, 30-seat room with a bright mural on one wall (outdoor seating is also available) you can enjoy a taco tico, a crispy tortilla filled with skirt steak and dressed with cabbage, mayo, ketchup and spicy-sweet Costa Rican Lizano Sauce ($1.90). Or, go for a full entree such as the casado-your choice of thin ribeye steak or chicken breast caramelized with onions and served with white rice, black beans, sweet plantains, an over-easy egg and cabbage salad ($9.95).
The bottle: Located just a block up Milwaukee Avenue from Irazu, M W Food & Liquor (1950 N Milwaukee Ave. 773-772-5228) also might not be the most inviting spirits store you've ever seen, but it gets the job done. Buy a bottle of Absolut vodka ($13.99 for 375 milliliters; $23.99 for 750 milliliters) to mix with one of Irazu's water-based shakes. The folks at Irazu recommend a passionfruit shake blended with lemonade for vodka-based concoctions. A strawberry or pineapple shake goes well with Bacardi rum ($6.99 for 375 milliliters). If you'd rather stick with beer, pick up a six-pack of Imperial, a pale Costa Rican lager, for $7.99. Irazu does not charge a corkage fee. -- By Emily Hiser Lobdell
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