🦇 Ready for some pitch-black corn tortillas?

Piñatta returns to Monday Night Foodball [READER]( [Food & Drink]( October 20, 2023 Back in October 2015 Burger King’s limited edition black-bunned Halloween Whopper provided an unanticipated spooky surprise: it turned people’s poop green. Such a thing never would have happened in October 1492 when most people in the western hemisphere were mostly eating plants—and didn’t eat artificial food coloring. [Or burgers](. Such a thing will not happen on October 23, 2023, at Ludlow Liquors, even though there will be tempura squash tacos on pitch-black corn tortillas flying out of the kitchen like a swarm of bats. That’s because Piñatta is returning to [Monday Night Foodball]( the Chicago Reader’s weekly chef pop-up series. You know [Piñatta]( the precolonial Mexican pop-up fronted by the Brothers Guerrero, Emilio and Santiago. Their [first Foodball]( was back in the fall of ’22 at the late, great Kedzie Inn. The cashew cheese–stuffed yellow corn masa tetelas with toasted pumpkin seed mole still haunt me. But the brothers are no strangers to the mysterious and mischievous spirits that haunt Ludlow’s kitchen either. That’s where they just wrapped up a monthlong summer residency, an indigenous-inspired taqueria that will live another day in eldritch Avondale. Headlining the menu is that squash taco on [Masienda]( heirloom blue masa, tinted naturally black, the way ancient Mesoamericans might have done it, with natural vegetable dye. Spooky execution? Yes. Spooky evacuation. No. They’re also throwing down their best-selling cashew cheese quesadilla on a blue corn tortilla with their housemade salsa macha (also available for purchase by the jar along with Piñatta hot sauce). There’s arroz y frijoles and salsa and chips for the side; plus a pumpkin flan with guajillo caramel and spiced pepitas. It’s all vegan, the way it once was, from 5 PM until sellout at 2959 N. California. Meanwhile, we have [Chubby Boy’s Burgers]( and [Rafa Esparza]( on deck October 30 and November 6, respectively, followed by a brand new November/December Foodball schedule. [Piñatta paints the tortilla black at the next Monday Night Foodball]( Check out the Guerrero brothers’ indigenous-inspired vegan taqueria at the Reader’s weekly chef pop-up at Ludlow Liquors by [Mike Sula]( | [Read more]( → [Café Nova has a strategy for Sri Lankan food in Chicago and beyond]( Kiso Sivarasa and his partners envision a nimble “Pandan Express.” by [Mike Sula]( | [Read more]( → April 2023 [Best use of green cabbage]( Curtido with pupusas at Las Delicias, El Cuscatleco, or anywhere else you can get it by [Philip Montoro]( | [Read more]( → March 2015 [What six Chicago bartenders would drink if they were stranded on a desert island]( Paul McGee and five other local drink slingers pick a favorite libation—and where in Chicago they like it best. by [Chicago Reader]( | [Read more]( → Nominate your faves for Best of Chicago! The deadline to nominate your favorite coffee shops, bakeries, local foodies, restaurants, bars, pop-ups, bakers, and chefs is November 7. Click below to cast your ballot today! [BOC NOMINATION BALLOT]( [Issue of Oct. 19 – Nov. 1, 2023 Vol. 53, No.1]( [VIEW/DOWNLOAD ISSUE (PDF)]( [View this e-mail as a web page]( [@chicago_reader]( [/chicagoreader]( [@chicago_reader]( [Chicago Reader on LinkedIn]( [/chicagoreader]( [chicagoreader.com]( [Forward this e-mail to a friend](. Want to change how you receive these e-mails? You can [update your preferences]( or [unsubscribe from this list](. Copyright © 2023 Chicago Reader, All rights reserved. You were subscribed to the receive emails from Chicago Reader Our mailing address is: Chicago Reader, 2930 S. Michigan Ave., Suite 102, Chicago, IL 60616