Something’s missing from the transformation of the Old Cook County Hospital to snazzy mid-tier business hotel and food hall. It could be the vitality you would expect to find in an imposing hotel and dining venue serving a sprawling medical complex. That spark might ignite as we continue to emerge from our pandemic deep freeze. For now, Hyatt House and Dr. Murphy’s Food Hall fill a gaping void in a pocket of town that has long suffered from a dearth of hospitality and eating options.
Opening in the middle of Covid summer last year, Dr. Murphy’s Food Hall serves as the hotel’s only culinary option. It’s also angling to make itself the popular go-to spot for medical staff at both Rush and Stroger Hospitals. Named after Chicago surgeon John Murphy who pioneered a host of advancements in abdominal medicine at the dawn of the 20th century, the food hall’s mix of twelve stalls run the gamut from highly accessible ethnic fare (Nepalese, Vietnamese, Mexican and Indian) to the ultra- familiar (BBQ, pizza and decadent sweets). Many of the stalls are minority run.
Taqueria Jarabe caught the attention of food critics back in 2015 when brothers Teddy and Alexis Vejar moved out of their food truck and into a small storefront. From the beginning, they’ve specialized in two things; traditional Mexican street food and high quality ingredients. After visiting their mite sized taqueria in the food hall, you might find they do pretty well in the candor department, too.
A fawning review of their fish tacos acted as the lure that provoked a hasty detour off the Eisenhower to find out first-hand what sets them apart. Plans changed when Teddy Vejar learned the tacos were intended for consumption later in the evening. Crispy fish under pico de gallo doesn’t travel particularly well. A vigorous discussion followed about possible alternatives. One or two other options were also ruled out before settling on the shrimp taco and the chicken tinga.
Personally, chicken tinga is considered the scourge of tacos. Invariably tasteless and without character, it’s often chosen as the conscientious alternative to beef or pork. Selecting it here constituted a gamble. The conversation then moved on to sauces. Jarabe’s doesn’t seem to be big on salsas. They’re available with a few entrées and separate orders of tortilla chips, but the tacos are accompanied by beautifully colored sauces in two pleasing shades of green and sunset orange. None are listed on the menu and their exact names will have to be determined on another visit. But they all have the silken texture of a thin yogurt and served in petite one ounce plastic containers. More than enough to dress two well-filled tacos.
The move to drinks was unexpected. None had been ordered and Mr. Vejar probably knew that was going to change after sharing samples of Jarabe’s beverage selection. They were standards found at many taquerias; only made with truer, fresher ingredients. The sweet richness of the coconut and rice based Horchata will likely appeal to a great many. Its cold, rich sweetness would make a wonderful couterpoint to either the braised guajillo rubbed beef or Yucatan-style pulled pork tacos. Mr. Vejar seemed genuinely confounded why critics never mention the quality of the taqueria’s drinks. According to him, they sell extremely well and are even popular with other stalls in in the food hall. In the Aqua Fresca de Pepino’s (pepino/cucumber) sample, the cucumber had a beautifully high profile. That distinction wasn’t nearly as prominent in the drink that came out of the dispenser. And the taste of lemon in the hibiscus lemonade was non-existent. Hibiscus has the taste of paradise and is a wonderfully authentic nod to cultural roots. Calling it lemonade may be a slight overreach.
Exceeding expectations, both the chicken tinga (shredded chicken thighs in a tomato chipotle base, chopped onion, cilantro and thick slices of avocado) and the similarly presented sautéed shrimp ($9.00) made that detour to Jarabe’s seem long overdue. Freshness, thoughtful preparation, generous portions and the taqueria’s wonderful assortment of sauces make Jarabe’s a destination whenever you find yourself near the Illinois Medical District along Harrison.
Jarabe
Dr. Murphy’s Food Hall
1835 W. Harrison St.
Chicago, IL 60612
