CEMITAS PUEBLA Restaurant , 3619 W. North Ave., Chicago, IL

We were visiting Chicago and needed someplace to go for lunch on May 5, 2010.  I searched the Food Network's Diners, Drive In's and Dives site and found this tiny, little store front near to where we were staying. Since it was Cinco de Mayo, we thought it would be fun to have Mexican food for lunch. 

As we walked in we saw this poster in the window.

 

The father greeted us with a copy of the poster and a plate with a Cemita on it - asking us if we had ever been there before. He described the food and went on to say that a local TV station had just been there and would be broadcasting a spot about them on the 5:00 o'clock news to help celebrate Cinco de Mayo!!

 

Tony and his Dad.  On our way out Tony told us all about the visit from Guy Fieri and the Food Network. They were in the store for 2 days and after the show aired, Tony said he had to close at 2PM because they were totally sold out of food. And we can understand why - it was delicious.

A Cemita is a sandwich with a choice of different meats, avocado, Oaxcacan (Mexican) cheese, a sauce they make of adobo, chipotle peppers  and papalo  (in season) a spicy, Mexican herb. The Dad said they get most of the ingredients directly from Mexico and they have a local bakery bake the crispy, tasty rolls with sesame seeds on top, that the Cemita is made with.

Some of the old inhabitants in the Mexican state of Puebla were Lebanese and brought with them the spit roasted meat.  This is pork shoulder that has been dipped in their special sauce and layered with onions.

 

We really enjoyed our lunch there and visited them 2 more times before we left Chicago.  They are also on Facebook, so be sure to follow them there too. 

The website -   http://www.cemitaspuebla.com/

Facebook with link to Channel 9 broadcast on 5/510 -    http://www.facebook.com/#!/pages/Chicago-IL/Cemitas-Puebla/368116943941?ref=ts&ajaxpipe=1&__a=174