Taqueria Chingón Will Put Anything in a Tacoon March 17, 2021 at 3:25 pm

“Chingón is Spanish slang for ‘badass,’ ” says Marcos Ascencio, one of three chefs behind a new Logan Square taqueria of the same name. “It’s used a lot in Hispanic kitchens. My parents were like, ‘Really? You’re calling it that?’ ” Chefs who make tacos as good as Taqueria Chingón’s veggie al pastor ($4) can call their restaurant whatever they want. In that taco, Ascencio and partners Sotero Gallegos (La Sardine) and Oliver Poilevey (Le Bouchon) invert the porky classic by subbing in mushrooms and celery root. Shockingly meaty-tasting, the vegan taco is decked out with avocado salsa and pineapple.

They don’t stop there — they’re constantly putting luxe ingredients like truffles, sweetbreads, and foie gras into housemade tortillas and taking inspiration from the restaurants they’ve worked in. The costilla ($5.50) is based on a pasta with pork, hazelnuts, and herbs that Ascencio made at Bar Lupo, while the duck carnitas with chicharrón and orange ($5) is a play on the French favorite duck à l’orange. Yet amid all this inventiveness, Ascencio’s favorite taco, the al pastor ($5), doesn’t stray far from tradition. “I love coming up with new ideas,” he says. “But I also love keeping it simple.” 2234 N. Western Ave.

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