Vlad the Impaler no longer presides over the dining room at 3661 N. Elston. I know this because I’ve seen the photos—not because I’m ready to sit down inside Mis Moles. That’s the new restaurant from Chicago’s most tenacious chef, Geno Bahena, who opened its dining room to the public on Friday—the day the mayor said it was OK to serve food indoors at 25 percent capacity, 50 guests max.
So Bahena made a deal with Little Bucharest’s Branko Podrumedzic, the tuica-shot-slinging showman whose resilience matches the chef’s, and probably also the bloodthirsty Transylvanian count whose stained-glass rendering overlooked his dining room.
But it was the mole that drew me out of my hole. It was as good as ever, and as good a reason as any to visit a Bahena spot during a world crisis. If you’re comfortable with that. Bahena says he’s instituted all the recommended safety protocols for the dining room, including distanced tables, relentless wipe downs, and a QR code so you can read the menu on your filthy phone.
3661 N. Elston 773-604-8500mismolesrestaurant.com
