Fondita Miguel — Restaurant in New Trier Township

Their points program is lame. They give you 1 point for every $4 spent, and after you earn 50 points you get a desert of your choice. So to boil that down, after spending a minuimum of $200 on food you'll earn 50 points that will get you a free desert. There are four things on their desert menu that cost between $1.00 (gum or tamarind stick) and $2.50 (KitKat or Snickers). So spend at least $200 (15+ entrees) and earn a desert valued between $1.00 and $2.50.

My last visit I tried to order dinner on the Local by Toast app for my family. Just as i was submitting my order the app gave me an error. Of course a little frustrating, so I ended up calling in the order. When I asked about earning loyalty points I was assured the points would hit my account. When I picked up the food I asked again about loyalty points, and again was assured my points would hit my account. Even after all of that I didn't have a high degree of confidence in what I was told, and sure enough three weeks later no points earned from that order. Again, the points are virtually worthless anyway, but if they're going to offer a program at least honor it. Seems quite silly to write a review about their points program, but unfortunately that's the most memoriale thing I can report after ordering four different times. My first three orders earned me 9 points total ... worth just shy of one-quarter of a Snickers bar. Like i said, lame points program and even worse that they can't...

Destination tacos? In Winnetka? Yes - that's now a thing. Fondita Miguel is 45 minutes from us, but is well worth the trip. We had the pastor-marinated (al pastor) pork, chicken tinga, beef birria, and hongos (mushrooms) tacos and got to sample the asada steak - along with the elote (street corn) salad, guacamole, and a variety of salsas (wow!). The beef, chicken, mushrooms, pork, and steak fillings in our tacos are completely different in taste, seasoning, and texture. The spice level is just right for us - with a nice kick, but without burning our taste buds. The corn tortillas were freshly fried and warm, with a soft-crispy texture - they crunch but don't fall apart when you bite into the taco! And the fillings are generous, which I think is a nod to American portion sizes. The salsas are not just your average accompaniment. Each has differently prepared chiles as the base, ranging from a milder, creamy jalapeno salsa to a hotter red salsa (with a secret ingredient). We also heard there's a fourth one that's hotter than the three we tried. Like the salsas, the elote is not just an add-on. It's a must-order dish for whenever you need a refreshing, cool, creamy, and sweet balancing bite between the savory and spicy bites of the tacos. We also enjoyed chatting with the friendly team at Fondita Miguel, and the super-casual, counter-service-and-lunch-bar atmosphere makes you feel like you're on a taco crawl in Chicago - without...

I tried the Hongos Mushroom Torta to avoid a meat-heavy lunch and it did not disappoint. The mushrooms were plentiful and savory -- cooked to perfection. The toppings and sauce were fresh and delicious. The bread tasted home-baked, with a nice crust that held up to the saucy mushroom filling. Typically the salsas that come with a torta are an afterthought -- but not at Fondita. The salsas themselves (I got three) were incredibly fresh and tasty. This is not your typical hole in the wall Mexican food. It's high end and fresh. I had no expectations when I ordered for lunch, but am very pleasantly surprised. Will be back to try more...