Even for the non-native Spanish speaker, the name Quesadillas Dona Lolis might prove deceiving. While certainly on the menu, quesadillas don't begin to encompass the vastness of selection at this Rogers Park restaurant.
Hungry visitors expecting the ho-hum treatment for typical Mexican fare will be pleasantly surprised at Dona Lolis' authenticity and non-standard ingredients. Quesadillas here are more than pairs of white tortillas stuffed with melted cheddar; try the flor de calabaza (squash blossom), huitlacoche (Mexican corn truffle) or sliced poblano peppers in cheese wrapped in a dense corn tortilla. Elsewhere on the menu you can pick up fried cactus, octopus, mussels and most fish swimming the sea for a well-dressed dinner accompanied by plenty of sides.
At roughly a dozen, the quesadilla choices barely edge out the platillos (dinner plates), sopes, tortas and mariscos (seafood) as the most numerous menu item. Thirty-one different categories of snacks, soups, platters, beverages and desserts pack Dona Lolis' ticket, with prices ranging from $2.76 for a simple quesadilla to $10.95 for shrimp cocktails and carne asada platters.
The dimly lit dining room offers less pizzazz than the menu but still manages to soften some of the anonymity that often marks more downscale budget restaurants with its silhouetted ceiling panels, huge murals and the occasional telenovela flickering on the TV set. Extra-long booths and plenty of seating make it an easy place to chat with friends over a cheap meal and self-supplied booze. Bonus for stay-in diners: a complimentary basket of chips and salsa usually awaits you.
Average cost: <$10
Centerstage Reviewer: Kim Bellware
