You might want to be a bit nicer to the next food runner or server you meet. You never know how deep one's talent or capacity for artistry goes. That was the case for Priscilla Satkoff. As a native of Mexico City, Satkoff created most of her dishes for herself when she couldn't find much she liked to eat in Chicago.

A veteran of two of Chicago's most venerable upscale Mexican eateries, Frontera Grill and Topolobampo, Satkoff worked her way up through the ranks, dreaming of establishing her own restaurant. Finally able to partner with those who shared that dream, the team opened Salpicon and quickly won national attention, becoming one of the most talked-about Mexican restaurants in the region.

It's a beautiful space, but the bulk of the credit is due to the dishes. Whether simple appetizers like her sopes rusticos, which are simply sopes swimming in a tomatillo sauce, queso fresco, and chunks of freshly sliced avocado ($6); or complex entrees featuring lamb loin chops grilled over charcoal and served in a garlic chile sauce alongside tamales stuffed with shiitake ($26). Each dish is a representation of a dream come to life. Satkoff finally found food she wanted to eat in Chicago, and that's been lucky for all of us.

Average cost: $31+

Centerstage Reviewer: Bill Burman