A Latin-Inspired Steakhouse With Huitlacoche Bordelaise Will Arrive on Randolph Restaurant Row

Eater

6 days ago

An unlikely steakhouse will rise from the team behind Diego, the casual mariscos-centric bar in West Town. It wasn't the restaurant that chef Stephen Sandoval and Oscar Sotelo planned on opening next, but the opportunity proved too good to pass up.
Trino is targeted for a late July opening in the West Loop, replacing Japanese restaurant Komo along Randolph Restaurant Row. A new basement bar, a cozy speakeasy-style spot called Laberinto, will complement the restaurant. Trino will debut before Sueños, Sandoval's much-anticipated West Town restaurant that grew from a pop-up and recently finished up a residency at Soho House.
'Trino was always in the books but, like Diego, it came about unexpectedly,' Sandoval says. 'The universe works in crazy ways.'
To introduce the public to Trino, Soho House will host six pop-ups from June 20 to June 28.
Trino draws inspiration from Sandoval's family connections to Northern Mexico and Spain's Galicia, as well as his time in 2014 spent cooking in Argentina with chef Francis Mallman, a live-fire cooking aficionado.
'These are all regions with deep steakhouse traditions,' Sandoval says.
Sandoval will also pay homage to the classic Chicago steakhouses, favorites for himself and his grandfather whom the restaurant is named for — Sandoval also shares the same middle name.
Appetizers will include a crab salad served on Sandoval's signature tostada made famous at Diego. A savory quemada crème fraiche, which uses a toasting technique to add smoky flavor, will pair with chicharron and potato chips. Pulpo Gallego, a classic octopus dish from Galicia, will be on the menu too. Dinner rolls are served with a sweet-and-fatty browned butter on the side.
Pasta, another steakhouse given, looks to Mexico City for Trino's bucatini Polanco, referencing CDMX's upscale neighborhood. It's made with a poblano wine sauce. Mac and cheese comes with a lobster claw, and the refried beans are made with duck fat and topped with a dollop of salsa cruda.
Sauces will play prominently at Trino, as they do at Diego and Sueños. For their seafood tower, you'll find a classic cocktail sauce and other 'fun dipping sauces.' Sandoval loves potatoes so much that they earn a separate section on the menu, and Trino will serve a special potato of the day. Sauces also come into play with the beef, including a huitlacoche bordelaise and a cherry-churri, a seasonal play on Argentina's signature chimichurri. For the steaks themselves, Sandoval is still deciding on a specific vendor, but classics like ribeye and a bone-in filet will be on the menu. A bavette steak, traditionally a cheaper cut that can be made tender through technique, will be Trino's substitute for skirt. 'We also want to have more affordable but underrated options to some of the classics,' he says. 'You shouldn't have to break the bank to have a nice steakhouse dinner.'
To cook the steaks, which will have spent time in an on-site dry-ager, Sandoval is opting to use a high-powered plancha grill, called a 'chapa' in Argentina, that reaches up to 850 degrees. 'It's one of Mallmann's favorite ways to cook steak,' he says. 'I used one years ago and haven't seen it in Chicago, especially not in a steakhouse, but I think it's exactly what we need to get that deep Maillard crust.'
For the design, which is mostly under Sotelo's purview, the group is working with AGN Design's Aida Napoles. The space will seat about 85 at its white tablecloth-topped tables. There will be touches of bright colors and moody lighting, and like at Diego, they'll feature plenty of pieces by artist friends.
Beverage director Carolina Gonzalez, who curates drinks at Diego and the Sueños pop-up, is working on Trino's cocktail program. Originally from Mexico City but raised in Chicago, Gonzalez is looking toward Mexico, Galicia, and Argentina for ingredients and inspiration. There's a savory Negroni made with olive oil-washed Campari with mole notes. A yerba mate martini utilizes cold fusion techniques to extract the herb's flavors minus its bitterness. Gonzalez is also experimenting with Fernet Branco for an aperitif or dessert cocktail.
For the spirit selection, Gonzalez will focus on small producers, woman-owned when available, and purveyors who give back to their communities. Gonzalez is also in charge of the beverage program for the speakeasy. Laberinto, which means 'maze' or 'labyrinth' in Spanish, will have 10 to 20 seats. Rather than a set menu, the bartenders will work with guests to create drinks for a dealer's choice option. 'There's somewhat of a disconnect with people right now, and we want to have that human interaction at Trino,' she says. DJs and local musicians will also perform.
With Trino, Diego, and Suenos, Sandoval and Sotelo are working toward a new hospitality group, 5 Sueños, that offers Chicago something different.
'At Trino, we can start to bring in key players and grow with them,' Sandoval says. 'Our goal is to build a brand that sets a new benchmark for what a thoughtful, culinary-driven, Latin-owned hospitality group can look like within the city.'
Trino, 738 W. Randolph Street, planned for a late July opening.
Trino preview pop-up at Soho House, 125 N. Green Street, from June 20 to June 28, tickets via Tock
Sign up for our newsletter.