Lillie’s Q, where chef/owner Charlie McKenna serves award-winning competition BBQ along with Southern favorites and sides in Bucktown (1856 W North Ave), will turn over the kitchen to sous chef Jose Landa for a six-course Mexican dinner pop-up dinner where Landa will cook his favorite childhood dishes on Tuesday, January 24.

“This dinner is a way of me saying thanks and honoring not only Jose and the other Mexican and Hispanic members of my current staff at Lillie’s Q, but for every one of them I’ve worked with throughout my career – everyone from chefs, to cooks, to dishwashers,” McKenna said. “I’m going to prepare a ceviche as the first course, and then hand off the meal to Jose and serve as his sous chef the rest of the night.”

“Even with my background in fine dining, BBQ, and Southern food, my favorite cuisine is Mexican food. Jose’s been cooking our staff meals that come from his family recipes he learned as a kid growing up in Mexico since we’ve opened, and they’re something I always look forward to. Jose cooked us a preview of the menu we’re offering for the pop-up dinner last month, and we were all pretty blown away by the food and flavors. I’m excited for the public to taste Jose’s Mexican food.”

The six-course (including an intermezzo) Mexican Pop-Up Tribute Dinner costs $45 per person. The optional and additionally priced beverage pairings cost $20 per person. Four of the courses are paired with Chicago-based 5 Rabbit Brewing Company beers. Additionally, 5 Rabbit, which calls itself the  "nation’s first Latin craft brewery”, will exclusively launch the release of  “Superstition” -- a strong blonde ale that’s made with hibiscus, ginger, Illinois honey, Thai palm sugar, and chamomile – during the pop-up dinner that will be paired with intermezzo.

There will be six different seatings for the Mexican Pop-Up Tribute Dinner at Lillie’s Q on Tuesday, January 24 (6pm, 6:30pm, 7pm, 8:30pm, 9pm, 9:30pm). There are 18 seats available for each seating time. Please make sure to select the actual time and seating you want. Also, if you would like to purchase the separate alcoholic beverage pairing for the dinner, you must buy that ticket online here as well. Ticket sales end at noon on Friday, January 20.

The full menu with the optional and additionally-priced beverage pairings are below. No substitutions are allowed on the menu.

1st Course

Ceviche

Pairing: Fortaleza Tequila neat

2nd Course

Chicken Tinga and Chorizo Quesedilla

Pairing: 5 Rabbit Golden Ale by 5 Rabbit Brewing Company

3rd Course

Green Pork Pozole

Pairing: 5 Lizard Latin-Style Witbier by 5 Rabbit Brewing Company

4th Course

Shrimp Chile Rellano

Pairing: Lillie’s Q-Rita (moonshine, tequila, orange liquor, Lillie’s Q Smoky sauce, and housemade sour mix served in a mason jar rimmed with Lillie’s Q Carolina Dirt rub)

Intermezzo

Mexican fruit sorbet

Pairing: Superstition by 5 Rabbit Brewing Company

5th Course

Duck Breast Red Mole with Banana Leaf Tamale

Pairing: 5 Vulture Oaxacan-Style Dark Ale by 5 Rabbit Brewing Company

6th Course

Coconut Flan

Pairing: Vida y Muerte by 5 Rabbit Brewing Company