“Xni-Pec a winner, by a nose”

Posted: 11 Aug 2010 09:17 PM PDT

"Don't name your restaurant after a dog's anatomy" would seem to be an obvious bit of marketing advice, but ignoring that made-up maxim doesn't seem to be hurting Xni-Pec.

The Mexican restaurant takes its name from the Mayan words for "dog's nose." Idiomatically, it refers to that condition, common among hot-pepper aficionados, when too much spice makes your nose run. Then your snout is slightly wet, like a dog's. You have xni-pec, pronounced, "SHNEE-pek."

Thus enlightened, you might suppose that Xni-Pec, which relocated to Brookfield in January after a two-year stint in Cicero, is one hot tamale. But no. The menu includes the occasional hot dish, and the innocent-looking dark sauce at your table is a fairly lethal habanero salsa (the gently spicy pico de gallo is more my speed), but Yucatecan cooking is more about nuance than tonsil-scorching.

At the heart of the cuisine is achiote paste, a complex, reddish blend of crushed achiote seeds and cinnamon, cilantro, garlic, citrus and other ingredients. It adds an earthy depth to any food it touches, and at Xni-Pec it touches just about everything. Not that this is a bad thing; indeed, given that many Mexican menus in the area still are stuck in fajitas-and-Veracruzana mode, even a kitchen that slightly over-relies on achiote is a nice step up.

Did I mention cheap? You can't find an entree priced higher than $19. House-made margaritas may be premixed, but a tall carafe of the stuff is $17. Wines and Mexican beers are similarly budget-friendly.

It's not a perfect operation. When the dining room fills up, kitchen speed and service falter, and things can get a little chaotic. This is never going to be a fine-dining destination, but as a simple, drop-in neighborhood spot, it's more than satisfactory.

Starters can be hit or miss. The empanada trio is probably the best appetizer, a trio of corn-dough half-moons filled, respectively, with ground beef, chorizo with potato and sweet corn with mushrooms, alongside a perky chipotle-mayo dip. That same sauce graces the fish and shrimp tacos, listed on the menu as an entree, but, in size and price ($8), best as a shared starter. Vaporcitos, tamales steamed in banana leaf, are very good; guacamole and shrimp ceviche are serviceable; tepid sopa de lima can be safely skipped.

Entrees are far more consistent and appealing. There are several vegetarian options, highlighted by papadzules, soft tortillas filled with chopped egg, smothered in green pumpkinseed sauce and sprinkled with cheese. This is yummy, and in a thoughtful touch, Xni-Pec offers a vegan version of the dish, swapping potato for the egg filling.

The mole rojo, a dark-red sauce that beautifully coddles the chicken and rice underneath, is terrific; I had this dish twice and loved it both times. Achiote-rubbed, banana-leaf-steamed snapper is a hit, as are the guajillo-marinated shrimp, fish and octopus escabeche accented with sour-orange juice and shrimp-filled enchiladas bathed in sweet pepper-cream sauce. Pok chuc, a classic Mayan dish, is an achiote-seasoned pork steak (sometimes beef) that's tender and packed with flavor.

Desserts are traditional, simple and sugary. The arroz con leche is tasty enough, accented with a little coconut. The queso Napolitano, a dense and rich flan, is easily the most complex sweet on the menu, and that would be my pick.

Xni-Pec is run by the Contreras family: Elvia, the mom, who does most if not all the cooking; brothers Javier and Antonio; and Maria Luisa, Antonio's wife. Apart from the occasional busboy, that's the staff.

The decor is bare bones; the space used to belong to Gemelli Trattoria (since relocated to Elmwood Park and renamed Antico Forno), and little has changed, apart from some Mexican travel posters on the repainted walls. Javier is hopeful of upgrading the furniture with sturdier stuff, though this may be a few months away.

The dining room does include a ceiling-mounted projector and retracting screen; Javier is experimenting with "dinner and a movie" Thursdays, which can include anything from a documentary film to a Mexico travelogue video. One visit found me digging into pan de cazon, a layered dish of black beans, tortilla and shark meat, while a performance by Cirque du Soleil played overhead.

Yucatecan cuisine in a western suburb, accompanied by Canadian acrobats. A real NAFTA moment.

1 star

pvettel@tribune.com

Xni-Pec

3755 Grand Blvd., Brookfield, 708-290-0082

Open: Dinner Monday-Saturday (opens 2 p.m. Saturday)

Entree prices: $12-$18.50

Credit cards: DC, DS, M, V

Reservations: Recommended weekends

Noise: Conversation-challenged

Other: Wheelchair accessible

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