West Loop's The Garage Offers A Huge Variety For Lunch

The Garage, a lunch counter without culinary boundaries

Suffering from lunchtime attention disorder? The Garage is the place for you.

The new West Loop lunch counter is run by the owner of the taco-slinging Salsa Truck, and a selection of the truck's tacos are offered daily. The standard-issue tortillas are wan, but fillings are loaded with flavor: house-made chorizo is seasoned with six varieties of dried chiles and a splash of mezcal; rajas are hit with Mexican oregano, cumin, coriander and lime ($10 for 2, plus chips, salsa and a drink).

But tacos are merely one part of the equation. The Garage's menu changes daily, one afternoon featuring chicken shawarma; another, banh mi.

Publican Quality Meats, which supplies the raw materials for The Salsa Truck's carne asada and al pastor, is making jalapeño-cheddar bratwurst for self-proclaimed Wisconsin Day (Wednesday, 6/19). On Jewish Deli Day (Wednesday, 6/26), the counter will offer owner Dan Salls' mother's matzo ball soup.

Other food-truck friends make regular appearances, sharing the stove one or two days per week. On a recent visit, The Fat Shallot chefs were in the kitchen making BLTs on challah with a truffled aioli schmear (not exactly Kosher, but we liked it).

Breakfast service will begin in a week or two, with chilaquiles, egg sandwiches and La Colombe coffee.

The only thing (happily) missing from the eclectic array: boredom.