Trino in the West Loop Brings Latin Inspiration to the Steakhouse
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Yes, Chicago’s getting another steakhouse in the West Loop, but this one’s different, we promise. Partners Stephen Sandoval and Oscar Sotelo first met working together while opening Rick Bayless’ Leña Brava in 2016. The duo opened Mexican restaurant Diego in West Town in 2023, and at Trino, they are infusing that Latin inspiration into a steakhouse, incorporating flavors from northern Mexico, Galicia, Argentina, and beyond.
In a city known for meat, and in a year with a lot of big steakhouse openings, it’s a bold statement for a relatively new restaurant group to open a steakhouse in the crowded West Loop, taking over the space formerly occupied by Komo and Ronero. Sandoval says he’s not chasing trends or trying to outdo anyone, just cooking steak the way he believes it should be done. “Instead of grill marks, we aim for a deep, even crust from edge to edge, what we call a brava-style sear,” he explains.
Everyone on the management team – Sandoval, Sotelo, beverage director Carolina Gonzalez, and operating partner Henry Mizhquiri – are of Latin American heritage, and are proud to share their asado traditions. Aida Napoles of AGN Design incorporated influences from classical Spanish and Argentinian architecture in the interior, and there’s a fun hand-painted ceiling mural by Raspy Rivera and CoCo Schramel above the bar, with abstract steaks, plants, florals and forks inspired by the bold surrealism of Spanish masters like Joan Miró and Salvador Dalí
“It’s very playful,” Sandoval says. “There are homages to the classic [steakhouse], but a lot of creativity and storytelling through each dish.” The chef grew up in San Diego, and regularly visited his father’s car wash in Tijuana as a kid, where he was introduced to the delicious street tacos and tostadas of Baja, the latter of which have become a signature of his at Entre Sueños pop-up series and Diego. (Don’t worry, there’s a crab tostada on the menu at Trino, too.)
Here’s everything you need to know about the West Loop’s new Latin-American steakhouse.
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This restaurant is personal.
Trino is Stephen Sandoval’s middle name, and also his grandfather’s name. “I wanted to honor my family, to give back to my grandfather and his family, who migrated from Mexico, and celebrate our love for food and steakhouses,” he says. The triptych by Rivera and Schramel that you see upon entering the restaurant represents three generations, including fathers and grandfathers, and there’s a portrait of Sandoval’s grandfather in the dining room.
“I think I’ve found my voice as a chef over the years,” Sandoval says. “I’m pulling ideas from all of the countries that I’ve worked in.” At Trino, he draws inspiration from his Mexican and Galician heritage, as well as some Argentinian techniques he learned while working for Francis Mallmann at Siete Fuegos in Mendoza.
Expect a perfect sear on your steak.
“What I took from Argentina is how to treat each cut with its own sense of respect,” Sandoval says. “Not every steak cooks the same, so it’s about understanding the anatomy of the meat, and how to develop the sear differently for a ribeye versus a picanha or bone-in filet.” He uses a high-powered Vulcan plancha, which emulates the intensity and heat retention of a chapa, a flat metal plate used in Argentinian grilling — the heavy steel surface of which helps develop a deep Maillard crust evenly across the entire steak. Sandoval finishes some cuts in a Rational oven to control carryover cooking precisely, and lock in the crust without overshooting the doneness.
“We use the hot zones on the plancha like the way you’d move meat across different areas of a chapa, to develop a crust, cook evenly around the bone, and control rendering without overcooking,” Sandoval explains. “We also focus heavily on the process before and after the heat, properly tempering the steaks so they cook evenly and resting them so the juices stay where they belong. We never rush or stress the meat during the cooking.” Before serving, the steaks are basted with a sauce made from clarified butter, fresh thyme, and dry aged beef tallow to add richness and umami.
Try all of the steak sauces.
Sandoval loves his sauces, and estimates that there are more than 30 housemade varieties throughout the menu. When it comes to the four steak sauces, he’s serving traditional French sauces with a twist. “I wanted to push the playbook of a typical steakhouse without overwhelming the steak,” he says.
The huitlacoche bordelaise, for example, uses huitlacoche (a delicious corn fungus known colloquially as Mexican truffle) from Mushroom Mike and required several weeks of R+D to get just right. “It respects the bordelaise sauce but with a nice mushroom funk,” Sandoval says. A maiz au poivre swaps Nixta corn liqueur for the traditional bourbon, and Sandoval describes the Veracruzana Olivada as a briny Spanish-inspired giardiniera. His cherry-churri, made with sweet summer cherries, is a throwback to a sauce he won Culinary Fight Club with when he first moved to Chicago in 2016.
Potatoes get star treatment.
Potatoes are one of Sandoval’s favorite foods, and they get their own heading on the menu, with four different options on offer each night – smashed, mashed and fried, along with a potato of the day, which could be a labor-intensive dominoes dauphinoise. “I love that people are so excited about this,” he says. He’s currently using local butterball potatoes, Yukon gold potatoes, rainbow summer potatoes and Kennebec potatoes for the thrice-fried fries.Double down on carbs with more comfort food sides like duck fat refried beans and mac and cheese made with a blend of sharp cheddar, gruyère, and manchego.
A basement speakeasy will open soon.
Underneath Trino, a moody speakeasy-style bar and vinyl listening room opens August 21st. Laberinto is beverage director Carolina Gonzalez’s baby, with less than 30 seats, only open Thursday through Saturday. Feel free to order from the cocktail menu, which will be more experimental than at Trino, or ask the bartenders to whip up something based on your mood and preferences. They plan to invite visiting bartenders regularly, along with vinyl DJs.
Tickets for Laberinto are sold separately from Trino, but Sotelo says there will always be a few seats reserved for guests who want to get a drink before or after dinner. The concept was inspired by Handshake Speakeasy in Mexico City. “If somebody is having a great time at Trino, we do want to wow our guests, and we’d love to invite them to join us at Laberinto.”
Amber Gibson is a Chicago-based journalist specializing in travel, food, and wine. Her work has appeared in Departures, Food & Wine, Saveur, Bon Appétit, and Travel + Leisure. Follow her here; follow Resy, too.
