Casa Nela in downtown Mexico City is the sort of family-run restaurant that will never cross your radar as a visitor. But it should. There were incredible flavors delivered in immense portions at seemingly impossible prices. We stayed for hours on a lazy Sunday afternoon, tasting and sipping our way through Oaxaqueño delights.
One of my earliest eating experiences in Mexico City, many years ago, was at Alaia. It was my first taste of Basque cuisine – the tang of a salsa verde, mineral sting of squid ink sauce, and pure joy of a perfect croquette. It ignited in me a passion for all things Basque that still burns within. These many years later, I found Chef Israel Aretxiga masterfully stoking the fires.
A girl cannot live on Mexican food alone. Well, not for more than five weeks, it seems. For a change of pace, I indulged in the French creations of Chef Abel Hernandez at Eloise Chic Cuisine. It was a brief but all-consuming romance to remember.
Within the cozy atmosphere of Fonda Fina, there is a treasure trove of Mexican delights, each interpreted beautifully by the hand of Chef Juan Carbera Barrón. For diners wishing to sample hallmark flavors from across the country, Fonda Fina is at the top of my list in Mexico City.
De Cabeza is making the gutsy move of showcasing the succulence of peri-cranial carne for an American audience. Tongue, brain, eyes, oh my!
This is my story of how one short-haired black lamb taught me that when cooking begins with an animal sacrifice, you have no choice but to strive for perfection.
Every major city in the US is harboring a taco-trove. Some are brightly adorned, mariachi-infused tourist destinations but others are low-key neighborhood collectives sharing century-old family recipes from every corner of Mexico. In either case, a day of exploration is a day well spent. Minneapolis/St. Paul did not disappoint!
Mariscos El Toro Güero has worn a deep groove in my culinary routine over the years. It is my homecoming parade each time I land on Paceño soil. Let me tell you why.
Tucked within the Paradisus Hotel, with a view spanning from the Pacific Ocean to the Sea of Cortez, Gastro Bar by Martin Berasategui is raising the bar for Baja California dining.
Verdolagas en salsa verde con carne de cerdo (purslane in green salsa with pork) was the single most delicious new dish I made in 2018 – and one of the easiest! A perfect harmony of herbaceous, tangy, and spicy notes with the savory sweetness of golden brown pork.