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While researching my book, Cocina de la Familia, on Mexican American food, I had the opportunity to eat in many Mexican restaurants across the U.S. For those who do not have the opportunity to travel to Mexico on a regular basis, as I do, sampling the foods in some of these places is a taste treat that is a reflection of Mexico’s diverse cultural history.
Feel free to post questions to cul_adv_inc@attglobal.net
Some restaurants will feature traditional regional dishes, others more innovative fare. Watch this space for updates on other parts of the country and do send me your favorites.
Frontera Grill
These two side by side restaurants of Rick and Deann Bayless are as famous as almost any restaurants in the U.S., and certainly the most acclaimed Mexican ones. I really like the boisterous Frontera Grill when all I want are some of their entremeses or small dishes, many of which are similar to the street food I devour in Mexico, such as crispy taquitos filled with shredded chicken and chiles with soured cream. With these enjoy one of their "top of the lines" margaritas made with equal parts fresh lime juice, Tesoro Silver tequila and cointreau. Of course, they also serve a full menu. Frontera was awarded the Outstanding Restaurant of the Year award May, 2007 by the James Beard Foundation.
For a more relaxed, elegant meal, reserve a table at Topolobampo, where a good choice is always the chef’s tasting dinner. No matter which place I eat, I always order my favorite dessert, the quite untraditional chocolate pecan pie.
As wonderful as the food is in either of these two restaurants, the exceptional staff makes each meal even better. Every year I am privileged to arrange the Bayless’s July staff trips to various regions in Mexico. This makes everyone who goes, whether wait staff or chef, very knowledgeable about the dishes they are serving. The combination of outstanding food, wait staff and superb Mexican art truly makes these two restaurants a reason for going to Chicago.
Picante
Restaurant owners, Jim and Laura Maser’s goals for their Picante Mexican Restaurant is “to spread recognition that, even as its simplest, Mexican food is artful, complex and irresistible.” For more than 10 years, this Berkeley, Calif. establishment has been reflective of Jim’s passion for his “soul food.” His staff makes fresh corn tortillas, from-scratch moles and even their own lard in what Jim calls “a fast-casual or modified full-service” setting.
I am blessed by having these two people in my life as friends—and we have through many years, eaten our way through Mexico together sampling the regional dishes that they now have on Picante’s menu, such as the very traditional Enchiladas de Plaza Morelia from Michoacán, or Pescado Veracruzana with its festive tomato sauce enriched with olives, chiles, and capers.
For those of you who have been on my trips, this will be like returning to the source, and for those others, Picante is a perfect place to sample the indigenous ingredients and flavors of Mexico. A real treat.
Many people from Oaxaca in southern Mexico have settled in L.A. and Soledad Lopez features many of this states’s regional dishes, such as the many regional moles; voluptuous sauces of ground chiles, nuts, seeds and spices that cloak pieces of chicken, meat, vegetables and even fruits for a very festive meal.
Probably the most beautiful Mexican restaurant in the U.S., this long time-eatery owned by Tom Gilliland is a comfortable place to enjoy very innovative and traditional Mexican fare, with just a few offerings of more familiar Tex-Mex dishes to keep some of the locals content. With Miguel Ravago, my co-author on Cocina de la Familia, as executive chef, the restaurant is still going strong after 30 years and celebrates its longevity with a cookbook, Fonda San Miguel, Thirty Years of Food and Art. It was published by Shearer Publishing, beautifully written by former pastry chef, Virginia B. Wood, with food styling masterfully done by my good friend, Julie Hettiger. Diana Kennedy, a good friend of Tom and Miguel's, writes a forward. It's a book worth having in your collection.
The WOW factor at Rosa Mexicano hits you the minute you step into this restaurant located just across the street from the Lincoln Center. From the monolithic masterpiece of 240 white ceramic divers in 15 rows set against a 30-foot dripping blue background, to the more than 40 choices of premium tequilas, to the signature Frozen Pomegranate Margaritas and the Guacamole de Molcajete made to order tableside and served with housemade chips and warm corn tortillas, you know that you are going to experience the “real thing.” The wait staff is well trained and they explain dishes and ingredients with knowledge and patience.
My very good friend, Roberto Santibañez, and I first met when I went into this small upscale restaurant in Mexico City and I had this astonishing chile rellenos in puff pastry. He later became the chef/owner of two Mexico City restaurants, before coming north, first to Austin, and then he was brought in as Rosa Mexicano’s Culinary Director to revitalize one of New York’s traditional restaurants which is now a fast growing restaurant chain. The restaurant has opened to critical acclaim in D.C., Atlanta, Palm Beach and Miami.
Roberto's Rosa's New Mexican Table cookbook was released Spring, 2007. He is also one of our instructors in Culinary Adventures’ chefs’ master series. Since leaving Rosa Mexicano in 2007, he has been consulting for restaurants and culinary institutions around the U.S., including the opening of the Maria Maria restaurants for the rock guitar legend, Carlos Santana and his wife, Deborah.
Other locations:
At Union Square, New York City
9 East 18th Street between 5th Avenue and Broadway
212-533 3350
At Atlantic Station, Atlanta, Georgia
245 18th St NW
404-347 4090
At Downtown at the Gardens, Palm Beach Gardens, Florida
11701 Lake Victoria Avenue
561-625 3120
Mary Brickel Village, Miami, Florida
all material copyright 2001 by
Marilyn
Tausend.
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