Category Archives: Food!

Chichén Itzá – Los Angeles – Mesquite Grilled Shrimp

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Several years ago, when I learned that Chichén Itzá served Yucatán style venison tacos, I dropped everything and went to try them. They don’t seem to be on the menu any more, but they were absolutely delicious. Since then, I have been back many times to their South Grand Avenue restaurant, as well as to the short-lived MacArthur Park location. I’ve had perfectly executed red and green pipiáns, Yucatán specialty poc chuc and many other wonderful dishes. There’s always a feeling of anticipation while driving there, because, out of character for me, I haven’t settled on a single favorite dish.

Last Friday, I had the pleasure of meeting Gilberto and Gilberto (yes, two Gilbertos) at the East LA Meets Napa fund-raising event for AltaMed. Each of the participating restaurants presented a specialty dish for the sophisticated crowd of over 1,000 people, and Chichén Itzá’s mesquite grilled shrimp with a habanero cream sauce was a stand-out success. Served on a bed of julienne zucchini, the distinctive flavors of the shrimp and mesquite were beautifully balanced by a flavorful cream sauce with just enough habanero heat to add a whole new layer to the experience.

A consistently good restaurant, run by really nice people… what more can we ask for?

Here’s the website: http://www.chichenitzarestaurant.com/

The Conga Room – “Espino” Cocktail

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At the AltaMed event last Friday night, I had the pleasure of meeting Milan from the great downtown LA club The Conga Room.He made me one of his signature cocktails, the Espino.

Made from pomegranate and lime juice, and a jalapeño reduction, it was a wonderful surprise. The pomegranate and lime balanced each other perfectly, and the jalapeño not only added a fruity richness, but also a comfortingly warm finish. I had the alcohol-free version, so I’m pretty sure it only gets better when served exactly the way Milan designed it.

Here’s the website: http://www.congaroom.com/

El Cholo – Los Angeles – Green Corn Tamales with Mole Poblano

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It’s been a long time since I’ve been to El Cholo, which has been a fixture in Los Angeles since 1923. I recently posted an article in which El Cholo was cited as being the first LA restaurant to serve a burrito – that’s the kind of history they bring to the table. They have branches around town, but the location I always think of is the original on Western Avenue south of Olympic.

El Cholo was a participant in the wonderful fund-raising event for AltaMed, held in the courtyard of Union Station, so I was able to reacquaint myself. Each of the restaurants that came to the event selected a featured item, and El Cholo chose to serve Green Corn Tamales with a delicious Mole Poblano. The tamales were made with a rich, soft masa, and were sweetened and textured with whole kernels of corn, and a secret (to me) ingredient that gave them a creamy, almost cheesy finish. The mole poblano, with its sweet/smoky/spicy flavor was the perfect accompaniment.

I’m sure I’ll be going to El Cholo in the near future to see what else is on the menu.

Here’s the website: http://www.elcholo.com/

Guisados – Echo Park, Los Angeles – Chile Verde Tacos

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Guisados, as its name suggests, specializes in tacos made from rich, traditional stews. The chile verde was especially tasty.

Here’s the website: http://www.guisados.co/

Guisados is one of the participants in tonight’s event East LA Meets Napa, a fundraiser for AltaMed at Union Station. The event features Mexican restaurants from all over Los Angeles, as well as Latino-owned wineries.

Here’s the website: http://www.altamed.org/eastlameetsnapa

East LA Meets Napa – July 19

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I’m really looking forward to this event on Friday – at Union Station, of all places! A long list of great Mexican restaurants and Latino-owned wineries will be there, and I’ll have the opportunity to try all their wonderful specialties.

The photos are a selection of Moles from La Huasteca, and quesadillas from Lotería Grill. Both restaurants will be represented on Friday. Here are their websites:

http://lahuasteca.com/

http://loteriagrill.com/

Here’s the website for the event, with the list of restaurants and wineries, with a description of Alta Med, the beneficiary of the fund-raising:

http://www.altamed.org/eastlameetsnapa

Pastel de Tres Leches

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This is one of Mexico’s most famous desserts, and for good reason. You’ll find it on menus from the most upscale restaurants to the most basic, and it’s always delicious. I was in the mood for a tres leches cake one night in Monterrey, and found a slice in a plastic container at a Soriana supermarket, and even that was delicious. Here’s a recipe:

Original recipe makes 1 10×15-inch cake

Ingredients –

6 eggs, separated
1 cup white sugar
1 cup all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon baking powder
1/2 cup milk
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 cup heavy whipping cream
1 (14 ounce) can sweetened condensed milk
1 (12 ounce) can evaporated milk
1 cup whipped cream(optional)
1 cup sliced fresh strawberries(optional)

Directions –

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).

Grease a 10×15-inch baking dish

Beat egg whites in a large mixing bowl with an electric mixer on high until stiff peaks form; gradually beat in sugar until mixture is glossy. Beat in egg yolks, one at a time, combining each yolk before adding the next. Reduce mixer speed to medium and add flour, about 1 tablespoon at a time, to the mixture, beating continuously; beat in baking powder, milk, and vanilla extract. Pour batter into prepared baking dish.

Bake in the preheated oven until cake is lightly browned and a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean, about 25 minutes. Let cake cool for 15 minutes.

Pour 1 cup cream, sweetened condensed milk, and evaporated milk in a blender and pulse several times until well blended. Pour three-milk mixture evenly over the cake. Refrigerate cake until cold and the milk mixture has soaked in, at least 1 hour.

Cut in squares and top each serving with a dollop of whipped cream and a few sliced strawberries. Refrigerate leftovers.

Rocio’s Moles de los Dióses – Chilaquiles

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How many times have you seen chilaquiles on a Mexican menu, and wondered what it was? Here’s what Wikipedia says:

Chilaquiles (Spanish pronunciation: [tʃila’kiles]) from the Nahuatl word chīlāquilitl [t͡ʃiːlaː’kilit͡ɬ] is a traditional Mexican dish. Typically, corn tortillas cut in quarters and lightly fried are the basis of the dish.[1] Green or red salsa or mole is poured over the crisp tortilla triangles, called totopos. The mixture is simmered until the tortilla starts softening. Eggs (scrambled or fried) and pulled chicken are sometimes added to the mix. The dish is topped with cheese (typically queso fresco) and/or sweet Mexican cream (crema), and it is served with refried beans. As with many Mexican dishes, regional and familial variation is quite common.

In central Mexico it is common for the tortilla chips to remain crisp. To achieve this, all ingredients except the salsa are placed on a plate and the salsa is poured at the last moment, seconds before serving. It is commonly garnished with cream, shredded queso fresco, raw onion rings and avocado slices.
Usually, chilaquiles are eaten at breakfast or brunch. This makes them a popular recipe to use leftover tortillas and salsas.
Chilaquiles are frequently confused with the Tex-Mex Migas, as each is a dish that uses tortilla chips/strips served primarily in the morning. In Guadalajara, cazuelas are kept simmering filled with chilaquiles that become thick in texture similar to polenta.