Archive for the 'Mexican' Category

Steel City Pops – Birmingham

Published by Gastronomer on April 22, 2013 in Birmingham, Dessert, Mexican and Restaurant Review. 1 Comment

While visiting Birmingham this past winter, The Astronomer and I were tipped off to a sweets shop specializing in gourmet Mexican paletas (popsicles). I’ve come to expect really terrific soul food, fine dining, and of course, barbecue in this town, but never considered anything like Steel City Pops.

Inspired by Nashville’s Las Paletas, Jim Watkins opened Steel City Pops last May in a Homewood strip mall that fittingly includes a gourmet taqueria. Steel City Pops recently opened a second location at The Summit (a magnificent and enormous suburban shopping complex) and have a third location planned in Tuscaloosa. I love that paletas are taking over ‘Bama.

Since we visited the shop during the Christmas holiday, many of the flavors were inspired by the season. Steel City Pops makes paletas de aguas (water-and-juice-based pops), as well as paletas de crema (milk- or cream-based pops). We selected one of each on our first visit.

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The Residency at UMAMIcatessen: Chef Micah Wexler’s “To Live and Dine in L.A.”

Published by Gastronomer on March 14, 2013 in Cuban, Downtown, Guatemalan, Los Angeles, Media Event (this meal was free), Mexican and Restaurant Review. 2 Comments

Meet: The Residency.

Housed in Downtown’s UMAMIcatessen, this culinary series features a changing roster of chefs from around the country every Thursday night, with each stint lasting 10 weeks. Think of The Residency as Grant Achatz’s Next with a dash of Heston Blumenthal’s Dinner and a pinch of LudoBites’ showmanship. Does that make any sense? You’ll see…

Kicking off the series is Chef Micah Wexler (left), formerly of Mezze. Joining him behind the 12-seat counter is Mezze’s former pastry chef Morgan Bordenave (center) and general manager Mike Kassar (right).

One of the coolest aspects of this experience is the intimacy of the space. With diners seated around a small U-shaped counter and chefs preparing and plating each course just a few feet away, interaction and conversation is encouraged like at no other venue in town.

Chef Wexler is as personable as they come, so it was a real treat bantering back and forth with him throughout dinner and probing him about important matters like how to best prepare the flageolet beans I received in my Christmas stocking last year.

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{swoon} Carnitas Eight Ways at Metro Balderas

Published by Gastronomer on January 16, 2013 in Highland Park, Los Angeles, Mexican and {swoon}. 2 Comments

While the Mexico City-style cooking at Metro Balderas is appealing any day of the week, it’s especially enticing on Saturdays and Sundays when carnitas are on parade. Weekends here are dedicated to glorious piggy parts, lovingly fried in lard then slow-cooked and braised in natural juices before being tucked into a corn tortilla and garnished with diced onions and chopped cilantro.

The Astronomer and I warmed up with the maciza (shoulder) and the costilla (ribs), the least adventurous cuts of the eight on offer. The former was more or less a mound of pulled pork, while the latter was lean, mean, and caramelized. Next, we tucked into the cuerito (skin) and trompa (snout), deliciously gelatinous morsels that soaked up the braising liquid like a porcine sponge.

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Cemitas Poblanas Don Adrian – Van Nuys

Published by Gastronomer on December 17, 2012 in Los Angeles, Mexican, Restaurant Review and Van Nuys. 2 Comments

It takes a massive jaw and a serious appetite to conquer a cemita poblana, a beast of a sandwich constructed from a plush sesame roll jam-packed with ripe avocados, panela cheese, Oaxacan string cheese, salsa, onions, and any number of proteins. Here at Cemitas Don Adrian, the Pueblan specialty comes together like a dream.

A thoroughly enticing write up by Linda Burum in the Times inspired The Astronomer and me to pay this Valley sandwich shop a visit. We arrived at neither the lunch nor dinner hour, which meant that we had the place practically to ourselves.

On our first trip to Don Adrian, The Astronomer and I shared a cemita layered with cecina adobada, a kind of beef jerky that the shop’s proprietor Adolfo Huerta makes in-house using techniques and recipes passed down from his grandfather Don Adrian. With its distinct notes of achiote and cumin, the cecina adobada was absolutely irresistible. Of all the proteins available, this one packed the biggest wallop.

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Restaurante El Meson De Los Laureanos – El Quelite

Published by Gastronomer on November 28, 2012 in Media Event (this meal was free), Mexican, Restaurant Review and Sinaloa. 3 Comments

The most charming destination on my recent trip to Sinaloa was the rural town of El Quelite located 25 miles northeast of Mazatlán. Named after the milkweed that grows throughout the area, the colonial village hasn’t changed too much over the years, aside from the fresh coat of paint that every home and business receives during the holidays. The heart of the town is Restaurante El Meson De Los Laureanos, where we enjoyed a spectacular breakfast spread of regional specialties.

The soul of the operation is Dr. Marcos Gabriel Osuna, also known as “El Padre del Turismo Rural en Sinaloa.” Dr. Osuna’s steadfast commitment to promoting rural tourism in the area has put El Quelite on the map and increased the economic vitality of inhabitants. It was incredible meeting Dr. Osuna toward the end of our meal and hearing about his passion for the region’s culture, traditions, and people.

Born and raised in the house that the restaurant is located in, Dr. Osuna has transformed and expanded the building room by room over the years into a wonderland of art and food.

Upon entering the restaurant, we were greeted by beautiful murals telling the history of the region painted by Jorge Larreta, a famous Sinaloan painter.

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