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All of this pre-trip
discussion forced me to do a lot of research before I traveled. In fact, I came
to Guanajuato with a very specific eating agenda. I am however, open to moving
off my plan if I see a restaurant that interests me. In this case, the only departure
from the "food plan" turned out to also be the only disappointing
meal I had the entire week.
Coincidence?
Coincidence?
Guanajuato is a lot
smaller than I remember but it's spread out with hundreds of narrow callejones
running up and down. I was lost for the first two days even with a map. But I
did find plenty of adventures in all of those back alleys.
This colonial-era
city, which looks more Europe than Mexico, is surrounded by the Sierra de
Guanajuato mountains. The landscape is stunning. Neoclassical and baroque-style
colonial architecture gives this Mexican city a unique style and character all
its own. Many have claimed it's one of the most beautiful cities in all of
Mexico.
I was here twenty
years ago for a month. At that time, eating was low on my priority list but I
do remember how fascinated I was wandering through the narrow streets and
alleys, just following my intuition.
I've always found the
beauty in this city. You are consumed by it... not the minute that you see it
but rather slowly, much like drinking a fine wine. It takes awhile to
appreciate its depth. And once you leave it, you realize just how magical it
was.
Local Guanajuato cuisine...
The local foods of
Guanajuato are delightful...enchiladas mineras, pacholas (fried ground beef),
Cecina which is a salted, dry meat I've had at Tuesday market, stuffed hot
peppers and a wide range of appetizing tamales. Traditional Mexican fare with
all of the local twists.
Casa Valadez (Jardin Union 3) is
one of them. This restaurant was always full, mainly with Mexicans, which is a
testament to the consistency and quality of their food. I ate there four times
and all of them were great food experiences.
I've been known to
judge a restaurant by its Arrachera and this one was cooked to perfection.
Slight char on the outside with a beautiful, pink center. Just the way it's supposed
to be.
This was also a new
way of preparing and enjoying Chorizo for me.
The wow factor? The
food presentation. It was obvious whoever was plating the food was a genius.
I went back here for
breakfast - had an omelet filled with squash blossoms, cheese, tomatoes and
onions and plated with a smear of beans, oil and cilantro - and again for
dessert - a traditional Mexican cream-colored flan custard with deep amber,
burnt sugar caramel but with chocolate accents including a small mound of rich,
chocolate ice cream and crumbled brownies. I cleaned my plate both times.
The next day I had
their luncheon special: a mixed salad with figs and dried fruit, a cream of
Brie soup which was delicious, a beef dish that was splashed with just the
right amount of green sauce and then smothered with green peppers, onions and
corn and topped with a generous helping of - are you ready for this - homemade
potato chips, and for dessert a strawberry mousse which had berries and shaved
chocolate. And of course, I discovered those crumbled chocolate brownies when I
got to the bottom of the dish.
That was a sweet
surprise. I like surprises when it comes to most things...especially food.
Full portions were
served and the entire meal was just $135 pesos.
Whenever I'm in a new
town or one I've not been to for awhile, I head to the market. The food in the
market pretty much tells you what the locals are eating.
Ok, I'll admit this
sandwich was a lot easier to look at than it was to eat.
It seems in every
Mexican city, I find a sandwich that I love. In Puebla it was the Cemita. Here
in Guanajuato it is the Guacamaya.
This signature street
food sandwich is made of pork skin, fresh avocado, and a super-spicy pico de
gallo that is added to a special sauce made with chiles de arbol.
It’s the most
unhealthy sandwich on the planet... but it’s so good.
What defines the
sandwich is the sauce. It has a rather complex taste along with low-sizzling
heat.
I swore I would never eat Chicharrón but here I am singing its praises.
Got to love the power of pork fat.
Torta Guacamaya Guanajuato
Chicharrón
4 Bolillos
Chopped Carrots -
optional
3 fresh red tomatoes
2 onions
cilantro
avocado
Picked Pork Rinds
2 serrano chiles
1 clove garlic
4 dried chiles de
arbol
Lime
Water
The bolillo roll
should be well-cooked and can be well-toasted on the outside since this
sandwich can fall apart easily once it is filled.
Slice open and fill
with chicharrón, avocado and a large spoonful of the salsa. Add pickled pork
rinds. Carrots are optional. Squeeze a lime over the top and give it a generous
dash of salt.
For the Salsa:
Chop two tomatoes,
serrano chiles, one onion and cilantro to make a pico de gallo. Reserve.
Roast one tomato in
the oven, with half an onion, a clove of garlic and 4 dried chiles de arbol.
Once roasted, liquefy with a little water in the blender.
Mix salsa with the
pico de gallo and generously season with salt. Add lime juice.
Note: You can also add
pickled pork skins to the sauce too.
I did not find as much
Guanajuato street food as I remembered but what I did find was
wonderfully local.
A well-hidden, classic cantina...
La Clave Azul Restaurante Taberna is located on Segunda De Cantaritos 31 up a tiny, hidden alleyway from Plaza San
Fernando that you would never find on your own.
It's an old, two story
cantina that is more like a museum with its unusual artifacts including old
chandeliers, cameras, posters and photos.
It's famous for the
botanas, like spiced, fried potato halves, which I thought I would not like but
the flavor was amazing. They didn't taste a bit like Mexican potatoes which I
have yet to love.
Here, you can grab a
craft beer or get a taste of Mezcal, both of them made in Guanajuato.
If you’re up for good Italian food...
Check out La Capallina (Sopena 3) for some of the best thin-crust pizza I've had. A
picture-perfect Margherita with a blend of four cheeses and topped with fresh
tomatoes.
All the way around, we
got great service in a beautiful, Italian-style space.
Not in the plan: My craving for Boeuf
Bourguignon...
I saw this darling
French restaurant - which will go nameless- and fell in love with their
upstairs patio which has some of the best views in Guanajuato.
I could actually taste
Julia Child's Boeuf Bourguignon when I saw it on their menu and ordered a glass
of white wine as I worked up an appetite for this much anticipated dish. I had
been craving it for months.
What came? I think a
plate of warmed up leftovers.The sauce, instead of being rich and deliciously
dark brown, was light and totally lacked the Parisian flavors of Julia's Boeuf
Bourguignon.
Once again, a longing
for all things Paris in that instant, especially the food, swept me away from
the reality that this is Guanajuato and not Mexico City. I will make Julia's
Boeuf Bourguignon at home...soon.
The owner and the chef
both apologized and sent over an apple dessert but the experience killed any
craving I had for good French food the rest of my trip.
I did like their
internet password however: Bon Appetit.
Tiny Alleyways and Callejoneadas...
One of the most famous
alleyways in Guanajuato is Callejón del Beso, an alley that is so narrow that
people can actually kiss from opposite balconies.
It's also great fun to
take part in a callejoneada, a walking serenade led by student musicians. It
happens randomly almost every night.
We did
the noon tour of the city by trolley departing from Plaza de la Paz
in Centro. The ride is another great deal. It lasts 1.5 hours and costs $100
pesos.
Saving the best for last...
Las Mercedes (Calle de Arribe 6)
is a beautiful restaurant on the hill in the San Javier residential district
just 10 minutes from downtown. It was a 50 peso taxi ride.
This place is small
and intimate with only 7 tables in the restaurant so be sure to make a
reservation. Mine was at 5 PM when they opened for dinner.
I like going to a
restaurant when it opens for dinner. You usually get great service... and the
last available light for pictures.
I asked for a seat by
the window. It was a table for four but they put me in it anyway.
First off I was
impressed by the management. The owner went around to each table to greet his
guests... not just once but frequently when I was there. Without question, the
service was first - class.
I started out with a
Margarita de xoconostle Las Mercedes - $90 pesos.
Xoconostle, pronounced
choko-nose-leh, is the fruit of a cactus plant that is sour and tart. It's
sweetened by the chef, using brown sugar and other ingredients, before it is incorporated
into the Margarita. It's very similar in appearance to a prickly pear which my
friend Kathy uses to make Martinis.
I deliberated over
three dishes that all looked divine:
Chamorro Las Mercedes
Family special recipe
of tender and juicy pork shank cooked in its own juices and served in a broth
with tomatoes and black beans $208 pesos
Corte de Cerdo Nagano
Canadiense
Nagano pork cowboy cut
and rustic peanut mole sauce $232 pesos
Tacos de Carnitas de
Pato Organico de Jiutepec
Organic Duck Tacos
$112 pesos
I ultimately decided
on the pork shank. It was superb and the sauce had that subtle spiciness that
can only come from Jalapeños.
Remember, the older
the jalapeño, the hotter it is. You can always tell by the skin.
If I came here the
first night instead of the last, I would have eaten here every night and
ditched my master plan it was that good.
We save the best for
last for a reason.
It's not often I turn down dessert...
My parting dish was a
plate of corn cake with homemade pecan ice cream and strawberries. I thought
that the corn cake would be really heavy but it was rather light. The ice cream
was also a great flavor for the corn cake.
There…I was done. This
was the meal I was going to remember.The best. I was happy.
It's been said that
Rick Bayless comes here to get ideas for his restaurants. I can see why. It's
Mexican gourmet at its best where many of the dishes are made from old family
recipes.
So after all this
great food, why is it people say that Guanajuato is not a food city?
I'll be back for a
second helping. After all, I'm now dreaming about that Nagano pork cowboy cut
with the peanut mole sauce. Ah, peanut mole...
Maybe that's a good
sign... that I'm finally dreaming about Mexican food instead of French.
Good food Guanajuato!
Buen Apetito!