Tag: los danzantes

Postcards from Oaxaca, Mexico: Restaurant Alphabet Vol. II from Le to Tacos

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Above: Guava mole with shrimp and battered cauliflower at Levadura de Olla

Thalía Barrios Garcia is young, 27 years old, yet she has worked her way from a small Oaxacan village to own two widely acclaimed restaurants in the historic center of the state capital. One, Cocina de Humo, is intimate, providing a chance to observe traditional methods of cooking, but you need to make a reservation in advance. So we tried her Levadura de Olla instead.

Tomatoes. The gorgeous display of heirloom tomatoes immediately announces produce is important here. And a woman kept busy flipping fresh tortillas you know are made the ancient way, from dried corn boiled down with ash, nixtamal.

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Postcard from Oaxaca, Mexico: Reunion with La Biznaga and Los Danzantes

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Have blogged numerous times over the past few years about Biznaga. Still has what we regard as the best margaritas we have ever been served, whether made with tequila or mezcal. Despite the Mister’s online reading comparing pulque to the flavor and consistency of wallpaper paste, we even found the milky white house pulque (pictured above) a refreshing starter.

La Biznaga is always our first stop and final meal in Oaxaca. The menu is so varied, it suits any mood – soup, salads, full blow-out meal.

The plump shrimp perched atop rice and mole and the tuna with asparagus kept us returning as well. First time trying the jamon focaccia with great fresh chips and the flavorful memelas de chamorro. Only managed to make it once all the way through to the luscious coconut flan.

Los Danzantes ribs
Los Danzantes mahi mahi
Los Danzantes chicken filled with goat cheese
Los Danzantes pescado
Los Danzantes empanada de membrillo
La Biznaga memelas de chamorro
La Biznaga focaccia con jamon
Los Danzantes tlayuda with shrimp
La Biznaga vegetable-stuffed porobello mushroom
La Biznaga chicken stuffed with goat cheese in chile poblano sauce
Los Danzantes goat cheese flan
Los Danzantes pink peppercorn icecream
Los Danzantes tuna over quinoa
La Biznaga coconut flan
Los Danzantes hoja santa filled with cheese
La Biznaga tuna with asparagus
Los Danzantes hierbabuena mezcal cocktail
Los Danzantes huitlacoche-filled ancho chile
La Biznaga shrimp
Los Danzantes shredded chicken
La Biznaga grilled tuna
La Biznaga additions for tortilla soup
La Biznaga trilogy of appetizers featuring an hoja santa leaf wrapped around goat cheese, bean and cheese memela and a hibiscus-filled cone with guacamole and black refried beans

The patio of Los Danzantes is so beautiful; the presentations always are spot-on; and the experience is always relaxing. However, Danzantes upped the prices of cocktails substantially mid-visit, which made it not quite as welcoming. Yet the hierbabuena mezcal cocktail is an amazingly good drink. And Danzantes’ unusual pink peppercorn ice cream now ranks among my all-time favorite flavors.

The frequency of our patronage was hampered by the Danzantes’ increased popularity; lunch-time reservations definitely are recommended.

Postcard from Mexico City: The place of coyotes

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Brought into submission by the Aztecs of Tenochtitlan in 1428, the Tepanecas who lived in the ancient village of Coyoacan, the place of coyotes, remained resentful of their conquerors.

This historical enmity served the Spaniard Hernan Cortes (1485-1547) well. Retreating from revolting Tenochtitlan following the death of Moctezuma II (1466-1520) from unnatural causes, Cortes lost close to 900 men before arriving at Coyoacan. Fortunately for the Spaniards, they were welcomed as allies against the Aztecs. Coyoacan served as the conquistador’s headquarters and briefly as the capital of New Spain as his conquest of the Aztec empire was completed.

This early Spanish occupancy led to the beginning of construction of the parish church of San Bautista, completed in 1552, the third oldest parish church in Mexico City. The town remained independent of its expanding neighbor until finally its absorption into the federal district in 1857.

Student interviewing our friend Sharla
quinceanera
Los Danzantes pollo
San Bautista
Los Danzantes salsas
Los Danzantes pulpo
San Bautista
San Bautista
San Bautista

The central colonial plazas of Coyoacan are charming, an attribute not lost on those living in the center of Mexico City. On weekends, unfortunately when we chose to visit, traffic jams clog the arteries leading in and out. The quaint historic center is overrun by approximately 70,000 visitors. Advice: Visit on a Tuesday, Wednesday or Thursday if possible.