SOUTH of the border: K'u'uk

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What a culinary adventure; a restaurant trying out new techniques and combinations, while sticking to traditional roots and local ingredients. The restaurateur who owns K’u’uk, also has two other places in the city of Merida, and is on his way to reinventing the food scene and elevate regional cuisine, with an edge of refinement, modernity and innovation. Their vision is to recreate traditional Yucatan themes, recipes, and flavors in “new arrangements.”

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After being seated, and quietly handed menus, we were given a tall shot class of beet and tart orange juice. It was smooth light, and felt wet and thin, but cool and refreshing. The beautiful dark color of the juice, rich, echoed the color on the walls, just as dark but in a way warmer and redder. The smoothness of the juice was also present in the décor, almost tasteful, with a modest blend of contemporary and regional.

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We were even given an amuse bouche, delicate and artistic, and completely unexpected. It was textured, with a potato thin crisp, dotted with corn and local flavored creams, paying homage to the area, while bringing something new to the aesthetic. The flavors were dull, but the textures, the conflict of the thin crunch and the smooth and creamy was rather exciting.

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With guidance, we ordered three appetizers, a healthy blend of traditional and innovative. We experienced shrimp floating in a green colored bean soup, tickled with cilantro and cheese served with tiny rustic crunchy corn disks. The flavor was very mealy and heavy, typical of bean purees, but the sweetness of the shrimp played a rather sharp contrast. We also had a play on salad, with crisp dehydrated lettuce, warm baby potatoes, smooth avocado, acidic heirloom tomatoes, and creamy Ramonetti cheese. The dish was a jungle gym of bite size elements, varying in delicious texture and taste, combining to make something completely out of the ordinary with such plain, straightforward ingredients. The last appetizer was centered around baked pumpkin, and included the intrigue of plain tart yogurt, tangy goat cheese, dust-like almonds and orange orbs of sweet potato golden puree. This was disjointed and less refined in execution and flavor profile. Every element was decent on its own (the sweet sweet potato goodness, outstanding), but it was super difficult to put together and build a cohesive bite.

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The appetizers were mildly disjointed, but not dysfunctional; there was always some almost obvious way to combine all of the different elements, to make a bite that was truly inspiring and delicious.

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Next for entrees, we had meat, not a ton, but well prepared and satisfying in its excellence. The two steak entrees, one a rib eye and the other like fillet mignon, were served with just enough starch, to soak up the juices and the decadence of the beef. The rib eye came with a spattering of tomato gravy, which was hardly discernable, yet at the same time, would have been greatly missed, and a little bed of mashed cassava, just enough to satiate. The other steak came with ample seasoned till orange, spicy and crisp, almost too much and on the verge of overwhelming the fine tender cut of meat. The potatoes, however, ended up being addictive and stealing the limelight.

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The last meat entrée was described as hog jowl, annotated for my understanding as, really fatty pork. The pork was tender and salty, fatty but not uncomfortably so. It was luxurious, almost like a delicacy in the mouth, small slices enforced slow enjoyment. This entrée, however, did not come with enough accoutrements to cut the fat and vary the flavor. It came with some split cherry tomatoes, and thin lines of what felt like mashed potatoes, starchy and tangy. The two looked more like decoration than flavor and dish enhancement, though the acidity was welcome, breaking down the fattiness of the pork to something more relatable. 

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The downfall of the entrees I experienced was proportions, too much of some and too little of others, and emphasis was not always placed on the right element. Everything tasted and looked beautiful, there was no shortage of flavor and authenticity, just certain moments were over played.

The desserts, though, dallied in the realm of whimsical and playful, employing scientific techniques as well as familiar ingredients to create something completely imaginative and different.

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One of the desserts we tried involved a dark soil of burnt milk, lengthy cubes of rice pudding, a dollop of radish ice cream, with a single thin shave of candied radish. This was absolutely delicious, an image of a foreign planet, occupied and being discovered. It was also dully sweet in way, making each component blend in flavor but remain distinguished in texture; the fine crumble of the burnt milk, and the beads of rice in the rectangles of stiff pudding, the crunch of the little radish and micro green accents, and the blending smoothness of the ice cream, all played with the expectations of your mouth and mind.

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The other dessert though, was quite the opposite, relying on the savory sweet aspects of beets and yogurt, frozen and freeze dried with science and mystery. There were also intense moments of sweet bitterness of dark chocolate that crunched with coldness. This, though imaginative, did not tickle my sweet tooth, that wanted to be stroked with an after dinner dessert. It played into the dichotomy of many natural ingredients that we consume.

The whole experience was decadent and luxurious, from the décor and setting to the food and the flavors, ingredients and service. The chef and the vision of the restaurant emitted an invitation to play with your food, pick and combine to design your own kind of indulgence. Yet, each piece is placed methodically and chosen specifically for your plate, well curated but issuing freedoms at the same time. The creativity was really present in the appetizer and dessert courses, whereas the mains were traditional and almost standards. Both the appetizers and desserts were like building blocks, each element a step toward your own unique dining experience, no bite ever the same, making your meal completely different than your neighbor’s. It was fun and flavorful, different and evolving.

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3.3.13

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SOUTH of the border: TACO trouble

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There was no way I could go to Mexico without having tacos. Not only did I have tacos, but I gorged on so many tacos it was amazing. We had meat tacos, and fish tacos, with flour, corn and even cheese tortillas (I know, sounds as awesome as they tasted), gringas with cheese, or just good ol’ meat layered until infinity. I had the wildest array of deliciousness stuffed into a tortilla. It truly was vacation.

Not that the meat ones were not very exciting, because that would be a lie, but they were just pretty traditional. All the meats were perfectly cooked, tender and a great mouthful, but they were straightforward. I had tacos al pastor, heavily spiced and colored pork, bedded with cheesey greatness on a flour tortilla. Delicious, but straight forward and mildly predictable. Then there were pork chop tacos, with cubes of perfect pork chop meat and a loud dose of cheese, or even tacos de costilla (rib) with great texture and chew.

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My favorite meat taco was the taco I was most afraid to try, barbacoa lamb. I could honestly say, I am not a giant fan of lamb. Even though I look forward to the traditional (well in my house) Easter meal every year, it is more about the holiday and the family, than the lamb. We were initially going to have pork carnitas for breakfast, but that first choice was closed, and luck was on our side when El Corral Del Carnero was open on the off chance and we were to have barbacoa.  I was skeptical at first, not looking forward to the gamy meaty feeling of lamb in the morning. But I was severely pleasantly surprised. It was the most, tender, delicious meat I have ever tasted, on either side of the border. There was not a single shred of the dreaded heaviness, but instead it was juicy, moist, and light. It was not fatty or dry, but perfectly addictive (I ended up ordering another taco, and paying the restaurant another visit before I left). Throw some chopped onions and a little guacamole on there, and I was set to eat like six.

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Now the more vibrant and exciting tacos, were less traditional and less red meat. We went to a hot spot in Merida, called El Pez Gordo, home of the fish tacos and delicious seafood snacks. My friend and host knew the menu inside and out, so that made the daunting choice much much easier. And can I say, everything was so good? I wanted more even when I thought my stomach was going to explode (which was probably the whole trip, but in a good way).

We had four different kinds of amazing fish tacos. The place has carefully chosen toppings and arrangements, but opens up options, like tortilla (flour, corn or cheese!) and protein (fish or shrimp). And somehow, no matter which way you swing it, it was always amazing (went there twice too!).

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El grande

The el grande fish taco was a spicy riot of color, violent red from the breading coating the fish, and intense purple radiating from the red cabbage, and a cool green from a dab of guacamole. The fish was coated in a crunchy red spicy delicious breading based and inspired by hot corn chips. It was an extremely creative way to draw different flavors and memories to form the experience of this one taco. It was spicy but both the cabbage and guacamole cooled the mouth to pleasantness, inspiring a great balance.

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Gordilocas

This taco was a weird mixture of spicy, and cool, cheesy and smooth. This was more like what we would think of as a quesadilla, meaning there were two tortillas, and all the goodness filled the inside. The bottom tortilla was flour whereas the top was one of the crispy cheese varieties. The inside was smeared with chipotle chilies and their smooth juices, as well as plump shrimp, and a heavy handful of chewy cheese. This, was not my favorite, maybe because it was the last one we tried, but the smokiness of the chipotle and the burned edges of the cheese tortilla created a nice harmony, making the shrimp more meaty rather than sweet.

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Crunchi

Like the el grande, crunchi was another colorful taco, boasting the same purple hue, with the addition of specked creamy white colors and perfectly crunchy browns. We chose to get the crunchi with shrimp instead of the tender fish, on top of a cheese tortilla. This was the best decision (ever), three different crunchy textures; cooked cheese of tortilla, coating on the shrimp and the fresh cabbage, which married perfectly. Somehow every flavor was present, the sweet shrimp, the burned resilience of the cheese, and the tempura like crust. The creamy garlic sauce added a mature flavor and dimension.

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Choritaco

This of all the tacos probably was the simplest, lacking the spattering of sauces and was more straightforward. It featured a healthy dose of pretty shrimp, and crumbled dark red chorizo (a frequent ingredient on our adventure, appearing here and here). The flour tortilla was also striking with a beautiful thick slice of ripe avocado on top. Its simplicity was refreshing, and the avocado cooled the fatty spiciness of the crisp chorizo, all mellowed by the sweet shrimp.

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If I could chose any of the tacos I tried to devour again, it would be a difficult decision (extremely, difficult). With all the different fillings, flavors, twists and techniques, it would prove nearly impossible, because I would eat them all again, and would love to try even more varieties. But if I had to (and I mean absolutely had to, or I would get shot kind of thing…aaand I was allowed more than one) I would pick either (or both, depending on the life or death circumstances) the barbacoa lamb taco, or the crunchi fish taco on that delightful cheese tortilla. Oh wait. I already did eat those twice… 

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3.3.13

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SOUTH of the border: YUCATAN sampling

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The three of us deemed it absolutely necessary that we try some of the traditional and regional specialties of the Yucatan state of Mexico. The restaurant we chose to experience the cuisine of the area is in a city called Conkal, a few cities over from our base location in Merida. Frailes, was a sweet place with seating indoors and outside, and it was so hidden, like a little paradise.

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We had a proper sampling of the food, ordering appetizers, entrees and goodies all over the menu; a little here and a little there. Even with a menu in English, I was still mystified by the dishes, what they were and even what they would look like. It was all so difficult to grasp and there was no way for me to imagine what I was going to taste in the coming moments.

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Unfortunately, this was not one of my favorite meals. Not that it did not taste good, but some of it was too much. A little heavy, a little spicy, but flavorful and colorful. It was hearty, but we were drowning, our eyes bigger than our stomachs (as always) and it was a desperate attempt to try and experience as much of the region as we could.

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From the black chicken, dark with spices; to the baby shark tower, drenched in acidic tomato based sauce; to black beans stiff and loose; too many fried tortillas (salbutes) and not so fried tortilla filled treats (panuchos) and the sweet, juicy, and wet Caballero Pobre dessert. We had a pumpkin based dip, sprinkled with tortilla strips (sikilpac), burned fatty chorizo, and a crescent moon of Edam cheese stuffed with meat while floating in a red sauce (queso relleno). Even different flavored horchata beverages.

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After a while, everything started to taste the same, rich, heavy and blended. The ingredients and preparations were fresh and local, and the staff friendly and accommodating. It was a great experience and an array of flavors, preparations, meats, toppings and spices, but somehow, I was not as over the moon as I wanted to be... I would deffo be open to trying the regional cuisine again.

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2.9.13 

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SOUTH of the border: la RECOVA

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It was my first night in Mexico (my very first night and very first time), and after a long day of travel and finally catching up with two of my very good friends with ample red wine, it was time for a good dinner. I was excited to be in my great friend’s home town of Merida, in the Yucatan region of our southerly neighbor. It was going to be an adventure, and on top of that a food adventure, because my friend is a huge foodie as well. When we were “studying” in London, we often indulged in food and grew closer for it. So now it was time for him to show us around his stomping grounds, and dictate what we were eating. I was beyond thrilled.

This first night, after the sun was completely set, and it was getting later and cooler, he brought us to a nice, rather large restaurant called La Recova, a self titled Argentinean steak house with Yucatan accents and additions. It was late so the place was emptying, but gave us room to speak in English and ask the waiter and our native friend a zillion questions. 

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My friend basically knew what we should and were going to eat before we stepped into the restaurant (this was a recurring theme throughout my trip… loved it).  Because of his foodie nature and the relative smallness of Merida and its food scene (though evolving and changing), he was super familiar with the menu and what was enjoyable.

For starters we had …

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Queso fondido This was a little pot of hot melted cheese, topped with large rounds of fatty chorizo. The cheese was hot and salty, which mimicked the flavors of the meat. It was a heavy combination, but was delicious with the tortillas that it was served with. The ratio of cheese to meat was a little overwhelming though, far too much cheese for the few charred rounds of the sausage.

Carnitas atun This heaping appetizer was a play on the carnitas of the area that is usually made with pork, which is cooked till soft and stringy and then almost friend again. The tuna was prepared in a similar way, and served with tortillas to make little tacos. I was not completely convinced with this appetizer, it was kind of dry and greasy to me at the same time, but adding some of the spicy and flavorful sauces left at the table improved the experience.

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Tostaditas de atun This was by far my favorite appetizer. It was a delicate pile of tuna tartar and a small smear of guacamole, placed on a bite sized crunchy chip. The zing of lime made the raw fish sing, and that same flavor was echoed in the guacamole, creating a brightness that contrasted the crunchy and smooth textures of the bite. The thin sliver of red onion added another texture as well as a bite. Each element was absolutely delicious and exciting, and they were all harmonious in making each bite near perfection.

For mains we indulged in…

The mains to me were less interesting than the appetizers; their flavor profiles were duller, delicious, but not as dynamic.

We had a steak, cooked to a perfect medium rare, and the cut of meat was lean but just fatty enough to eat without being uncomfortable. The seasoning too protected us from steak dry mouth, and it was juicy, but not extreme. The little (but just enough) piece of meat came with a flounce of garnishes, which I completely ignored. The plate was about the steak, its seasoning and its precision in preparation.

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The other main that the three of us shared was an adobo octopus. This generous portion of octopus came with some gently roasted cherry tomatoes and some cooked and seasoned rounds of white potatoes. Once again, I paid little to no attention to the side items on the plate, though the tomatoes ushered in some tang and acidity to counter the smooth, buttery and meaty texture of the octopus, and the potato kind of served as a base to even the decadence of the octopus. Sometimes texture can get between enjoying octopus and not, but this was prepared perfectly, as it lost its gummy feeling but took on the consistency of meat. The spices morphed the seafood into something more terrestrial, just like how it was cooked transformed the octopus to a more meaty realm. The adobe was spicy and dynamic, but also added lovely color and intrigue.

Only room for one dessert…

It was late, we were excited and practically full, but there is always room for more. After hearing the few dessert options, twice (once in Spanish, and once with a loose English translation), we landed on a dulce de leche fondant. We had little idea what this would entail, but anything with sweetness and caramel, was bound to melt my heart.

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When the dessert was placed on the table, practically right under my nose, I was mildly shocked. The plating was more imaginative and modern than any of the other more straight forward dishes. Our fondant dessert was comprised of a little cake dusted with powdered sugar, and busting at its seams with dulce de leche, a curious upright cookie ring, with a heavy scoop of ice cream nestled within, and a dancing design of chocolate and orange decoration.

On a whole, the dessert was delicious, sweet, textured, creamy, hot and cold, crunchy. The little cake was like a chocolate molten cake, only a caramelly cousin. The cake was moist and lovely and the dulce de leche on the inside was smooth, creamy and sweet but not strong. The melty texture of the ice cream and the cake insides played well together, while the crunchy cookie and cake were at odds but cooperated nicely. The only tastes that did not lend well to the rest of the dessert was the tangy bitter dark chocolate that was too close to a cloyingly sweet orange cream. The intense chocolate flavor was nice, breaking up the overall sweetness with a mature twist, while the orange was completely unnecessary and incongruent.

Dinner was a great time, great food, and a lovely time catching up. It was a great place to start off our food adventures in Mexico, though it was a fusion of the region and Argentinean elements. The service was great and patient, the décor warm and trendy, and the food delicious and lively. 

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2.7.13

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SOUTH of the border: SWEET thangs

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I could never forget about the sweet snacks that I chomped on while away (well, can’t really let go of the savory bites either), from candy like brittles to frozen treats to airy fluffs of meringue. Can’t I just go back for a little more of these sweet sensations? 

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coco dulce y pepita dulce

These sweet almost circles of goodness were perhaps one of my favorite snack foods we tried (emphasis on perhaps). They were amazingly sweet, crunchy and textured almost like brittles. These rounds were thick with crumbly like candy texture, and were littered with flavors, like pumpkin or coconut. I was lucky to try both. The pumpkin seed flavored one offered some savory and meaty elements to counter the extreme sweetness that surrounded the seeds. The softer texture of the seed actually added a kind of moist crunch to the candy like feeling of the snack. The coconut flavor did not taste like the sweet coconut  that we are used to, but it was a barky, stiff texture and flavor rendering the goody mildly hard to chew.

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mazapan de pepita

Another sweet treat that I got to experience, was unlike the brittle, soft and chewy. It had the grainy, gummy consistency of one of my favorites, marzipan. I could feel the crumbly crystals of the sugars in the dough. Unlike the marzipan we know made of almonds, this was created from ground pumpkin seeds. It was sweet and savory, chewy and satisfying. The texture was really exciting and familiar, but the flavor and ingredients were different.

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merengues

Who does not love the contradictions of meringues? They are light and fluffy, but also crunch and hard at the same time. Each time we got merengues they were two orbs fixed together with a citrusy sticky liquid, large enough to need almost two hands and messy enough to lick your fingers. My friend informed us that these homemade delights are traditionally made with lime, a tart contrast to the light sugary white. Candied lime rinds sometimes floated in the sugariness of the meringue. The only downfall (if this even counts) was that the constant heat and humidity of the area, made this snack for a sticky situation. The meringues were melting from the inside, oozy and sticky like syrup. Still delicious but the crunchiness of the slow cooked treat diminished and was only like a shell.

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boli de coco

Though I got this frozen treat at a taco spot (twice), my friend assured me that these homespun kind of ices are found all over, and in all different flavors. It was like a smooth sorbet and crystallized Italian ice, both at the same time. It came in a plastic bag with a knot at the bottom. The delicious filling is loaded into said plastic bag, knotted and frozen. To get into the insides you have to bite off one of the tiny corners and squeeze the frozen goodness out. Once I tasted it, I was addicted. My coconut frozen gem was sweet and creamy, and smooth save for a few chewy bites of sweet coconut. It brought me to childhood, and the imagined childhood of the kids of the region.

Now you got the sweet and salty sides of it… which snacks would you want to try the most? Maybe we should plan a trip…

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2.22.13 

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SOUTH of the border: SAVORY bites

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Mexico is full of vendors on the road at the stop light, or lining the sidewalks at city centers, and they are always carrying something delicious to sell. Some have fruits doused with salty spicy flavorings popular with the natives, or crunchy fried corn or potato snacks drenched in hot sauces. Others have sweets galore. Throughout our travels in various large and cities throughout the Yucatan region and even making our way to the regional day of the Carnival celebration in Merida, we got a chance to try many of these tasty street treats.

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chicharrones

These are goodies that speak to Mexican childhood and snack culture. These are crunchy addictive bites that come in corn or potato varieties. Chicharrones are puffy and light, crunchy and greasy at the same time. The vendor asks if you want spicy hot sauce or a popular snack sauce with a bit of heat. The sauce softened the Styrofoam chip like snack, making them wilt and heavy but extra addictive. I preferred the corn cousin to the potato. The corn chicharrones were stiffer and held up better to the hot sauces and the flavor was stronger. Either way, this snack was delicious, a perfect salty pick me up.

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marquesita

At the parade celebrating Carnival, my friend invited me taste this street food. The marquesita is an amazing mixture of sweet and salty. The goody starts off almost like a crepe, a thin batter spread in a circle on a hot surface. This is almost where the commonalities stop (except for filling). Unlike the French crepe, it was smushed between two hot plates, switched and flipped. Once the batter is secured in the shape of a circle, the vendor sprinkles a handsome handful of shredded cheese in its center. He then rolls the whole treat into a column and adds more cheese into the hole in the middle. I was told to wait until the roll cooled and the exterior was crunchy, before I devoured it. The magical treat’s crust was crunchy and crisp, sweet and sugary like a fortune cookie, malleable and almost flaky in a way. The inside was the salty melty popular Holland cheese, countering the texture and the flavor of the crust. It is genius and delicious, perfect for any mood.

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 esquite

Another example of street food that I had at the parade was something I have experienced at fairs here in the States, or on the high street in London; corn in a cup. Here at the little vendor booth, you could see the full ears of corn on the cob resting in their husks. The vendor also had a wild assortment of toppings and accoutrements ranging from mayo, to spices, to salt, and other goodies. I tasted my friend’s concoction including some of the above. It was warming, spicy, and tangy, the corn fresh, yellow and delicious. However, I really only needed one bite  to get the idea.

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waye tu'kí

The Mayan name for this delicious, snackable treat is pronounced why-é-tukee. This might be my favorite contender of the savory snack category, mostly because of its addictive nature and its almost nutritional content (beans are good for you right?). These tortilla goodies are made out of a lady’s house in Tekax, so they are not necessarily widespread, but they are extremely local eats. In between the two grainy tortillas there is a smear of spicy black beans, made like a creamy blue black paste. Each of these thin sandwiched snacks is smothered with a red tomato based sauce, mild, and acidic. The baseness of the beans, with its smoldering heat, counters the acidity of the tomatoes nicely, so that no flavor is too overwhelming. But the homemade tortillas dampen out the spice even more, increasing the snackability (for me and my heartburn especially). Somehow they end up feeling meaty, hearty and satisfying, even though, each on its own is thin and indistinct. Waye tu'kí comes in stacks, and peeling each unit, is like trying to separate two pieces of wet tissue paper, messy, difficult, and well worth the challenge. You can eat them like potato chips or popcorn, but they are much much heavier than that; too many can feel like a meal, but too few is not nearly enough to feed the addiction.

Stay tuned for the dark side (well the other side) of my Mexican snacking… the sweet side. 

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 2.21.13

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SOUTH of the border: a TASTE

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This is just a taste of the different kinds of foods and dishes and snacks I experienced on my recent adventure in Mexico. Don't worry you will hear all about it in the coming days... from street foods and snacks, to tacos, to traditional (and not so traditional) sit down meals in the Yucatan region of Mexico.

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Stay tuned. Be excited. Your mouth will water!

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2.20.13

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