A Study of José Andrés - Part Two: Oyamel

DATE OF VISIT: THURSDAY, MARCH 22, 2012

It was a wonderfully beautiful day. I hopped on the metro and headed over to Oyamel, where I was planning on meeting my friend Carolyn for dinner. She was arriving a little later than I, so I sat and enjoyed Feliz Hora en el bar. I'd never been to the restaurant before, so I looked around, enjoying the energetic atmosphere and the fun decor.






The butterfly theme is very tastefully done. Mobiles hang from the ceiling and a tapestry of orange flowers hung overhead, giving the restaurant a bright, sunny demeanor.  Marble counters and big open windows further the free, down-to-earth feeling. 

When Carolyn arrived, we fought our way to the bar, (Oyamel seems to attract quite a few young-professionals during this time of day, all contending for the same barstools), and managed to find two seats. We were both so hungry, we ordered as soon as possible, and we ordered a lot. It's easy to over order here due to the ample variety of tantalizing menu options. One thing I would say, however, is the menu over-sells the items with big, gourmet words and lacks a comprehensive description of the item in question. 

Here is a brief overview of the items we ordered:

Camarones al mojo de ajo negro

"Shrimp sauteed with shallots, arbol chile, poblano pepper, lime and sweet aged black garlic"

$10.00

Quesadilla Huitlacoche*

"Traditional folded corn tortilla with Chihuahua cheese and Roy Burns Farm Mexican corn truffle."

$9.00

Ceviche de peto
"Hawaiian ono served with fresh hearts of palm 
and baby cucumber salad, passion fruit, 
vanilla, and rose."
$12.00

Taco de tinga poblana
"Stew of shredded chicken with potatoes, 
chorizo, and chipotle topped with white 
onion in a house-made tortilla"
2 Tacos for $4.00 (Happy Hour Menu) 

Chapulines
"The legendary Oaxacan specialty of sauteed grasshoppers, shallots, tequila, and guacamole"
 1 Taco for $5.00

Huitlacoche close up

* Huitlacoche is a fungus that grows naturally on ears of corn.  According to gourmetsleuth.com, 
      "American farmers call it 'smut' and 'devil's corn' and consider it a disease to be irradiated. The peoples of Mexico as well as the American Hopi Indians consider the fungus a delightful delicacy... Today in Mexico the product is actually cultivated each season providing an ample supply to be eaten fresh, then frozen and canned."
Huitlacoche (pronounced "wee-tlah-KOH-chay") has quite a rich, earthy, and sometimes smokey taste. It is typically used in tamales, sopas (soups), and quesadillas. 




Some more interesting Oyamel facts:
Oyamel was named the Best Latin American Restaurant by Washingtonian Magazine in December, 2011

This restaurant is named after Abies religiosa, a fir native to the mountains of central and southern Mexico and western Guatemala. The name in Nahuatl (a language spoken mostly in Central Mexico) is Oyamel.

Oyamel occasionally hosts events. Some previous events include:

• Day of the Dead (October 17-November 2, 2011): The menu for this celebration featured 2 new cocktails and a menu of dishes from Michoacan. Day of the Dead is one of the most important holidays in Mexican culture, usually celebrated with a visit to a cemetery and decorating graves with marigolds and candles. 
• A Week in Oaxaca by Oyamel and Diana Kennedy (September 12-18, 2011): This event was in celebration of Hispanic Heritage Month and Mexican Independence Day. The menu was created using recipes from Diana Kennedy's award-winning cookbook, Oaxaca al Gusto. 

To be continued....

**Please be aware, I am in no way an expert on anything that I write about. I'm just a young woman who loves food and wants to learn more about everything**

I encourage any and all comments, tips, and advice.