A last minute reservation found us at Empellon Cocina on Saturday night. I say “last minute,” but I’ve been meaning to go since the restaurant opened back in February. It’s been getting great press… and a good friend of mine happens to be a chef there!
We started off with drinks. Our server asked what we were in the mood far; I said I was more on the “smokey/ spicy” end, while B wanted something sweet and herbal. I ordered the darkest corner of Oaxaca, which was made with mezcal, orange juice and smokey chilies. B tried the Mexican radio, which was like a jazzed-up gin and tonic with lots of oregano. Both were delicious!
Empellon Cocina has a pretty extensive salsa menu… seven, to be exact! Their guacamole also won the title of best in the city… it’s made with bits of pistachio and jalapeño, and is served with pistachio salsa on the side. (So, make that eight salsas!)
We’d ordered two salsas to start, but soon all seven salsas and the guacamole + pistachio dip arrived, thanks to my friend. Both came with an order of masa crisps- chips made from corn flour. (Empellon uses corn in place of wheat flour, so I believe everything is gluten free.) Everything was amazing, and it was impossible to pick a favorite… I kept coming back to the smoked cashew, though, layering it on top of the guacamole and masa crisps. The appetizers alone could have been a full meal!
We also ordered the roasted carrots with mole poblano and watercress (yogurt on the side), which were delicious. There needs to be more mole in my life.
For my entrée, I ordered the fettuccine (made with masa) with maitake mushrooms, boiled pine nuts and epazote. Holy amazing. I never would have thought to make pasta out of corn flour, but it had an incredibly rich and almost nutty flavor.
B had the lobster melted cheese with tomato frito and Yucatecan-style white sauce. It was served in a cast iron skillet alongside fresh corn tortillas, as sort of a make-your-own-(fancy) taco dish. Nom nom nom.
My friend generously sent out yet another dish: swordfish with husk cherry chipotle salsa.
Everything we tasted was unbelievably flavorful and interesting, prepared with fresh and seasonal ingredients. We were ooh-ing and aah-ing all night, regretting that we hadn’t stopped by Empellon Cocina earlier!
We were stuffed to the gils, but walked a couple avenues over to Lula’s Sweet Apothecary for dessert. Just, you know, to see what flavors they were scooping.
We lucked out: peanut butter & jelly and pumpkin! Like everything at Lula’s, both were the best example of the flavors I’ve ever had.
It was a great weekend of new and old favorites… my palate was pleased!
What tickled your tastebuds this weekend?
