2010 Fall Dining Guide

By Tom Sietsema
Sunday, October 17, 2010

Serious Mexican food is underrepresented in this world capital, which is one reason I so value Oyamel. Leave it to star chef Jose Andres to help fill a need and his acolyte, Joe Raffa, to see to it that the country is honored with food and drink that taste true to their roots. (Just as in Oaxaca, a diner can find fried grasshoppers on the menu; the kitchen serves them in more than 600 tacos a month.) Presented in a bowl made from lava rock, lush guacamole is made as hot as you ask. Shredded chicken inside a soothing packet of mashed corn, draped with a tingling tomatillo sauce, is a tamal of distinction. The prettiest ceviche in town might well be blanched scallops resting on chili-dusted key lime halves displayed on shiny black stones. Meanwhile, tres leches, that most soothing of cakes, resonates with rum and comes with a colorful garnish of minced pineapple; and the fresh fruit waters (go for mango, or cherry in season) remind us that tequila isn't Mexico's lone liquid attraction. Engaging servers are a plus, though the spirited storefront space could use sprucing up. At least Oyamel has its priorities straight.