by Andrew Chalk
The 4-courser at Purépecha Room. Hidden away at the proctological end of Revolver Taco Lounge. I can honestly say that I have not had a meal with such warm personal attention for several months. Five diners, four courses, plus aperitivo, and the chef/owner came out before each course to describe it and answer questions. At the end of the meal he held forth on the virtues of authenticity and his contempt for the manufactured genre of 'Tex-Mex'. Great to meet you Regino Rojas.
Aperitivo (picture above): Corn tortilla with salsa (wahaca and tomatillo chilies).
Course 1: Ceviche topped with seagrass and trout roe. I picked up my empty dish and sipped every last drop of the broth. Perfectly balanced acid, earthy seafood oils, and fruity mandarin orange;
Course 2: Seabass with Mexican white rice, a gratuitous parsnip, lima beans and, the highlight, that maroon-colored sauce. cococe (sp?), a type of Mexican crème fraîche, is aged and cooked with shallots and organic beets. The beets provide the distinctive color.
Course 3: Stuffed pork chop of unbelievable juiceiness (brining?) topped with mole unique in its color, flavor, and spiciness. Organic guava replaces most of the the commonly used chocolate. So this is 'mole guava', Hibiscus flower (presumably to remind me that The Moll is visiting home), greens, red Mexican rice, and a slice of chunky Asian pear. I predict that this will be a "Dish Of The Year" candidate;
Course 4: Two parts of the 4-dish dessert course. Mexican cheesecake is like a singed poundcake. Strawberries in the cream and topped with pomegranates.
Recommended as a fleck of uniqueness on the Mexican dining scene in Dallas. Advance reservations required.
I paid my own bill.
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