Gold Dig #13
Guelaguetza is an absolutely gigantic Oaxacan restaurant in Koreatown. In addition to tons of seating, there is a bar area, stage where they often have live music, gift shop, and cases filled with prepared sweets and drinks for purchase. A regular on Jonathan Gold’s 101 Best Restaurants list, he calls Guelaguetza “one of the best Oaxacan restaurants in the country”.
Also there are these awesome wings painted on the exterior wall. These are so fun, though they did serve as a reminder that I am very short. I’ve seen pics of other people with these wings and they are usually casually standing in cute poses. I clearly had to jump, but props to my friend who managed to snap this shot on the first and only attempt!
The Dish
Oaxaca is a state in Mexico known for its mole. Mole is a sauce typically made with chili peppers, nuts or seeds, dried fruit, and often chocolate. Count me in for any savory dish that includes chocolate (and any sweet one too for that matter). Guelaguetza makes some darn good moles. While you’re waiting for your food, they even bring you a plate of chips covered in mole and sprinkled with Oaxacan cheese to nosh on.
Festival de Moles
Guelaguetza has a mole sampler they call the Festival de Moles. We went for that since it gave us the chance to try the Mole Negro, Mole Rojo, Estofado, and Coloradito. I will have to go back some other time to try the Verde (green) and Amarillo (yellow) moles. The Estofado turned out to be my favorite of the four – it had a rich sweetness I couldn’t get enough of. The Mole Negro was the runner-up, with a deep smokiness. The tortillas that come with mole are some of the softest and fluffiest I’ve ever had!
Memelas con Asiento y Carne
Memelas are another popular Oaxacan dish. It’s a thick tortilla topped with pork rind paste, black bean paste, queso fresco, and your choice of meat. We chose pork. It just couldn’t compare to the mole. It felt a bit greasy and the flavors were underwhelming. I would have much rather filled that space in my tummy with more mole!
Chapulines a la Mexicana
Guelaguetza is also known as the place you can get grasshoppers. Of course I had to try them! The Chapulines a la Mexicana is sauteed grasshoppers with jalapenos, onions, and tomatoes, served with Oaxacan cheese and avocado. If you can get past the creep factor of eating a bug, these are great. They are crispy, nicely salty and slightly acidic, and really good with a bit of the Oaxacan cheese and avocado to smooth them out. Just think of them like chips!
Horchata con Tuna y Nuez
Horchata is a cinnamon and rice water drink that I adore. Guelaguetza has one topped with cantaloupe, chopped nuts, and cactus fruit. The menu says “Unlike anything you’ve tasted before”. Naturally I was in. It’s beautiful when it comes out, however tastes best when well mixed. Once stirred, it looks like Pepto Bismol, but tastes like Christmas.