trpt2345 wrote:Service was attentive; my wife got a bit of mole on her white blouse and a young man quickly offered her one of those Tide bleach pens to erase the stain. What a thoughful gesture.

That is an excellent service gesture. One of those pens costs a few bucks, can be used many times, and is a low-cost way to show extra concern to customers for what must be a commonplace in any restaurant that serves salsa or red sauce.

I have to echo Mike G's comments. My wife and I went there about two weeks ago, and both absolutely loved the two appetizers we shared. We ordered the fish tacos and the sopes, and both were wonderful. I spent a good portion of my adult life in Southern California, had a favorite Ensenada-style fish taco restaurant/dive, and even bought them out a truck in Ensenada itself on several trips South. These fish tacos were just as good as any I've ever had. A delight.
But perhaps because the ante was raised so high though, the main courses (the pork chop in mole negro and the fish in mole verde) were a bit of a disappointment. They were both fine, but just a little bland, I suppose. As Mike described, nice pieces of pork and fish in the middle of a pile of relatively tasty mole. Solid dishes, but nothing fantastic. (I wish I had gone with the conchinita pibil, which I generally love, but I felt like I should order a mole dish.) Based on people's rave reviews of the other appetizers, this further solidifies our theory of going to Mixteco and treating it like a tapas place-- ordering two or three appetizers each.
Our meal ended excellently, though. They had a special flan of the day that was flavored with some type of a fruit similar to passion fruit. My wife, a huge lover of dessert, was in heaven. Plus, we got the agua fresca del dia, which was cucumber that day, and also delicious. A wonderful and unique soft drink.
Speaking of drinks, not sure if people mentioned the liquor store that's kitty-corner accross the intersection. They have a decent selection of Mexican beer and other bebidas.
All in all, everything was good, but the appetizers and dessert were superlative. We'll definitely be going back.

I'm delighted by the overall positive experiences that have been posted about this place-I'm really hoping these guys can hang in there, expand the dining room and make it all work business-wise.
As far as the grilled entree items with moles, being a big cheerleader of Mixteco, I would have to say that without these items, traditionally you would be going with a lot of braises, soups and stewed items. I understand the mild criticisms above, but I think the way to deal with these items is to share an entree and deconstruct it at the table. In other words-a smear of (house-made)black beans on a fresh (house-made)tortilla, topped with slices of grilled whatever, doused with (as good as you will find) regional mole, topped with something like onions and cilantro(which these nice people will be glad to provide for you).
Perhaps adding one more braised or stewed item in the entree column wouldn't hurt but I would bet many of their customers appreciate the grilled items.
There. (Now I just need to get over there and put my money where my mouth is-in more ways than one.)

We rode our bikes to Mixteco Grill on Sunday night, and after weeks of speculating on the best time to go, we were delighted to get a table in just a few minutes. We got there around 8:45 and even though they're only open until 9 on Sundays, there was just one table open. We went across to the liquor store and got some Kalamazoo American Wheat Ale (aka Oberon) and the table was set for us when we got back.

To echo (most) of the other posts, our meal was wonderful It wasn't ground breaking by any means, but it was satisfying and well-executed. I had the empanadas to start and the fish of the day (grouper) in mole verde for my main. And oh my, the house made tortillas were the best I've had in a while. Plus, with the BYOB, the meal felt like a steal.

It is tiny in there (and quite warm on Sunday until it started to clear out and the kitchen winded down). Even though I hope they expand, I hope the earnest, cozy vibe of the place stays!

Ate at Mixteco Grill last Saturday night. Had 8pm reservations for a party of 6, which was a good thing as there was a line of about 12 people out the door. Another outstanding meal, starting with 6 different appetizers, then on to 6 entrees (my cochinita pibil was terrific -- the habanera sauce is absolutely killer (almost literally speaking)) and 3 desserts.

A Channel 7 cameraman was filming as we came in, so expect a Hungry Hound story in the near future, which will only increase the popularity of this gem.

A friend and I made our inaugural visit to Mixteco Grill on Thursday. I thought the food was solid...it didn't blow me away, but I'll definitely return to explore other things on their menu. We split the fish taco to start, and also a salad. For dinner, I had the pork chop with a dark mole sauce, and he had the cochinita pibil. Just to reiterate what other posters have mentioned, but the cochinita pibil comes with a sauce that is hot! I just dipped my fork tines into it, and it left me gasping. The homemade tortillas are fantastic.

The only damper on our meal was our waiter. Although he seemed to have an upbeat personality, he was definitely putting forth the mimimum effort necessary to do his job. (And I was annoyed that he continually referred to us as "guys," and I'm clearly not a guy.) The most time he spent with us was while attempting to upsell us to the aqua fresca (without actually mentioning that there's a charge for it).
"Hi guys. What can I get you to drink?"
"Water's fine."
"I'll bring you our agua fresca. It has cucumber in it."
"No, plain water's fine."
"Really. It's great. You'll love it."
"No thank you. Water's fine."

As an example of his lazy attitude, while serving the dishes, he never bothered to point out that the habenaro sauce with the cochinita pibil is not for the faint of heart. Didn't say a word, just set down the plates and left. (I seem to recall that he was with a busboy, because our dinner with the tortillas, etc., required more than two hands. Neither of them said a word.) His attitude was a bit disappointing because I found the front-of-house staff to be exceptionally friendly and helpful. One of the hosts even offered to run next door and get me change for the parking meter!

chgoeditor wrote:One of the hosts even offered to run next door and get me change for the parking meter!

That simple offer would carry a lot of weight with me, though I wouldn't want to be referred to as one of the "gals" if I was there with The Wife and daughters ("guys" is pretty generic, though; don't you think?).

I agree they should have mentioned the habanero salsa -- you could hurt yourself with that.

David Hammond wrote:

chgoeditor wrote:One of the hosts even offered to run next door and get me change for the parking meter!

That simple offer would carry a lot of weight with me, though I wouldn't want to be referred to as one of the "gals" if I was there with The Wife and daughters ("guys" is pretty generic, though; don't you think?).

I agree they should have mentioned the habanero salsa -- you could hurt yourself with that.

"Guys" is pretty generic, but it gets annoying after a while.

"Do you guys want any drinks?"
"Do you guys have any questions with the menu?"
"Do you guys want to order appetizers?"
"Are you guys ready to order your dinner?"
"Can I get you guys anything else?"
"Do you guys want the bill?"
"Do you guys need change?"

Honestly, almost every sentence that came out of his mouth included the phrase "you guys." It starts to wear on you (guys) after a while.

David Hammond wrote:I agree they should have mentioned the habanero salsa -- you could hurt yourself with that.

I somehow, in a Jerry Lewis moment, dabbed my eye after taking a bite. I spent the next 10 minutes weeping, washing and trying to carry on a normal conversation.

Still. the dish was good and I enjoyed it both before and after my bleary-eyed state.

And I dug the agua fresca too.

We went last week for the first time in a couple weeks, and had another fine experience. New menu items, a ground shrimp taquito, queso fundido with tasty chorizo, both delicious and good for my carb-unfriendly diet needs. We also had the tamales which were silky smooth. My wife saw the enchiladas in red sauce on the menu but asked if they could do them instead with mole negro; no problem, and they were delicious. I had the shrimp in mojo de ajo which were just stellar. The waitstaff loved them too, and recommended them. Raul said he cooks the garlic until the pungency decreases and the sweetness comes out, and it complemented the wood grilled shrimp perfectly. With rice and rajas. Total less than fifty bucks.
Raul said the architectural drawing are done, they're getting permits from the city and hope to have the expansion done by the end of August.

I just got back from an eagerly anticipated but very disappointing first meal at Mixteco Grill. My party of 4 had an 8:30 reservation, but we weren't seated until 9:15. The food was great, no question. But after we ordered our desserts, the hostess asked us to please move to another table to make room for other guests. One member of our party was on crutches that night, so moving would have been more difficult than for most (and a member of the staff had taken the crutches somewhere in the back of the restaurant); besides, we were not dawdling over dinner and wanted to finish in peace. We asked that they cancel the desserts and just bring the check because we didn't feel like relocating, but they insisted we stay. As we ate the desserts, another staff member came up to the table to explain why they needed the table, and how it would have helped them to have had us comply. He also mentioned that they were looking forward to expanding the space to avoid such problems in the future. After we had been asked to accept the desserts and stay in our original seats, it was rather painful (and pointless) to have this conversation with yet another person.

We live in the neighborhood and looked forward to our dinner--which was delicious (including the coconut flan, which ended up being comped)--but the overall experience was full of misfires, awkward moments, and what we all consider to be unreasonable requests.

Enjoyed dinner at Mixteco last week. It was good, but not amazing. The service was great and we were seated promptly. The BYOB is a plus.

While the food was good, I didn't like it as much as Fonda del Mar, which I find similar. I really liked the salsa served with the chips, but found most everything else to be average. The ceviche was tasty, but light on fish. The queso fundido was rather boring. We had the sopes, and found the pork to be good, mushroom okay, and chicken dry.

For main courses, I had the conchinita pibil. I found it to pale in comparison to the one served at Fonda del Mar, and to the one Adobo Grill served at Taste of Chicago. The lamb was okay, but didn't stand out. The shrimp was comparable in flavor to the version at Fonda del Mar, except that the shrimp were much smaller.

All in all, I'd say I'd go back if I lived closer. B/c FdM is practically in my backyard, I think I'm more likely to return there.

ravenspark wrote:We live in the neighborhood and looked forward to our dinner--which was delicious (including the coconut flan, which ended up being comped)--but the overall experience was full of misfires, awkward moments, and what we all consider to be unreasonable requests.

From your description, I agree. Their treatment of you was just downright unacceptable, bordering on abominable.

After not having been in several weeks Mrs. Trpt and I went Sunday. We called ahead and were told we could be seated at 6:00, no problem. And we were, it was bustling but no line out the door. Raul was taking a day off but it didn't make any difference in either service or food. No more taquitos de cameron or queso fundido on the menu, but a new black bean soup was spicy and smokily flavorful. I had the grilled lamb chops in mole negro, the Mrs. enchiladas in mole rojo. The chops were perfectly grilled and tender enough to cut with my fork, the mole stellar and perfect for mopping up with the mashed potatos. Enchiladas were terrific. With two soups and silky tamales it was less than sixty bucks with tax but not tip. Still a bargain even though prices have crept up since the opening. Construction is going on next door.

I paid my first visit to Mixteco yesterday morning accompanied by the Ronnie_Suburban family. I really enjoyed the food there. Mixteco reminded me very much of Sol de Mexico in its early days. Flavors were fresh, but in general I found the flavors to be a bit muted, though very good. Service was friendly and helpful, though at times verging just at the edge of hovering. (We were practically the only table at noon on Saturday, so that could account for the "extra attention"...or maybe it was the cameras).

During the day, they offer a different menu than dinnertime. In addition to some standard antojetos, huevos are well represented. We started off with a few appetizers.

A trio of sopes, each with a different filling. The hand made masa boats were filled with chicken in red mole, pork with tomitillo salsa and mushrooms with a pasilla chile salsa. These were very good and quite reminiscent of Sol de Mexico.

Mixteco Grill Sopes


Also, a version of queso fundito that was less about the cheese and more about the accompanying ingredients which, in this case, were poblano rajas and a relatively greasless chorizo. This dish was accompanied by their excellent hand made tortillas.

Mixteco Queso Fundito


We also ordered some guacamole, which was the only disappointment of the meal. The quac was nicely presented with a garnish of cucumbers and jicima slices, but the avocado itself was strangely tasteless. It was almost like they used those big green Florida avocados instead of the tastier Haas avocados, though I have nothing to prove this theory.

Mixteco Guacamole


Also ordered were some Uchepos Gratinados, which are corn tamales topped with some poblano sauce and melted cheese. These were remarkably addicting. This is a tamale prep I have not had elsewhere and is one I'll be back to have again, next time with a dab or two of hot sauce.

Mixteco Uchepos Gratinados


For our mains, we went egg centirc. I had a dish called Huevos al Bajio, which was two poached eggs in masa boats (similar to the sopes) with black beans, chorizo and tomato topped with a poblano cream sauce. This was a fantastic dish, inspired by eggs benedict.

Mixteco Huevos al Bajio



Also at our table were some deconstructed talapia tacos, enchiladas roja, a fantastic dish called Revoltijo de Huevo y Camarones (scrambled eggs with shrimp and tortilla strips) and a unique take on Huevos Motulenos, using grilled zucchini in place of the more traditional peas.

Mixteco Huevos Motulenos


I very much enjoyed my visit to Mixteco Grill and am looking forward to many more visits. I'll be back for dinner very soon.

Mixteco Grill is a place that I'd been wanting to try since I first read about it. Saturday, after months of occasional diversions, I finally made it there for brunch, along with the family, stevez and my friend Guajolote. Normally, I wouldn't bother posting pics that were so similar to the ones Steve already posted but I'd already re-sized and uploaded mine by the time I saw his post. So, as long as I spent the time doing it . . .


Mixteco Grill - 1601 W Montrose, Chicago



Guacamole
Not my favorite but a solid rendition. I thought it could have used a little more bite. This version had an apparent sweetness that stood out a bit too much.



Queso Fundido
Delicious version that included roasted onions and poblanos. It was nice that, unlike many other renditions, it wasn't swimming in rendered chorizo fat.



Uchepos Gratinados
This was one of my favorite dishes of the meal. I loved the depth of flavor and textural contrasts of these uchepos, which were tender and rich.



Sopes
I enjoyed these very much, especially the one that contained shredded pork and tomatillo salsa. The other two contained chicken with red mole and mushroom with pasilla chile salsa.



Revoltijo de Huevos y Camarones
I loved this scramble. The combination of components was extremely satisfying and almost made me wish I'd had a hangover.



Enchiladas Rojas de Pollo
Chicken enchiladas in red mole. I'm not a huge mole fan but I thought these were delicious.



Huevos Motuleños
Another tasty, egg-based dish that added up to more than the sum of its parts. These perfectly cooked, runny-yolked eggs were served with grilled zucchini, fried plantain, black beans and campechana salsa. They also came with some chopped up ham, which was served on the side. I'd never had this before and understand that it often contains chipotles, which add a smoky element. While I didn't miss it, it would have been nice to try.



Huevos al Bajio
I loved this dish and have already thought about it often since our meal yesterday. The eggs were served in tender masa boats, along with black beans, chorizo, tomatoes, cilnatro and a creamy poblano sauce.



Tacos (de Pescado) a las Brazas
Really nice grilled fish (not sure what kind; forgot to ask) with a charred crispy exterior, served with black beans grilled green onions. This was also served with the excellent house-made torillas which, we were told, are made exactly in the Aztec method.

Again, I really enjoyed MG for a number of reasons, but most of all, because of the food. It was delicious, fresh and prepared to order, with care. Mixteco Grill is one of those places where there is so much more to the food than what it might appear from looking at the storefront from the street. The owner, Raul, delivered the plates to our table personally (as we were the only customers for a period of our meal) and was very interested in our feedback. His sense of pride about his place and his food was very much apparent. As Steve noted above, service bordered on 'hovery' but I think this was mainly because there weren't many other tables occupied at the time and perhaps, because we had a few cameras in tow. Nonetheless, it was friendly and efficient.

I'd love to go back to Mixteco for dinner and for a non-brunch lunch and I hope to do so soon. It's one of those places that really speaks to me.

=R=

From GNR Nomination thread

G Wiv wrote:I'll go back for mid week lunch, but on first blush I do not see the beauty in Mixteco.

LTH,

First visit to Mixteco was a busy Saturday night and we were wedged in like sumo sitting coach on a budget airline with the added bonus of a group of vocal over imbibers as neighbors. Service was fine, food on the plate ~fine~ as well, nothing special, flavor seemed a bit diffused, nothing popped out or spoke to me.

Jump a week to Saturday lunch, restaurant's half full, and I am in a half full, as opposed to half empty, frame of mind myself. Owner was our waiter, courteous, animated and engaged. We started with Uchepos Gratinados, poblano creme highlighting subtle sweetness of corn tamale and fresh corn.

Uchepos Gratinados



My bride, a lover of all things shrimp, went with Revoltijo de Huevos y Camarones, shrimp perfectly cooked, guajillo tomatillo sauce hinting at fruity heat with a note of tomatillo tart accent. Accompanying refried black beans lively and moist, in contrast to the previous Saturday evening.

Huevos al Bajio hit on all 8-cylinders, crisp masa boats topped with poached eggs and the same poblano creme as the Uchepos Gratinados, but taken a deliciously different direction with the addition of chorizo and diced tomato. I really liked this dish, particularly appreciating the rich runny egg yolk melting into the poblano creme.

Huevos al Bajio



As has been mentioned the standard table salsa lacks punch, a simple request for the habanero salsa, thanks Crrush, will satisfy all but the most taste bud impaired or masochistic.

Mixteco Chips and Salsa, Habanero in foreground



I'm glad I gave Mixteco another go.

Enjoy,
Gary

Went last Sunday, with some friends who brought their one year old. Not a problem. We got a sopa de calabasa for the baby, who ate the whole thing. A variety for the adults, absolutely terrific as always, and I am so happy Raul earned a GNR award. Bravo to all involved. This is the best restaurant I have encountered in the last year, and the impending expansion into the adjacent space is welcome, justified even in this bad economy. I don't want to go anywhere else.

We finally tried Mixteco Grill this past Saturday and it exceeded any expectations we had for it. One important note - the expansion of the dining room should be done any day now. Our waiter (who was great, by the way) said that it was supposed to open last night but "the workers didn't show up to finish the last details". It is much-needed space; however, we were fortunate enough to arrive last night at 5:50 without reservations and were seated immediately. Highlights of the meal included the fish tacos (amazing! could make an entire dish of this appetizer), the chicken sopes (I didn't think I like mole sauce but this is a mind-changing mole sauce!) and the pork dish. We had two appetizers, two entrees, dessert and coffee for $60. Great deal. We cannot wait to go back.

We went for brunch today, terrific as always. Raul was gone, on vacation to Mexico for the holidays and his parent's 50th anniversary. In his absence no one missed a beat. We got a look at the new space which is just about finished, any day now. It's beautiful, will add about another ten tables or so in a spacious area. There are also new restrooms, sorely needed. It will give them space to be more comfortable, less crowded, a mitzvah for the customers. Three appetizers, two entrees, two desserts (including a spectacular flan de chirimoya) with tax and tip for $65. It's still our favorite go-to place.

Maiden voyage the other night. Flavors popping and authentic. Uchepos gratinados- has this ever been on a menu in Chicago anywhere?- they were a time and space warp back to a breezy rooftop meal in Morelia, Michoacan (now if only some one in town would add enchiladas placeras to their menu!). Tacos ensenadas, crunchy, and bright- definitely in the running for one of Chicago's best fish tacos. Love the tortillas, too- they seemed home made, any one know? Conchinita pibil was a damn fine rendition, deep and complex with bitter orange and achiote- fat ribboned pork tender to the fork. The room was packed, service efficient and knowledgeable. Two of us left stuffed for under $40. I can definitely understand the buzz for this place- can't wait to return.

Jefe wrote:Love the tortillas, too- they seemed home made, any one know?

Definitely so. And I agree that they are great.

=R=

I took a big group (19) to Mixteco to belatedly celebrate my birthday two weekends ago. I had no idea that the space was so small and after we took up half of the dining room and drank all of the freshly squeezed orange juice (I ordered pitchers so we could make mimosas and they happily obliged even though the don't "offer" pitchers.) I felt a little guilty. The feeling quickly passed though because the owner/our server was so gracious and accomodating. He made the whole experience wonderful, even offering to take our boxes in the back until we were done, offering us various options for seating, and getting us glassware and ice for homemade bloody marys.

Things I loved:
Service - Although I may garner some arguments on this point, it's still my most important factor when going to a restaurant. If the food is horrid, I won't go back. But, if the food is average and the service is wonderful, I'm returning. Luckily the food at Mixteco is more than average.
Fish Tacos - I was so happy they offered these on their brunch menu and can happily agree with all of the accolades.
Guacamole & Salsa I could have used more of both. Delicious and refreshing with jicama and radishes offered with the guac.
Eggs The eggs were perfectly cooked, all around. This shows skill and precision, especially for such a large group.

The Price

A great deal and a fun spot. I love BYOB brunch!

In all fairness, my chilaquiles weren't my favorite. They were a little too wet for me and I didn't like the salsa roja as much as the salsa verde on the table. They had another breakfast with plantains and black beans, I think, that one of my friends had and it looked really good. Also, the shrimp dish was roundly applauded.

Another data point.

Hit Mixteco with a crew of 6 last night. The fish tacos were very good as always (though hard to share, should have ordered more). And I really like the jicama with the guacamole. I will definitely be doing that at home. Two apps stood out though. The papazules was my pick, and I ordered with much anticipation as they were my favorite thing about my thus-far only voyage to Xni Pec. This dish was pretty unimpressive, lacking both depth of flavor, individuality of its components and seasoning. The calamari on the other hand was excellent. I've never had it this way, dressed with some very fresh greens, with corn and I believe some roasted peppers as well as some perfectly cooked squid. Highly recommended.

I had the chuleta as my main. I was tempted to get the cochinita pibil again as I'd enjoyed it last time, but the water was very persuasive that the chuleta was a better choice. I need to follow my instincts more on Montrose. The chuleta was served with whipped sweet potatoes, tiny pineapple chunks, browned plantains and a "sweetened" mole. It was too sweet without enough mole punch or complexity to balance it out. On top of that, the pork was overcooked.

I generally have enjoyed the appetizers here and am 1 for 2 on entrees. No corkage is always a plus. I like enough about this place to visit again, but I should have gone with my first choice when ordering.

Even with it's doubled-space, Mixteco was turning reservation-less people away this evening. The business is well deserved. Uchepos were their usual rich, fluffy, pillows of masa perfectly accented by a creamy poblano puree. Grilled mahi mahi was cooked perfectly: the juicy fish had been infused with just the right amount of wood-smoke, the earthy mole was terrific, and the garlic mashed potatoes were creamy and fresh. I ordered the cochinita pibil again, and I continue to think it's the best rendition around. Add to the meal some warm, fresh, homemade tortillas and a palate-awakening tomatillo salsa, and Mixteco provided another in a steady stream of wonderful dinners.

I made my second, and long overdue, visit to Mixteco last weekend. My cousin and I had an 8pm Saturday reservation, but hunger found us heading over early - about 7pm. Made our apologies for the early arrival and asked if it was possible to be seated. The hostess was very nice and checked on available tables before letting us know it would be a short wait. I think we waited about 10 minutes before a table opened up in the new addition - much quicker than we expected given the steady stream of customers coming in the door.

My cousin and I split the ceviche appetizer. I had the cochinita pibil on my first visit, so I went with the pork chop this time. I tend to like sweetness in my savory dishes, so I was pleased with the sweeter mole sauce and accompanying whipped sweet potatoes, pineapple chunks and plantains. The pork itself was cooked perfectly. My cousin wanted something with spice so I recommended the cochinita pibil - telling her about the habanero sauce that comes with it which would allow her to add as much spice to the dish as she liked. She loved it. I still can't get over what a great value Mixteco is - our total (before tip) came to $50 for a shared appetizer, two entrees and a shared dessert. Service was warm and informative. I'm glad I took the opportunity to remind myself of this neighborhood gem.

Had a birthday dinner last night at Mixteco and came away impressed. Had the tamales with tomatillo salsa for an appetizer, and it was delicious. Was disappointed though that the empanadas trio is no longer on the menu, as I was looking forward to trying huitlacoche for the first time. My pork chop with mango mole was generously portioned, perfectly cooked, and the mole tasty but for my taste somewhat lacking in spice/heat. Friends all loved their entrees of salmon in yellow mole, enchilades in black mole, and lamb chops in black mole. I had a bite of the lamb, and although cooked to a perfect medium-rare, it wasn't very tender. I think the salsa served with the chips could be better, and am perplexed that many dishes come with mashed potatoes. They're good and are useful for slopping up all the mole (mashed potatoes and gravy/mole anyone?), but seem out of place in a Mexican restaurant. Tried some of the habanero salsa, and it is crazy fiery. I love heat in my food, but damn.

My wife and I made our first trip to Mixteco yesterday, but it certainly won't be the last. We went at 6pm without a reservation thinking that we would be ok, since folks in the city tend to eat later. The place was already full, but we were able to take two seats at the counter, which turned out to be just fine.

For appetizers, we ordered the Queso Fundido and the Ceviche de Pescado. They brought them out one after the other, which was a nice touch so that we could fully enjoy each other separately. The Ceviche is lime marinated marlin and was bright and fresh, a great dish to have during warm months. I loved the acidity. The Queso Fundido was pleasantly salty and spicy with the chorizo, but as Ronnie mentioned, didn't have the floating chorizo grease you frequently see. The grilled onions and poblanos were great with the dish, and the house-made tortillas really nice.

My main course was a special last night. It was a grilled duck breast in black mole, with mashed potatoes sprinkled with crispy duck skin. The duck was cooked perfectly, and the black mole was excellent, but I don't think they worked well together. The mole has such deep flavor that it overwhelmed the duck. The potatoes were very rich and satisfying, and the duck skin was a nice touch.

My wife's main course wasthe vegetarian enchiladas. They were served in a green salsa/mole (not sure which is correct), with diced radishes on top. The dish was very visually appealing, with the green sauce set off by the red and white from the diced radishes. The vegetables inside the enchiladas were very flavorful and not overcooked. It's not an over-filling dish, even with the tortillas and the sour cream on the dish. Very nice.

A return, with a reservation this time, is definitely in the cards.

what kind of wine have people been bringing to Mixteco? When it comes to Tex-Mex, I opt for beer or margaritas but for Mixteco, I was thinking of bringing a crisp, zippy white and a spicy red (zin). Any thoughts? Good/bad experiences?

I like New Zealand Sav Blanc with Mexican food. The citrus and tropical notes are just enough to remind me of a margarita.