My Mexican Kitchen: Oaxaca Sojourn

Thursday, January 15, 2015

Oaxaca Sojourn— Part 2

On Friday, we were in Colonia Roma, Mexico City , staying at the Hotel Embassy, still among the best budget hotels on offer in el D.F.

We were tired but happy to be there. Our dining choices had been narrowed to three restaurants; Macellería Roma, where we'd eaten many times, the newer Salón Progreso and Fonda La Veracruzana, another old favorite.

I was curious, perhaps against my better judgment, to try Salon Progreso. It is, after all, in the heart of the Hipster Strip of restaurants and bars on Avenida Álvaro Obregón. It had good reviews from the naughty Victoria, of SinMantel.com.mx. The style of food at el Progreso was the New Seafood compared to the Old Seafood (but good!) of La Veracruzana.

We decided to look in at el Progreso, and we ended up eating there. We could justify the higher prices by the savings of not taking a taxi to and from La Veracruzana.

I have to admit, it's been less than a week, and I have difficulty remembering what we ate. But fortunately, I wrote a draft blogette on the Any Port In A Storm forum.

I'd written: "an upscale yet casual restaurant on Avenida Álvaro Obregón. Their specialty is seafood, and we just barely probed the menu."

Here's a view of the menu:

We were brought complimentary glasses of a very good consomé de camarones; one of the best we have had anywhere. In fact, it was a highlight of the meal. It was the essence of shrimp, with just enough spice to liven it up.

Consomé de camarones

We started with an appetizer of Croquetas de Jaiba, which were pretty good but lacking in crabbiness. The accompanying ali-oli was garlicky without being overwhelming. It was o.k., but I wouldn't order it again.

Croquetas de Jaiba

Doña Cuevas ordered a trio of Tostadas de Marlin Ahumado Toreado, a variation of one of her favorites in other marisquerías. She approved their chunky texture and smokey savor. Unlike their counterparts at Mariscos La Güera in Pátzcuaro, they were served cold.

(El Progreso seems to specialize in cold, often raw seafood dishes. I'm eager to return to try their ceviches and aguachiles.

Tostada de marlin ahumado

For my main dish, I had Mejillones al Vino Blanco. On the one hand, I liked the purity of the mussels in their thin broth, but would have liked that broth to have more punch and not be so diluted. (No Photo).

My wife culminated her dinner with a nice Filete de Salmón a las Brasas con Mantequilla de Alcaparras. It was cooked just as she liked it. The caper butter and accompanying mashed potatoes were very rich.(I had verduras a la la parrilla with my mussels. Very delicious but more sauteed than grilled.)