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Times
3 days ago
- Times
Mexico honeymoon ideas: 10 of the most romantic places to stay
Despite its famed food culture and jungle-fringed beaches, Mexico wasn't a country that particularly called to me — that is, until I visited unexpectedly in 2022 after meeting a man who lived there. It turned out that I fell harder for the place than the relationship: over the next two years I spent 17 months exploring the country's epic landscapes — and just four of those with the man in question. It's hard to define exactly what's so seductive about Mexico. Is it the cowboys riding along the beach while whales breach on the horizon? The defiant cool of its contemporary creative scene contrasted with indigenous peoples proudly practising pre-Colombian crafts? Whether your post-wedding wish is sun worshipping or high-octane hiking, cultural kicks or historic immersion, Mexico offers it all — and at far more affordable prices than most top honeymoon destinations. I'd be very surprised if you didn't fall head over heels with it too. This article contains affiliate links, which may earn us revenue Vast, vibrant and very easy to fall for, the sprawling capital is the place to start any Mexican honeymoon. From classic cantinas to Enrique Olvera and Jorge Vallejo's Michelin-starred restaurants, each neighbourhood has its own culinary identity best discovered on a food tour. It may be tempting to spend the rest of the time browsing Roma Norte's concept stores for treasures for the house, but a balloon ride over the vestiges of Teotihuacan (once one of the largest ancient cities in the Americas) has to be among the most romantic history lessons you'll ever have. Uma Casa's plant-strewn, limewashed rooms embody the most seductive aspects of contemporary Mexican design, while double-height indoor terraces offer plenty of privacy. Viator has numerous options for a sunrise balloon ride over Teotihuacan. Most are similar in terms of the experience they offer — and the opportunities for envy-inducing honeymoon photos. • Discover our full guide to Mexico Given its location just four hours from Mexico City and its long affiliation with the arts — it was one of the favoured bolt holes of the Beat poets — it's unsurprising that this highland city's cobbled streets are lined with tempting galleries and candlelit bars. Seeing Diego Rivera's murals followed by a dance performance at the Bellas Artes is a low-key date, as is sitting in the Jardin de Allende listening to the mariachi musicians who perform under the spires of the great gothic cathedral that crouches at the heart of the Unesco-listed old town. Casa No Name is an 18th-century mansion with a folkloric feel and rooftop hot tub, perfect for quaffing sunset cocktails à deux. G Adventures' nine-day Essential Central Mexico trip includes two nights in San Miguel de Allende as well as the up-and-coming city of Guadalajara. • Best places to visit in Mexico The intimate Caribbean island of Cozumel comes into its own in the morning, when the glassy waters of the snorkelling spot known as El Cielo (the sky) are free from day trippers and the best loungers still available at the Cabana Beach club. The west side of the island is home to the lively (read: touristy) city of San Miguel and most of the island's hotels, while the lonely beaches and seafood shacks of the wild east coast are a mere 20 minutes away by car. Broody newlyweds, take note: the ruins of San Gervasio were once part of an important Maya pilgrimage site for women seeking fertility. InterContinental Presidente Cozumel Resort Spa may not have the catchiest name, but you can't beat stilted cabanas with sunbathing nets over the ocean when it comes to spending quality time together. Newmarket Holidays' Deep South Rhythms, New Orleans & Caribbean Cruise includes a stop in Cozumel, as well as the Caribbean islands of Jamaica and Grand Cayman. • More of the best hotels in Mexico Tequila, mezcal, pulque… when you think of Mexican tipples, wine probably isn't high on the list. However, thanks to a Mediterranean microclimate due to its location in the mountains of the Northern Baja Peninsula, the Valle de Guadalupe enjoys perfect conditions for producing light, characterful reds. A stay here offers the opportunity to explore more than 150 independent wineries, many championing organic and biodynamic techniques, as well as feast at numerous farm-to-table restaurants such as Lunario and Fauna, which has long communal tables that spill out into a cactus-filled garden. Banyan Tree Veya's 30 romantic villas appear to have sprung organically from the valley's boulders, each with a private plunge pool. You'll wake every morning to panoramic views of the vineyards and mountains beyond. Baja Winery Tours offers private transportation and itinerary planning around the Valle de Guadalupe, including stops at fine-dining Sandwiched between the skeleton of a Maya citadel and the Sian Ka'an Biosphere Reserve — the largest protected area on Mexico's Caribbean coast — Tulum's sublime shoreline contains six miles of beaches with sand the texture of talcum powder and bath-calm water. Throw in countless design-led resorts, spas hidden in the jungle and plenty of opportunities to sip mezcalitos in bars where everyone looks like off-duty models, and you'll begin to understand why Tulum is such a siren for those dreaming of tropical romance. Papaya Playa Project is a cluster of thatched cabanas and whimsical tree houses with direct access to 900m of deserted Caribbean sands. There's a beach party every Saturday with renowned guest DJs –— a plus or minus depending on your post-wedding energy levels. Kuoni's tailorable Las Vegas and Mexico trip offers a memorable contrast between the bright lights of Vegas and the Yucatan's most laid-back beaches. • More of the best hotels in Tulum Once known for its 19th and 20th-century architecture and old-time feel, the capital of Yucatan is having a moment. Thanks in part to gentrification in Mexico City, a host of cool creatives have relocated here and are now embracing the city's history by converting mansions into boutique hotels and opening shops that act as galleries for indigenous artisans (try Taller Maya). The dense jungle that surrounds the city is scattered with Maya archeological sites including Uxmal (a Unesco world heritage site) and Ake, which lays bare the story of the Spanish conquest. Casa Olivia is romance embodied thanks to antique loveseats, spiral staircases and bathrooms like indoor jungles lit by chandeliers. Two of the four rooms are honeymoon-worthy suites, but Olivia gets our vote for its direct pool access and very private terrace. Sunvil's 11-night Yucatan Natural Wonders itinerary includes several nights in Merida, as well as time at Uxmal and Chichen • Best all-inclusive hotels in Mexico A host of ritzy resorts makes this glamorous peninsula an ideal basecamp for exploring the Riviera Nayarit, 200 miles of pristine Pacific coastline and arguably Mexico's most up-and-coming beach destination. Between December and March amorous humpback whales migrate to the waters of the Bahia de Banderas (Mexico's largest bay) to breed, while the gentle waves of Playa Punta Mita are ideal for fledgling surfers. If you can peel yourself off your lounger, a boat trip to the Islas Marietas Unesco biosphere reserve and golden sand of the appropriately named Playa del Amor — which can only be reached by swimming — are well worth the effort. Four Seasons Resort Punta Mita is a collection of breezy houses and intimate casitas overlooking a private swathe of sand. The spa offers numerous couples treatments, including a signature tequila stone massage. Cox and Kings offers tailor-made tours to the Pacific coast, including the Riviera • Best hotels with swim-up rooms in Mexico This 31-mile-long Caribbean lagoon is Mexico's answer to the Maldives. Its Mayan name, Siyan Ka'an Bak'halal, translates to 'place surrounded by reeds where the sky is born' and as the sun progresses over the water you'll see it glow numerous shades of blue, from inky indigo to violet and turquoise. Wandering along Chetumal's malecon (pier) and climbing the Coba pyramid to watch the jungle claim the sun are worthwhile outings, but Bacalar is fundamentally a place to indulge in stillness, nature and stylish hotels with a sustainable bent. Akalki Hotel y Centro Holistico is a collection of Gaudí-esque structures on the water's edge, including a floating yoga pavilion, juice bar and holistic healing centre ideal for those craving a post-wedding health reset. Today Voyages' ten-day Yucatan Honeymoon combines plenty of beach time with nature excursions and visits to interesting rural villages. • Best time to visit Mexico: when to go and what to do Flying under the radar of most international tourists, this rural region in the northern state of San Luis Potosi combines the chance to hike to dozens of gorgeous waterfalls with cultural quirks such as Huapango music and behemothic tamales designed to feed up to 50 people. A stroll around Las Pozas — the whimsical sculpture garden dreamed up over decades by surrealist artist and patron Edward James — is captivating, as is swimming in the crystalline canals that feed the Media Luna Lagoon, a half-moon-shaped lake you can go scuba diving in. The area is popular with day-trippers from Monterrey, so it's best to avoid visiting at weekends if you can. Accommodation tends to be in private cabin rentals or small boutique hotels, bringing a sense of charm to celebratory nature-first getaways. Hotel Boutique Santa Lucia is typical of the region's hotels: a cosy, colourful nest in which to relax after a day spent in nature. It's also within easy striking distance of the Las Pozas garden and Tamul waterfalls. Get Your Guide offers a day trip to the Tamul waterfall — the highest in the region — with a boat ride, underground cenote visit and meal at a local restaurant. This ultra-exclusive enclave's name translates to 'village of water' and it does indeed have a series of cerulean lagoons, as well as Caribbean beaches and deep, mysterious cenotes (sinkholes) where you can float and observe the burning blue of the sky. The most exclusive spot on the Riviera Maya, Mayakoba is essentially a gated community that's home to just a handful of high-end resorts as well as some private properties. It may not be the most culturally stimulating destination but it's hard to beat for a blissful post-wedding slump. Banyan Tree Mayakoba has an excellent spa, as well as a boat that can be booked for couples dining among the mangroves. Abercrombie & Kent offers bespoke trips to the Riviera Maya that can include a stay at the magnificent Rosewood • Cancun v Tulum: which is better?• Best hotels in Cancun Do you have a favourite romantic destination in Mexico? Let us know in the comments
Epoch Times
04-07-2025
- General
- Epoch Times
This Budget-Friendly ‘Taco Tuesday' Meal Would Be Great Any Day
PITTSBURGH—It's the rare grownup, teenager, or child who doesn't love a good taco (or three) every now and again, if not on each and every Tuesday as the social media trend dictates. In Pittsburgh, it's easy to scratch the itch for this classic Mexican hand food, as we have our pick of so many great places to fill up on meat- or vegetable-filled tortillas in and around city. They're available everywhere from food trucks and small storefronts to full-service restaurants and even a gas station-turned-Mexican grocery in Coraopolis (La Poblanita). Our mouths water at the thought of tacos because they taste great, of course, and are extremely versatile; they're a good choice for vegetarians, vegans and carnivores alike. You can tuck almost anything—meat, veggies, fruit, beans, cheese, and even the occasional leftover—into a corn or flour tortilla. They're also a kitchen darling because tacos are ridiculously easy to make at home, even if you don't normally like to cook. And tacos make good financial sense in these challenging economic times, because they usually feature less-expensive cuts of meat like ground beef, and also can be built with rice, corn and beans. A package of 30 corn tortillas at my local grocery store cost just $2.15—about 21 cents per three-taco serving. That's why I was excited when a copy of 'Sunny Days, Taco Nights' by Enrique Olvera (Phaidon Press, $40) landed in my mailbox. The acclaimed Mexican chef has been experimenting with tacos for well over a decade at his Mexico City restaurant, Pujol, growing more inventive as he developed a deeper understanding of and appreciation for the staple he and his staff worked with every day. The cookbook includes 100 succulent recipes for home cooks—both classics like barbacoa, Baja-style fish, and al Pastor tacos and 'originals' like ones featuring fried Brussels sprouts, rabbit, octopus, and bundled green beans and peanuts. In the book's foreword, co-author Alonso Ruvalcaba writes that a taco 'is the opposite of exclusive: It is genuinely for the masses—not just in words or a damn sign, but for real. For everyone.' To keep costs down for this latest installment in our budget-minded dinner series, I opted for a taco that was a little different but still in the 'classic' category because it includes ingredients you could find in most grocery stores and a super-simple preparation: cochinada tacos. Cochinado means 'filth' in Spanish, which sounds pretty unappetizing. In this case, it refers to the crispy bits and pieces of meat that collect at the bottom of a chorizo grill after many hours of cooking sausage. In Olvera's book, they're made with a combination of finely chopped beef cecina (a cured, air-dried beef similar to prosciutto) and 'green' chorizo made with spinach, pork, peanuts, nuts and raisins, among other things. I went a more traditional route, swapping regular ground beef and chorizo, though I kept the traditional garnishes of onion, lime juice and cilantro. The original recipe is probably tastier, but my version was pretty delish, too—crunchy, slightly spicy, and definitely craveable. The best part: The entire dish took less than 20 minutes, during which I prepared the guacamole served as an appetizer and also the spicy salsa de arbol to be spooned on top for some extra zing. The breakdown on cost: $2.42 for the guacamole, $2.16 for the salsa, $7.37 for six tacos, and $3.01 for a pan of nine brownies gently spiced with cinnamon and cayenne pepper. That adds up to just $14.96 for two, with leftovers, or about $7.50 per person for a three-course, really tasty meal. The biggest expense after the meat (which wasn't that costly since you use a total of 1 pound) was the avocado. In fact, I almost chucked it from the menu when the first store I stopped at was charging $2 apiece, which would have blown my $15 budget. Then I saw them for almost half the price at another store—whew! The classic Mexican appetizer was back on, with one change: To make the guac guilt-free, I served it with crisp-cut carrot sticks—a budget vegetable I always have in my refrigerator crisper—instead of tortilla or corn chips. For dessert, I gave in to my love of chocolate with a really fudgy brownie that used very little flour and only one stick of butter. As always in this series, I went into it with a plan, made careful choices, and took advantage of ingredients I already had on hand (and you probably do, too). I didn't have to factor into the cost garlic, vanilla, cumin, cinnamon, and cayenne. As prices continue to climb—can you believe a single Granny Smith apple or yellow onion now can cost a buck or more?—I imagine it will become harder than ever to create menus that are interesting, taste great and are easy on your wallet. But at least egg prices are finally coming down! Cochinada Tacos PG tested Makes 6 generous tacos. 2 tablespoons olive oil 8 ounces ground beef 8 ounces ground chorizo 6 corn tortillas 1/2 white onion, chopped Chopped cilantro 1/4 teaspoon salt Lime wedges Salsa, for serving (recipe follows) Heat oil in medium skillet over medium heat. Add beef and chorizo, and saute for 10 minutes or until they just begin to turn golden brown. Transfer 3/4 of the mixture to a plate, and cook the remainder of the mixture until it is dark brown, about 5 minutes. (This is the cochinada.) Heat a skillet over high heat for 5 minutes. Add tortillas, flipping them continuously for 2-3 minutes or until warmed through. Transfer to a plate. Top each tortilla with browned meat and a spoonful of cochinada. Serve with onion, cilantro, lime wedges, and salsa. Recipe adapted from 'Sunny Days, Taco Nights'
Yahoo
18-05-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Contributor: When it comes to mole, it's personal and political
For me, mole has always been personal. It's a bridge to my family, my memories and to Mexico itself. But lately, it's become political too. In these past months, as Trump's administration has run roughshod over any pretense of humanity in the way America treats immigrants, I've been thinking about how culture itself can be criminalized, policed, restricted and erased. So when I heard that Pujol, Enrique Olvera's Michelin-starred Mexico City restaurant, was bringing a pop-up, and his famous mole, to Los Angeles, I knew I had to go. I wasn't hungry just for mole but for my people, our culture, to be seen, even celebrated. Ten kitchen and wait staff traveled to Olvera's L.A. restaurant Damian for the event. That detail hit me hard because of the risks in crossing borders at a time when every Latino entering the U.S., no matter how or why or with what legal status, is suspect. Even inside the U.S. the border follows you. The message is clear: Perceived outsiders are untrustworthy by default. Read more: Contributor: My grandmother opened a restaurant in Echo Park in 1951. The rest is history Still the Pujol chefs and servers came, and brought with them Olvera's mole madre — a constantly aged, evolving mole that has been developing (almost like a sourdough starter) for a full 10 years. Some call it iconic. But as Olvera says, 'We're not trying to make the best mole — just our own.' That's the heart of it. Mole is memory, place, family, self. At the pop-up, I expected to be served one mole, the mole, the mole madre. Instead, we were served three. The first was a mole de olla — meaning, cooked in a clay pot. (I'm used to the term 'de la olla' referring to beans — frijoles de la olla, soupy and whole, not mashed or refried.) I was surprised to find that this mole wasn't traditional, that is, it wasn't a sauce poured over meat. Instead, it coated a tender short rib, more like a basting than a pour. And the flavor went deep: dark, smoky, with a chocolatey-coffee undertone — not sweet, but rich and complex. If I hadn't known it was mole, I might've mistaken it for a sophisticated barbecue glaze. The short rib itself was fatty, fork-tender and indulgent. Read more: Making tamales brings my family together. But can we keep the tradition going? The next mole arrived like a tribute to artist Josef Albers' 'Homage to the Square' — except this was a composition of nested circles on a round, white ceramic plate. At the center was an adobe-red mole nuevo, alive with brightness and vibrancy. The mole madre encircled it, just as its name suggested, like a mother cradling her child, a culinary pietà. Hand-written in pen, the menu noted the mole madre had now been aged for 3,676 days. The color was a deep, dark brown — like the bark of an ancient oak tree after a rainstorm, earthy and noble. The colors reflected not only the dish's depth but also the palette of Los Angeles, its temporary home. And it was served sans protein. Suddenly, the richness of the short rib in the previous course made sense — it had fulfilled the need for heartiness, allowing this dish to stand on its own. I scooped a tortilla outward toward the plate's edge — from the younger mole to the madre mole. The first bite was lively, spiced and bright — already better than almost any mole I'd ever had. Then the mole madre : thicker, more like pudding than sauce, reminiscent of the dense Spanish hot chocolate served with churros. It had the presence and gravitas of the San Gabriel Mountains — rising sharply from sea level to 10,000 feet. Just like those mountains catch the light — pink, orange, purple — this mole revealed layers of spice and complexity. It didn't just have depth; it had archaeological, geological depth. And yet, I had to laugh. It was a good thing I hadn't brought my mom or my tias to the pop-up. As transcendent as the dish was, they would've said: ¿Y la carne? When we asked how the mole evolves, our waiter explained that the ingredients change with the seasons. Before coming to Los Angeles, the chefs had added guava, apples and pears. Excited, I asked, 'What will you add while you're in L.A.?' The waiter smiled. 'We don't have plans to add anything.' But I wanted them to. I wanted Los Angeles to give the mole something in return — a gesture of reciprocity. When my family visits from Mexico, they bring raw cheeses, dried shrimp, artesenal pan dulces, beaded art made by the Huichol. We reciprocate with See's candies boxes, Dodger gear, knock-off designer purses from Los Callejones. Couldn't the chefs take something back? A flavor? A symbol? Something to mark that they weren't just visitors, but familia returning to ancestral soil here in Los Angeles, a city that was once itself part of Mexico? I thought of the loquats in season, sweet and floral, growing in backyards across L.A., so delicate they cannot be sold in markets. They'd make the perfect local accent. I thought of the sour cherry juice from a Georgian dumpling house in Glendale, its tartness would add a contrast to the mole's depth. I thought of David Mas Masumoto, the Japanese American farmer in the Central Valley whose family was imprisoned during World War II but whose peaches still flourish. Then I remembered the orange blossoms, blooming at the Huntington in San Marino. I'm writing a book about the Huntington gardens, and I know those trees once bore fruit picked and packed by Mexican laborers, 100 years ago. The Pujol mole, I realized, could hold a memory, just as those trees do. L.A. oranges and mole madre — they'd form a kind of culinary Latinidad, a genealogical and territorial fusion through food. I turned to the waiter and said, 'Please, take our oranges back with you. They're a link — across miles, generations. They belong with your mole.' He promised to pass the message on to the chefs. I had come to taste a legendary dish, to be sure. But in the savoring, I was struck by how precarious everything feels in this moment. I found myself yearning to convey how deeply what's Mexican and what's American are still connected, people to people, gente to gente, no matter what the government in Washington says. Every mole carries a story, even if it doesn't earn Michelin stars. The story tastes of a living, evolving history. And I want that story to shine. Natalia Molina is a professor of American studies and ethnicity at USC. Her latest book is "A Place at the Nayarit: How a Mexican Restaurant Nourished a Community." If it's in the news right now, the L.A. Times' Opinion section covers it. Sign up for our weekly opinion newsletter. This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.
Yahoo
19-03-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
One of Mexico City's best restaurants is popping up in downtown L.A.
At Mexico City's Pujol, Enrique Olvera makes what could be the world's most famous mole, and next month, Angelenos can taste it at a pop-up he's planning for the restaurant's 25th anniversary. From April 22 to 30, Olvera and his mole madre will touch down in L.A. to take over a few of his West Coast restaurants. While Pujol pops up at Damian in downtown's Arts District with a tasting menu, it also will offer a more casual experience called Molino el Pujol at Olvera's adjacent taqueria, Ditroit, serving a la carte options. Through the years, Pujol's tasting menu has highlighted the history, heirloom ingredients and vibrancy of Mexican cuisine, earning it two Michelin stars and a perennial spot on global best-of lists. At Damian, the special tasting menu will pull from some of Pujol's most iconic dishes, including the mole madre. Read more: L.A.'s tacos are filled with a world of flavors; chef Enrique Olvera loves that about us Olvera continually adds to his original mole at Pujol to enhance and 'age' its flavors — similar to a mother dough or starter for bread. 'On Tuesday [March 11], it was 3,650 days [old], which is crazy,' Olvera said of his mole. 'I feel like a grandfather now, with the mole being 10 and the restaurant being 25. … When we opened 25 years ago we never dreamed that Pujol would become such a part of the Mexico City culinary scene, and we're very grateful for that.' Olvera is remodeling Pujol's terrace, which requires shutting down the restaurant until May 5. In the meantime, he wondered, why not bring Pujol to another city? Most of its customers travel from New York or California; either would be an ideal pop-up location, he thought, especially considering Olvera's multiple restaurants in both states. But after witnessing the way Los Angeles rallied for its residents after the devastating wildfires in January, he knew where he wanted to bring Pujol. 'We wanted to help revitalize a little bit of the energy,' Olvera said. 'The beginning of the year was very hard for a lot of people, and we see the city having events and trying to revitalize not only the economy but also now the energy of the city. I think it's a great moment.' He and his team — some from Pujol, but primarily from Damian — will be revisiting past recipes, tweaking and updating them for seasonality and ingredients available in Southern California. Olvera is considering reprising his flauta with avocado and shrimp, or a cappuccino made with squash blossoms. 'We did that [cappuccino] in 2005, in that era we used to be a little bit more playful,' he said. 'We all were playing around with food and making new things.' When the restaurant opened, Pujol was more experimental and contemporary in its format but more strict in its use of only local, traditional Mexican ingredients. Now, the chef said, he's more open to using new ingredients — provided they're still local and seasonal. But when it comes to technique and his recipes, he's become more classically minded. Read more: From a modest farm to Mexico City's fanciest restaurant The L.A. tasting menu will offer roughly six courses, plus a few additional bites. Expect two seatings, one around 5:50 p.m. and another around 8:30 p.m., for 90 guests at each time slot. The prices have yet to be determined for the Damian tasting menu and the items at Ditroit, but a portion of the profits will benefit No Us Without You, a local nonprofit that provides food and other resources to undocumented workers in the service industry and beyond. Beverage pairings can be ordered separately, most likely following the format of Pujol's, which involves mezcal or tequila along with Mexican beer and wine. Reservations for the pop-up go live Friday at noon via Damian's Resy page. As Olvera readies his menu and his team for a brief L.A. residency, he's looking to the future and imagining what Pujol might look like at 50 years old. 'As a mature restaurant, the next 25 years are going to be more challenging because staying relevant is going to require a lot of effort,' Olvera said. 'It doesn't get easier, that we know. But we're really looking forward to it as well.' Damian is located at 2132 E. 7th Place, Los Angeles, (213) 270-0178, Din Tai Fung's popular-all-over-the-world soup dumplings can now be eaten with an ocean view: The xiao long bao specialist recently expanded to Santa Monica with a sprawling restaurant that features playful steamer-basket decor and spans more than 10,600 square feet. The Taiwan-founded dumpling chain began in 1972 and now operates more than 165 locations. Its latest outpost in L.A. is one of its largest in the U.S., perched atop the Santa Monica Place mall, and features oversize dim sum-basket touches across the space, such as the large wood structure affixed to the entrance of the restaurant or the main dining room's booths that seat guests in what look like circular bamboo dumpling trays. Ocean views can be seen from the upper deck of the patio, which also features a firepit. The food menu mirrors Din Tai Fung's other Southern California locations, offering a range of hand-folded soup dumplings and wontons, plus appetizer salads, noodle soups, fried pork chops, stir-fried rice and noodles from the wok, yuzu margaritas and more. Unlike Din Tai Fung's other local outposts, its latest is reservation-only for the time being. Din Tai Fung is open in Santa Monica from Monday to Friday from 11:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m., then 4 to 9 p.m., and Saturday and Sunday from 11:30 a.m. to 9 p.m. 395 Santa Monica Place, Suite FC01, Santa Monica, (310) 737-2088, With bubbling cauldrons of lobster stew and steaming pots of rice brimming with toppings, a prolific Koreatown restaurant group is getting into the tofu-house game. Lasung Tofu & Pot Rice is the latest project from On6thAvenue Hospitality, the team behind Korean-barbecue operations Quarters, Origin and Moohan, plus katsu specialist Lasung House, nightclub Terra Cotta and Long Beach Korean fusion spot Marinate. Lasung Tofu & Pot Rice is the group's take on a soondubu house, or a specialist in Korean soft-tofu stews, with modern twists. The focus is soondubu, and the bubbling red broth simmers for 10 hours and can be ordered in four spice levels, from light to extra strong. It can come chock full of crab, beef short ribs, mixed intestines, ham, the signature lobster tail and more, and ordered a la carte or as part of a set meal. Crisp-bottomed pot rice is also on offer — in options such as minari and clams, seasoned short ribs with garlic butter and grilled eel — as are pork jowl platters, fried dumplings, bone broths, bulgogi and grilled gochujang whole squid. Meanwhile, the menu details the health benefits of some of the restaurant's ingredients such as green peas, whole barley, oats and black beans. Lasung Tofu & Pot Rice is open daily from 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. 3060 W. Olympic Blvd., Suite #150, Los Angeles, (213) 232-3136, A new bar in Long Beach is serving inventive cocktails with dim sum from a team of familiar faces. Midnight Oil recently debuted in the former Rosemallows space with a new owner: Leonard Chan of hospitality group and consulting firm the Alchemists, which operates Anaheim speakeasy the Blind Rabbit, San Clemente tiki bar the Lost Inferno and others. Chan kept much of the Rosemallows staff to run Midnight Oil, with alum Peter Ross leading a beverage menu that includes Japanese whisky with persimmons and apple soda; shochu with lemongrass and winter melon; and a fried-rice-inspired cocktail of baijiu, gin, pineapple, basil and five spice. To pair, there's a tight menu of dim sum such as har gao, shumai, fried rice, Taiwanese popcorn chicken and egg rolls stuffed with pork and mushrooms — the latter a recipe from Chan's aunt. Attached to Midnight Oil is a down-home speakeasy called Roadkill, a 'hidden bar with tropical-country vibes' that originally cropped up in Rosemallows. It serves frozen piña coladas, Twisted Tea, a large-format cocktail called Big Dolly Energy and other drinks with names like Girth Brooks, Merle's Mai Tai and Grandma's Purse Candy. An additional cocktail concept is slated to open within the Midnight Oil space in the coming months. Midnight Oil is open Sunday, Wednesday and Thursday from 4:30 to 11 p.m., and Friday and Saturday from 4:30 p.m. to midnight. 255 Long Beach Blvd., Long Beach, (949) 433-3854, After 15 years of succulent barbacoa and rich moles, one of L.A.'s premier Oaxacan restaurants has closed in Arlington Heights — but reopened in nearby Pico-Union. The new Casa Gish Bac, from owners David and Maria Ramos, is a larger iteration of their celebrated restaurant Gish Bac. The Ramoses have moved their operation to a banquet hall in a strip mall, seating more than 100 guests, and are newly offering alcohol alongside their grilled and stewed specialties. Casa Gish Bac's menu is nearly identical as its Gish Bac predecessor, with tlayudas, enchiladas, caldos, tortas and all-day breakfasts, plus the addition of wine, bottled and draft beer, buckets of beer, micheladas, soju, mimosas and a range of margaritas all to be enjoyed under a rainbow of hanging papel picado. Casa Gish Bac is open daily from 8 a.m. to 10 p.m. 1436 S. Vermont Ave., Los Angeles, (213) 315-5105, Sign up for our Tasting Notes newsletter for restaurant reviews, Los Angeles food-related news and more. This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.
Los Angeles Times
19-03-2025
- Entertainment
- Los Angeles Times
One of Mexico City's best restaurants is popping up in downtown L.A.
At Mexico City's Pujol, Enrique Olvera makes what could be the world's most famous mole, and next month, Angelenos can taste it at a pop-up he's planning for the restaurant's 25th anniversary. From April 22 to 30, Olvera and his mole madre will touch down in L.A. to take over a few of his West Coast restaurants. While Pujol pops up at Damian in downtown's Arts District with a tasting menu, it also will offer a more casual experience called Molino el Pujol at Olvera's adjacent taqueria, Ditroit, serving a la carte options. Through the years, Pujol's tasting menu has highlighted the history, heirloom ingredients and vibrancy of Mexican cuisine, earning it two Michelin stars and a perennial spot on global best-of lists. At Damian, the special tasting menu will pull from some of Pujol's most iconic dishes, including the mole madre. Olvera continually adds to his original mole at Pujol to enhance and 'age' its flavors — similar to a mother dough or starter for bread. 'On Tuesday [March 11], it was 3,650 days [old], which is crazy,' Olvera said of his mole. 'I feel like a grandfather now, with the mole being 10 and the restaurant being 25. … When we opened 25 years ago we never dreamed that Pujol would become such a part of the Mexico City culinary scene, and we're very grateful for that.' Olvera is remodeling Pujol's terrace, which requires shutting down the restaurant until May 5. In the meantime, he wondered, why not bring Pujol to another city? Most of its customers travel from New York or California; either would be an ideal pop-up location, he thought, especially considering Olvera's multiple restaurants in both states. But after witnessing the way Los Angeles rallied for its residents after the devastating wildfires in January, he knew where he wanted to bring Pujol. 'We wanted to help revitalize a little bit of the energy,' Olvera said. 'The beginning of the year was very hard for a lot of people, and we see the city having events and trying to revitalize not only the economy but also now the energy of the city. I think it's a great moment.' He and his team — some from Pujol, but primarily from Damian — will be revisiting past recipes, tweaking and updating them for seasonality and ingredients available in Southern California. Olvera is considering reprising his flauta with avocado and shrimp, or a cappuccino made with squash blossoms. 'We did that [cappuccino] in 2005, in that era we used to be a little bit more playful,' he said. 'We all were playing around with food and making new things.' When the restaurant opened, Pujol was more experimental and contemporary in its format but more strict in its use of only local, traditional Mexican ingredients. Now, the chef said, he's more open to using new ingredients — provided they're still local and seasonal. But when it comes to technique and his recipes, he's become more classically minded. The L.A. tasting menu will offer roughly six courses, plus a few additional bites. Expect two seatings, one around 5:50 p.m. and another around 8:30 p.m., for 90 guests at each time slot. The prices have yet to be determined for the Damian tasting menu and the items at Ditroit, but a portion of the profits will benefit No Us Without You, a local nonprofit that provides food and other resources to undocumented workers in the service industry and beyond. Beverage pairings can be ordered separately, most likely following the format of Pujol's, which involves mezcal or tequila along with Mexican beer and wine. Reservations for the pop-up go live Friday at noon via Damian's Resy page. As Olvera readies his menu and his team for a brief L.A. residency, he's looking to the future and imagining what Pujol might look like at 50 years old. 'As a mature restaurant, the next 25 years are going to be more challenging because staying relevant is going to require a lot of effort,' Olvera said. 'It doesn't get easier, that we know. But we're really looking forward to it as well.' Damian is located at 2132 E. 7th Place, Los Angeles, (213) 270-0178, Din Tai Fung's popular-all-over-the-world soup dumplings can now be eaten with an ocean view: The xiao long bao specialist recently expanded to Santa Monica with a sprawling restaurant that features playful steamer-basket decor and spans more than 10,600 square feet. The Taiwan-founded dumpling chain began in 1972 and now operates more than 165 locations. Its latest outpost in L.A. is one of its largest in the U.S., perched atop the Santa Monica Place mall, and features oversize dim sum-basket touches across the space, such as the large wood structure affixed to the entrance of the restaurant or the main dining room's booths that seat guests in what look like circular bamboo dumpling trays. Ocean views can be seen from the upper deck of the patio, which also features a firepit. The food menu mirrors Din Tai Fung's other Southern California locations, offering a range of hand-folded soup dumplings and wontons, plus appetizer salads, noodle soups, fried pork chops, stir-fried rice and noodles from the wok, yuzu margaritas and more. Unlike Din Tai Fung's other local outposts, its latest is reservation-only for the time being. Din Tai Fung is open in Santa Monica from Monday to Friday from 11:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m., then 4 to 9 p.m., and Saturday and Sunday from 11:30 a.m. to 9 p.m. 395 Santa Monica Place, Suite FC01, Santa Monica, (310) 737-2088, With bubbling cauldrons of lobster stew and steaming pots of rice brimming with toppings, a prolific Koreatown restaurant group is getting into the tofu-house game. Lasung Tofu & Pot Rice is the latest project from On6thAvenue Hospitality, the team behind Korean-barbecue operations Quarters, Origin and Moohan, plus katsu specialist Lasung House, nightclub Terra Cotta and Long Beach Korean fusion spot Marinate. Lasung Tofu & Pot Rice is the group's take on a soondubu house, or a specialist in Korean soft-tofu stews, with modern twists. The focus is soondubu, and the bubbling red broth simmers for 10 hours and can be ordered in four spice levels, from light to extra strong. It can come chock full of crab, beef short ribs, mixed intestines, ham, the signature lobster tail and more, and ordered a la carte or as part of a set meal. Crisp-bottomed pot rice is also on offer — in options such as minari and clams, seasoned short ribs with garlic butter and grilled eel — as are pork jowl platters, fried dumplings, bone broths, bulgogi and grilled gochujang whole squid. Meanwhile, the menu details the health benefits of some of the restaurant's ingredients such as green peas, whole barley, oats and black beans. Lasung Tofu & Pot Rice is open daily from 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. 3060 W. Olympic Blvd., Suite #150, Los Angeles, (213) 232-3136, A new bar in Long Beach is serving inventive cocktails with dim sum from a team of familiar faces. Midnight Oil recently debuted in the former Rosemallows space with a new owner: Leonard Chan of hospitality group and consulting firm the Alchemists, which operates Anaheim speakeasy the Blind Rabbit, San Clemente tiki bar the Lost Inferno and others. Chan kept much of the Rosemallows staff to run Midnight Oil, with alum Peter Ross leading a beverage menu that includes Japanese whisky with persimmons and apple soda; shochu with lemongrass and winter melon; and a fried-rice-inspired cocktail of baijiu, gin, pineapple, basil and five spice. To pair, there's a tight menu of dim sum such as har gao, shumai, fried rice, Taiwanese popcorn chicken and egg rolls stuffed with pork and mushrooms — the latter a recipe from Chan's aunt. Attached to Midnight Oil is a down-home speakeasy called Roadkill, a 'hidden bar with tropical-country vibes' that originally cropped up in Rosemallows. It serves frozen piña coladas, Twisted Tea, a large-format cocktail called Big Dolly Energy and other drinks with names like Girth Brooks, Merle's Mai Tai and Grandma's Purse Candy. An additional cocktail concept is slated to open within the Midnight Oil space in the coming months. Midnight Oil is open Sunday, Wednesday and Thursday from 4:30 to 11 p.m., and Friday and Saturday from 4:30 p.m. to midnight. 255 Long Beach Blvd., Long Beach, (949) 433-3854, After 15 years of succulent barbacoa and rich moles, one of L.A.'s premier Oaxacan restaurants has closed in Arlington Heights — but reopened in nearby Pico-Union. The new Casa Gish Bac, from owners David and Maria Ramos, is a larger iteration of their celebrated restaurant Gish Bac. The Ramoses have moved their operation to a banquet hall in a strip mall, seating more than 100 guests, and are newly offering alcohol alongside their grilled and stewed specialties. Casa Gish Bac's menu is nearly identical as its Gish Bac predecessor, with tlayudas, enchiladas, caldos, tortas and all-day breakfasts, plus the addition of wine, bottled and draft beer, buckets of beer, micheladas, soju, mimosas and a range of margaritas all to be enjoyed under a rainbow of hanging papel picado. Casa Gish Bac is open daily from 8 a.m. to 10 p.m. 1436 S. Vermont Ave., Los Angeles, (213) 315-5105,
