Latest news with #MexicanCuisine
Japan Times
11-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Japan Times
With fine dining, Milpa frees Mexican food from the grips of the taco
Inside Milpa, a restaurant in Osaka's trendy Kitahorie neighborhood, the air feels deliciously cool after the intensity of the city's early summer heat. At the pass in the open kitchen, chef Willy Monroy, 40, commands an international staff in Spanish, and the brigade responds in the same language. Monroy cuts a towering, tattooed figure, albeit with a dimpled, smiling visage that gives him the appearance of a giant teddy bear. A flickering candle illuminates a painting of Saint Jude Thaddeus — patron saint of impossible causes — that faces the restaurant's four tables, lending the intimate space an atmosphere that recalls a chapel. "My mother gave me that painting before I left Mexico for Japan — it's my talisman,' Monroy explains. Saint Jude has been his silent witness through a culinary journey across continents and cultures, a path that began not in fine dining kitchens but at 4 a.m. in a tortilla shop in Colima, Mexico. A painting of Saint Jude Thaddeus, given to chef Willy Monroy by his mother, serves as a focal point in the restaurant. | MILPA For Monroy — his given name is Jose Juan Monroy Rangel, but his mother nicknamed him Willy after a character from the 1975 cartoon "Maya the Honey Bee' — his Mexican roots have anchored him through years marked by vicissitudes. Today, his perseverance has paid off: Along with Milpa, he has built a small but influential culinary empire in Osaka as the owner of Tachinomi Saboten, a standing bar serving tacos, mezcal and churros, and the newly opened Saboten Taqueria inside the Time Out Market Osaka . In this year's Michelin Guide for Kyoto and Osaka, Milpa also became the first Mexican restaurant to earn a Michelin star in Japan, a recognition that seemed impossible to the 14-year-old boy who first learned to work masa (corn flour) in the pre-dawn darkness of his hometown. Those early morning shifts at the tortilla shop taught him the value of hard work, but it wasn't until his next job — washing dishes and chopping vegetables at a casual eatery near his home — that he discovered his true calling. "I would go home and cook for my parents what I had seen prepared that day," he recalls. "That's when I discovered that I love cooking for other people.' That instinct would become his guiding principle, but first came years of searching. "I was always looking for something else," he says. "I wanted a big change in my life." At Milpa, Monroy (left) is open to collaborations with other chefs. In June, he hosted Jesus Duron (right), former executive chef of Mexico City's Pujol, for a two-day special event. | MELINDA JOE In 2008, he decided to move to Canada after a friend who was studying there invited him over. Soon the 19-year-old Monroy was sharing a cramped Toronto apartment with five other Mexicans and attending night school English classes while working at Indian banquet halls. The work was familiar — washing dishes, serving guests, prepping for events — but Canada introduced him to his future Japanese wife, who would become his bridge to Japan. After three years, however, visa complications forced them both back to Mexico, where his father had purchased a small seafood restaurant. Hoping his wandering son would finally settle down in his hometown, Monroy Willy to run the restaurant. What started as a modest five-table ceviche joint expanded to 10 locations under Willy's management, but the success felt hollow. "I was not happy with small-town life in Colima," he admits. Japan kept calling. After two visits in 2011 that revealed to him the country's sophisticated food culture and the dire state of Mexican cuisine there — "They served me crepes and called them tacos" — Monroy made his biggest gamble yet. In 2012, on his 26th birthday, he landed in Tokyo with an audacious plan: work in a restaurant, save money, learn the system, then open his own place. Within two years, he was managing a six-restaurant Mexican chain in Osaka. But the owner's reluctance to elevate the food — preferring to deep-fry store-bought tortillas rather than make them fresh — left Monroy frustrated. "It was delicious, but it was not Mexican food," he says. When he announced his intention to quit and start over, a regular customer made an offer that would change everything, becoming an angel investor in Monroy's first restaurant, Saboten. In February 2016, Monroy opened the original Saboten in the location that now houses Milpa. The early days were brutal — 19-hour shifts, months in the red and relentless pressure. But the restaurant gradually developed a reputation for authentic tacos de asada that are topped with grilled sirloin and wild boar smothered in mole negro, a rich sauce flavored with more than 20 spices and roasted chilis. Over the course of nine years, Saboten became a local institution, drawing Japanese chefs who would stop by for tacos and suggest collaborations. The turning point came in 2023, when Monroy spent 10 weeks as an intern with the Noma team during their first Kyoto residency. At the end of the event, Noma's chef, Rene Redzepi, encouraged him to open a fine dining Mexican restaurant in the Kansai region. "The experience (with the Noma team) was life-changing," he says. "I thought that if I'm going to do this, I have to do it now.' Monroy had been fascinated by how Mexican chefs like Enrique Olvera of Pujol and Jorge Vallejo of Quintonil, both in Mexico City, were redefining the cuisine through an innovative lens. He spent months studying traditional recipes and experimenting with ways to reinterpret them. Monroy stresses that while he wants he wants his innovative food to surprise guests, "each dish must speak clearly of Mexico." | MELINDA JOE When Milpa opened in September 2024, it represented something new in Japan's dining landscape. Rather than recreate Mexico in Osaka, Monroy embraced a philosophy that applied Mexican techniques to Japanese ingredients, drawing additional inspiration from Spain and Scandinavia. For example, his ceviche steeped in citrus juice and coconut milk blends Peruvian cooking technique with Mexican chilies and seasonal Japanese seafood, offering a taste of three cultures in a spoonful. Cooked in a Japanese donabe claypot and inspired by a traditional Veracruz seafood rice, the arroz a la tumbada, a tomato-based dish simmered with the day's catch, leans into its Spanish roots with Bomba rice from Valencia. Its use of smoked butter and roast vinegar, a nod to Scandinavian kitchens, adds umami and depth. 'I want to surprise guests with new techniques or preparations, but at the same time each dish must speak clearly of Mexico — its flavors, traditions and spirit,' he says, noting that he's careful to exercise restraint. 'It's easy to add too many ideas to a dish and lose clarity. So I always ask myself: Does this innovation help to tell the story of Mexico or is it innovation for innovation's sake?' The approach worked. Within six months, Milpa earned its Michelin star. The restaurant's name — referring to the ancient Mesoamerican agricultural system — reflects his mission: to show Japanese diners that Mexican cuisine extends far beyond their preconceptions of tacos and nachos. Monroy has also become an informal ambassador for Mexican culinary talent, opening Milpa's doors to visiting chefs eager to explore Japan's culinary landscape. In March this year, he hosted Tomas Bermudez of La Docena in Mexico City; in June, he welcomed Jesus Duron, the former executive chef of Pujol, known for his creativity and modern approach. Monroy's collaborative dinner with Duron produced several memorable dishes, such as a crispy taco stuffed with avocado, cured grouper and purple "shiso" (perilla) flowers. | MILPA The Duron collaboration showcased how two Mexican voices could harmonize in a foreign context. The meal opened with an intricate trio of bites: micro-zucchini topped with kelp paste and edible flowers amid an umami-dense, chilled tomato broth; a crispy taco stuffed with avocado, cured grouper and purple shiso (perilla) flowers; and fried zucchini blossoms filled with karasumi (cured mullet roe). Monroy's signature tostada — avocado and scallop atop a housemade, fried blue-corn tortilla — was paired with delicate threads of raw squid bathed in clear squid broth, the dish's cooling effect balancing the heat from chiltepin chili concealed in the tostada. Rather than dividing duties, both chefs contributed to most dishes. One standout featured an inventive tamal — creamy dough made with corn flour and mashed pinto beans, wrapped in a cabbage leaf and steamed — served with a verdant puree of green vegetables and spices. The kinki (channel rockfish), marinated in mirin and grilled, arrived with smoky chilpachole sauce made from dried chilies and tomatoes. "Every time I collaborate with a chef I learn something that stays with me,' says Monroy, 'and I think they also take away something." Duron agrees: "I learned so much about the amazing products in Japan, especially seafood. We went to the market together, and Willy showed me a lot of things I'd never seen before." Monroy adds: "I want people to understand that Mexican culture is rich when it comes to food. We have so much more to offer than tacos.' 1-16-25 Kitahorie, Nishi Ward, Osaka 550-0014; 06-4394-8383;
The Independent
07-07-2025
- Lifestyle
- The Independent
Savory-spicy peanut dressing complements the sweetness of this tomato salad
This robustly seasoned, almost meaty tomato salad was inspired by Mexican salsa macha, a savory-spicy condiment made with dried chilies, garlic, nuts and seeds that are fried in oil, then pureed. In this recipe from our cookbook ' Milk Street 365: The All-Purpose Cookbook for Every Day of the Year,' we skip the blender and deconstruct the salsa, adding the ingredients directly to the salad — the fried peanuts and sesame seeds add texture that contrasts beautifully against meaty tomatoes. For an especially colorful salad, use heirloom tomatoes of different hues. You also can combine tomato varieties and sizes for more varied texture and appearance. Salting the tomatoes and letting them stand deepens their flavor and softens them slightly for extra succulence and juiciness. Halve any smaller tomatoes, like grape or cherry, so the salt can season the flesh. When toasting the peanuts and sesame seeds, be sure to use a neutral oil such as grapeseed. Extra-virgin olive oil will lose its flavor when heated to the temperature needed to fry the peanuts. And when salting the tomatoes, kosher salt is best. The large granules distribute more evenly and won't clump the way table salt can when tossed with moist ingredients. Tomato Salad with Peanuts, Cilantro and Chipotle-Sesame Dressing Start to finish: 35 minutes Servings: 4 to 6 Ingredients: 2 tablespoons neutral oil ¼ cup roasted peanuts 2 tablespoons sesame seeds OR 1 medium garlic clove, thinly sliced OR both 1 chipotle chili in adobo sauce, minced, plus 1 teaspoon adobo sauce 3 tablespoons cider vinegar Kosher salt and ground black pepper 2 pounds ripe tomatoes, cored and cut into ½-inch wedges (see headnote) 1½ cups lightly packed fresh cilantro OR basil OR flat-leaf parsley OR a combination, torn if large Directions: In a small saucepan over medium, combine the oil and peanuts. Cook, stirring occasionally, until fragrant and browned, 4 to 6 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, transfer the peanuts to a paper towel-lined plate. To the same saucepan over medium, add the sesame seeds. Cook, stirring, until lightly golden, about 2 minutes. Remove from the heat, then stir in the chipotle and adobo sauce, vinegar and ¼ teaspoon each salt and pepper. Cool to room temperature. Meanwhile, in a serving bowl, toss the tomatoes with ½ teaspoon salt; let stand for about 10 minutes. Chop the peanuts. Spoon the chipotle-sesame mixture over the tomatoes. Add the cilantro and peanuts, then stir gently. Taste and season with salt and pepper. Optional garnish: Flaky salt or crumbled cotija cheese or both.
Associated Press
07-07-2025
- Lifestyle
- Associated Press
Savory-spicy peanut dressing complements the sweetness of this tomato salad
This robustly seasoned, almost meaty tomato salad was inspired by Mexican salsa macha, a savory-spicy condiment made with dried chilies, garlic, nuts and seeds that are fried in oil, then pureed. In this recipe from our cookbook ' Milk Street 365: The All-Purpose Cookbook for Every Day of the Year,' we skip the blender and deconstruct the salsa, adding the ingredients directly to the salad — the fried peanuts and sesame seeds add texture that contrasts beautifully against meaty tomatoes. For an especially colorful salad, use heirloom tomatoes of different hues. You also can combine tomato varieties and sizes for more varied texture and appearance. Salting the tomatoes and letting them stand deepens their flavor and softens them slightly for extra succulence and juiciness. Halve any smaller tomatoes, like grape or cherry, so the salt can season the flesh. When toasting the peanuts and sesame seeds, be sure to use a neutral oil such as grapeseed. Extra-virgin olive oil will lose its flavor when heated to the temperature needed to fry the peanuts. And when salting the tomatoes, kosher salt is best. The large granules distribute more evenly and won't clump the way table salt can when tossed with moist ingredients. Tomato Salad with Peanuts, Cilantro and Chipotle-Sesame Dressing Start to finish: 35 minutes Servings: 4 to 6 Ingredients: 2 tablespoons neutral oil ¼ cup roasted peanuts 2 tablespoons sesame seeds OR 1 medium garlic clove, thinly sliced OR both 1 chipotle chili in adobo sauce, minced, plus 1 teaspoon adobo sauce 3 tablespoons cider vinegar Kosher salt and ground black pepper 2 pounds ripe tomatoes, cored and cut into ½-inch wedges (see headnote) 1½ cups lightly packed fresh cilantro OR basil OR flat-leaf parsley OR a combination, torn if large Directions: In a small saucepan over medium, combine the oil and peanuts. Cook, stirring occasionally, until fragrant and browned, 4 to 6 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, transfer the peanuts to a paper towel-lined plate. To the same saucepan over medium, add the sesame seeds. Cook, stirring, until lightly golden, about 2 minutes. Remove from the heat, then stir in the chipotle and adobo sauce, vinegar and ¼ teaspoon each salt and pepper. Cool to room temperature. Meanwhile, in a serving bowl, toss the tomatoes with ½ teaspoon salt; let stand for about 10 minutes. Chop the peanuts. Spoon the chipotle-sesame mixture over the tomatoes. Add the cilantro and peanuts, then stir gently. Taste and season with salt and pepper. Optional garnish: Flaky salt or crumbled cotija cheese or both. EDITOR'S NOTE: For more recipes, go to Christopher Kimball's Milk Street at
BBC News
27-06-2025
- Entertainment
- BBC News
Yvonne's Mexican Street Food
Yvonne Cobb appeared on BBC Morning Live us on Friday 27th June to treat us to some delicious street food-inspired dishes. Her pizza-style tlayudas and Mexican-inspired corncob lollipops make perfect fun treats for a summer party! Yvonne's Mexican tlayudas with marinated beef or sliced avocados IngredientsCorn tortillas (the bigger the better)Sour creamFor the marinated beef:4 thin frying steaks20ml olive oil50ml orange juice3 garlic cloves (crushed)1 tsp ground cumin1 tbsp hot buffalo sauceFresh coriander leavesFor the black bean purée:400g black beans (drained)2 onions (chopped)2 tsp ground cuminPinch of saltFor the vegetable slaw:1/2 white cabbage (grated)Radishes (thinly sliced)1/2 red onion (thinly sliced)Sliced avocados with coriander dressing:2 avocados (sliced)Fresh coriander leaves1 garlic clove (crushed)2 tbsp maple syrup1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil1 tsp ground corianderLemon juice (1 half) MethodMarinated beef:Marinate the frying steaks in all the ingredients for at least 24 hours (a ziplock bag is ideal for this).When ready, fry the steaks on a high heat for 3-5 minutes on both sides until browning cooked, put to one side, ready to top the avocados with coriander dressing (vegetarian option):Chop the coriander leaves and mix well with the garlic, maple syrup, olive oil, ground coriander and the juice of half a over the sliced bean purée:Fry the onions for 1-2 minutes, adding salt to help them the drained black beans and the cumin and coriander, then 200ml of cold water. Cook for 5-10 to a food processor and blend into a smooth puré base:Pre-heat the oven to 180° the tortillas for 5-10 minutes. They should be starting to crisp and lightly from the oven and spread the black bean purée all over the with the vegetable slaw, sour cream, and the marinated beef or the avocado with coriander sauce. Yvonne's Mexican-inspired corncob lollipops Ingredients4 cobs of sweetcorn (halved)2 tbsp olive oil100g cream cheese2 tsp hot buffalo sauce100g grated cheeseSpring onions (chopped)Lime (wedges) MethodSkewer the halved cobs of corn and fry for 10 minutes, turning the cream cheese and buffalo sauce and season to cobs all over with the creamy sauce, then sprinkle all over with the grated the spring onions and a squeeze of lime for flavour.
Yahoo
18-06-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Holy Frijoles! Tres Picosos Updates Taco Beef Burrito with Authentic Pinto Beans
Company Nods to Centuries-Old Mexican Heritage Recipes DENVER, June 18, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Tres Picosos, creator of authentic, flavorful Mexican burritos, announces the reformulation of its Taco Beef burrito by replacing the current black bean ingredient with the traditional pinto bean so cherished in centuries of Mexican home cooking. Pinto beans, named for their speckled tan skin, have been cultivated in the Americas for around 8,000 years and have many properties that make them ideal for lots of culinary uses. Abuelitas have long prized pintos for their rich, creamy texture and mild flavor that perfectly complements the robust spiciness Mexican cooking is famous for. Jane Hartgrove, la jefa (Spanish for "the boss") at Tres Picosos, says the switch to pinto beans is an homage to the indigenous peoples of Mexico and Peru who have cultivated this highly nutritious legume for centuries. Drought-resistant and easy to grow, the pinto bean has become an indispensable ingredient in the cuisine of many nations. "The pinto bean is a true staple of Mexican cooking," Hartgrove noted. "By using these frijoles in our Taco Beef burrito, we're not only enriching the product's flavor profile, we're acknowledging the generations of women who turned this humble bean into countless healthy and delicious dishes." In addition to pinto beans, the Taco Beef burrito features savory ground beef, cheddar cheese, diced tomatoes and ancho red chile sauce. "Mexican is the second most popular food style in the U.S., and our burritos are bursting with the flavors customers want," said Hartgrove. For a sample of Tres Picosos burritos for your retail grocery channel ask your foodservice distributor or stop in a Colorado Safeway store to try one today. About Tres Picosos Made in Colorado, Tres Picosos — translated as three hotties, or spicy peppers — has produced authentic Mexican burritos for the convenience and foodservice channels since 2005. Tres Picosos burritos have more filling and less tortilla than other offerings. Uncompromising on quality ingredients and committed to bringing affordable, gourmet-level burritos to U.S. retailers, Tres Picosos makes branded and private-label burritos plus an entire Mexican foodservice platform through its Naughty Chile Taqueria brand. Tres Picosos is a woman-owned business (WBENC) with nationwide distribution through Dot Foods, Inc. To learn more, visit: View original content to download multimedia: SOURCE Tres Picosos
