I need to say this article needs an update. Just spoke with Ms. Mendez and La morada now serves their six varieties of Mole daily!
4
This is such a wonderful restaurant with delicious food for a vegetarian, vegan or carnivore! Varied menu with many choices, grilled vegetables, the most delicious black beans, beef, pork, chicken, shrimp, the list goes on and on. Best guacamole ever, warm chips and friendly professional service. You will find you want to be frequent guests of these fine restauranteurs.
This might be the best Mexican restaurant in NYC now. Amazing mole; even the tortillas are great. Service is friendly but can be hit or miss. Thank you, Ligaya.
Great food, and place, and people. Please hipsters do not move here, we have held off for three decades so far, more or less!
Keep going to Bushwick Heights or whereever.
Keep going to Bushwick Heights or whereever.
7
Love this Hungry City series and am excited to learn about all these wonderful new restaurants-- my favorite kind of NYC restaurant experience: humble trappings, transcendent food and charming hospitality.
4
Y would like to point out that "La Morada" is actually a pun, a play on words.
On one hand, it means "the dwelling", as in "the place of residence" of someone, their "home".
On the other, it is the feminine form of "the purple one", as in "the one of purple (actually, blackberry) color".
Now look at the intense color of the walls in this home-food-inspired restaurant and say "oooooooooh!"
On one hand, it means "the dwelling", as in "the place of residence" of someone, their "home".
On the other, it is the feminine form of "the purple one", as in "the one of purple (actually, blackberry) color".
Now look at the intense color of the walls in this home-food-inspired restaurant and say "oooooooooh!"
4
A great review and certainly exciting that Oaxacan food is getting greater recognition, but I'm stuck on this:
"Ms. Mendez is the chef, although it would be truer to the spirit of La Morada to say that she is a home cook who, luckily for us, runs a restaurant."
Why make the distinction that she is more like a 'home cook'? Unfortunately home cooks aren't celebrated in the same way that a 'chef' is... I'm wondering if it's the style of food served here/the intention of the space to be more 'homey'/relaxed or if it's her background as a Mexican woman chef that warrants making this distinction.
"Ms. Mendez is the chef, although it would be truer to the spirit of La Morada to say that she is a home cook who, luckily for us, runs a restaurant."
Why make the distinction that she is more like a 'home cook'? Unfortunately home cooks aren't celebrated in the same way that a 'chef' is... I'm wondering if it's the style of food served here/the intention of the space to be more 'homey'/relaxed or if it's her background as a Mexican woman chef that warrants making this distinction.
12
I believe the reviewer was giving the HIGHER praise to the home chef - suggesting love and intimate knowledge of ingredients, outcomes, and taste buds had higher standing there.
7
These family run businesses are very important for our Borough - We need to support our small businesses in The Bronx... Que Viva Mexico
8
Without a doubt, the cuisines of Mexico are varied, rich and bursting with a real sense of terroir. By far, Oaxacan is my favorite with Yucatecan a close second.
4
Oaxaca, the most beautiful and mystical place in all of Mexico with the sweetest people living there. You can sit on the zocalo for hours and never get bored.
14
So true, but what do you think of the restaurant?
I hope to visit the restaurant soon.
!Viva la cultura mixteca! !Viva Oaxaca! !Viva Mexico!
And thanks, NYT, for bringing us a restaurant review from an author who appreciates the sophistication of this cuisine and is not fooled by the lack of pretension and the honesty of its presentation. Mexico bursts with these kinds of riches and people in the US who don't learn this only shortchange themselves.
Gracias a todos los de la Morada por compartir su riqueza con nosotros.
And thanks, NYT, for bringing us a restaurant review from an author who appreciates the sophistication of this cuisine and is not fooled by the lack of pretension and the honesty of its presentation. Mexico bursts with these kinds of riches and people in the US who don't learn this only shortchange themselves.
Gracias a todos los de la Morada por compartir su riqueza con nosotros.
17
Nice and important to see bronx restaurants getting profiled. Authentic Mexican food is amazing and true gastonomic experience.
Rick Bayless has spent a lifetime bring great Mexican cooking to Americans and else where. He has an excellent website called One Plate at a Time [link below]. The site has video clips for cooking authentic Mexican cooking and resources including his award winning books. If you like the dishes mentioned go out or cook at home. Also left link for amazing informaton on history of Mexican cooking. Many foods in Mexico were divided between the "commoners" and "nobles" - Chocolate or xocolātl [Kola] was one item cheerished by the powerful and made into special drinks and mole sausces. Enjoy !
http://www.rickbayless.com/tv-books/mexico-one-plate-at-a-time-season-8/
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aztec_cuisine
Rick Bayless has spent a lifetime bring great Mexican cooking to Americans and else where. He has an excellent website called One Plate at a Time [link below]. The site has video clips for cooking authentic Mexican cooking and resources including his award winning books. If you like the dishes mentioned go out or cook at home. Also left link for amazing informaton on history of Mexican cooking. Many foods in Mexico were divided between the "commoners" and "nobles" - Chocolate or xocolātl [Kola] was one item cheerished by the powerful and made into special drinks and mole sausces. Enjoy !
http://www.rickbayless.com/tv-books/mexico-one-plate-at-a-time-season-8/
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aztec_cuisine
11
arriba Oaxaca y su cuisine....um mole pipian...y todos...
14
¡Gracias Ligaya!
We invite you all to come to Oaxaca and enjoy the weather (the jacarandas are just starting to blossom), mezcal, archaeology, and FOOD!!
We invite you all to come to Oaxaca and enjoy the weather (the jacarandas are just starting to blossom), mezcal, archaeology, and FOOD!!
34
Forwarded to my son. Now in college in NYC. A Mexican food addict. First trip out of the country was to Oaxaca when he was seven. He didn't like the hot chocolate, which made me laugh. It was Mexican style. The waiter laughed, too, and then brought him another cup with more sugar. I hope he finds you.
9