Having lived in San Antonio for four years now, I'm almost ashamed to admit that I've only recently visited Mixtli--even more ashamed after my experience. Mixtli is tucked away in a quiet corner of Southtown, with its own (metered) parking. Finding the restaurant was easy enough, and parking is charged at the average rate of other San Antonio lots.I was given a warm, friendly welcome when I entered and led past the open kitchen to their sunken bar area to enjoy a welcome cocktail. I started with my "tester" cocktail: a classic gin Rickey. It was made perfectly, something that may seem more common than it really is. Chef Rico Torres welcomed me to his Mexican omakase-style home with a smoked oyster and broke down the current menu as it rotates seasonally. I tried my hardest to focus on his lesson, but the earthy flavor of the corn butter and fermented charanda-tepache mixture, melded with the smoke, sent my eyes rolling to the back of my skull.I gathered myself in time to be led back into the main dining room to begin my journey to the Tierra Caliente. This menu focused on the regional cuisine from Guerrero to Michoacan on Mexico's Pacific side. Each course was presented by a different staff member, which is something I appreciate as a chef and former restaurant staff member. It allows the entire cast to interact with a diner, allowing the patrons to appreciate how many people work to provide such a delightful experience.The next course was a sopa de agúcate, which was creamy and served alongside a leg of crab. Subsequent courses were the corunda- a white corn cake with a layer of koji jocoque (essentially a Mexican fermented dairy product similar to kefir), mole rosa (roasted beets with smoked hibiscus, and pomegranate) served on a tortilla to be consumed taco-style, pasta de rancho (a tortellini-esque, lemon, and requezon-filled pasta sat atop a tomato sauce), beef tongue braised until tender and served over plantain pave (layered cake) and a dollop of peanut mole, the mole de cafe was a succulent, brined boneless pork chop served with a sweet-tart apple slaw.Halfway through the meal, I ordered the Mixtli margarita, which has to rank in my top five favorite cocktails worldwide. The salted orange foam lives in my head rent-free for life. I also added the coffee service, which included a café de olla, which was exceptionally presented and easily served two people. My intermezzo was a palate-cleansing sorbet with a mirepoix of crunchy and vibrant fruits and jicama. The final course was a caramelized milk ice cream served atop popped sorghum alongside a hazelnut pirouette. Between the engaged, attentive staff, the ambiance (the quietest open kitchen I've ever experienced), the culinary ingenuity of the chefs, and the cutlery and dishes, I can't recommend Mixtli enough. They are developing and showcasing true culinary art, which is in short supply in San Antonio.
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