Adelita

Soldier in Zihuatanejo's Food Revolution...

by Wibke Langhorst

La Adelita was the title of one of the most famous corridos (folk songs) to come out of the Mexican Revolution. It is the story of a young woman in love with a sergeant, who traveled with him and his regiment. “La Adelita” came to be an archetype of a woman warrior in Mexico. Adelita was a soldadera, or woman soldier, who not only cooked and cared for the wounded but also actually fought in battles. In time the word adelita was used for all the soldaderas, who became a vital force in the war effort.

For decades, people have come to Zihuatanejo for its tranquil blue waters and golden beaches, lured by the romantic visions of an ideal tropical paradise. But for every lover there comes the moment of truth when he realizes that he cannot live on love and air – however balmy and tropical - alone. When the stomach starts growling, even the most romantic soul has to go hunting for food. In the past, this meant either heading towards one of a myriad of small beach shacks with almost identical and somewhat predictable menus, or ironing your good pants, spit-shining your shoes and preparing to take a substantial chunk out of your vacation budget to dine at one of Zihuatanejo’s high-end restaurants. The good news is that at least one small community in Zihuatanejo knows very well that, “the way to a man’s heart is through his stomach.” Lacking the spectacular views or stunning architecture of other, much pricier establishments, the cafes and restaurants on Calle Adelita - a charming cobblestone cul-de-sac at the foot of Madera Hill and only steps from the centro and the Playa Principal - are actually focusing on serving great food.

Smoke Signals

It starts in the afternoon. First there is a small column of white smoke, then slowly the staccato sequence of little puffs turns into a fragrant stream of smoke signals, making mouths water for blocks around. It is hard to resist the call of this special mesquite wood fire, and of course, this is exactly Rodolfo Perez’ intention. Two years ago, he installed his large, wood-burning grill underneath an enormous amate tree at the corner of Calle Adelita and Nuestra Señora de los Remedios, and began turning this quiet Colonia Madera street corner into a charming garden restaurant called “Rufo’s.”

“I love plants,” he says, and it shows. Potted palms create cozy private corners, flower pots adorn the sidewalk and the terrace, and beautiful large trees provide shade for the handmade bamboo tables and chairs. Colorful paintings by local artists adorn the outside walls of a small casita and hang from trees and palm tree trunks. At night, whimsical Chinese lanterns dip the tables into a soft light like glowing paper moons.

Originally from the Northern state of Chihuahua, Rodolfo creates his own style of fusion cuisine by adding some typical costeño, creole or even Mediterranean touches to his traditional northern Mexican recipes. His grilled pork chops are marinated in a red adobo sauce of different chilies, herbs and spices, and the special pork BBQ ribs are painted with a blend of a local-style salsa and a New Orleans-style creole sauce. Rufo’s also serves grilled fish filets with fruity olive oil and fine herbs. “The special wood we use, iguanero blanco, is very hard and gives our dishes a very special flavor,” Rodolfo says. This is why even something as comfortingly familiar as a juicy hamburger turns into a true delicacy at Rufo’s. The steaming flour tortillas served with most dishes are made from scratch and are good enough to be eaten with just a little bit of salsa or guacamole.

Straightforward and unpretentious, the food at “Rufo’s” is lipsmackingly delicious, and the quiet neighborhood corner invites diners to linger.

As the paper moons are shining on a delicate mango sorbet with Grand Marnier and Flambéed Bananas, the crickets are chirping in the trees, and happy couples are strolling along Calle Adelita…life just does not get much better.

Enjoy the journey!

“Enjoy the journey!” is not exactly what you expect to hear when the chef puts down a plate of food in front you, but then, how many restaurants do you know that are called, literally, “Where are you from?”

De Donde Eres is the newest addition to Calle Adelita. As befits a place with such an unusual name, the clientele of De Donde Eres is a colorful mix of locals, long-time Zihuatanejo aficionados and part-time residents as well as the occasional tourists from all parts of the world. Neighborhood regulars include Italians, Germans, Swiss, Britons, Americans, Canadians and Australians, and the restaurant’s owners, Italian-born Sabrina Tieghi and her Fijian husband, Shruneek Narayan, can see no better excuse for the global culinary excursions they offer their guests every night. The daily changing menu - based on the freshest available ingredients and jotted down on an informal white board - consists of three different “world food” entrees that on occasion span the entire globe on one single night, plus a dessert that is usually very deliciously Italian. Sabrina, who will enthusiastically describe each menu item in such a glowing, theatrical way as to cause a verifiably Pavlovian reaction in her dinner guests, is much too modest about her own sweet creations. “I am really not very good doing this – I can only think of making gelato, gelato, gelato,” she says, but boy, if it is not the best homemade gelato you will find anywhere and the perfect ending to her husband’s excitingly flavorful meals. Once in a while you will see Shruneek dash out of his kitchen in his black apron to catch a cooler breeze out on the street or to check his clients’ reaction to his creations. When asked how he, as a trained engineer, comes up with his amazing recipes every day, he looks at you earnestly and tells you, “I dream them.”

That must be the difference, then, between De Donde Eres and the hundreds of other competing restaurants in town. Shruneek uses the same basic ingredients and fresh produce commonly found in Zihuatanejo’s markets and grocery stores, but turns them into delicious Thai or Indian curries, Asian stir-fries, or even Moroccan tagines. In his capable hands, a huachinango, arguably the most common fish served in Zihuatanejo, recently shed its mojo al ajo image and, paired with crisply fried herbs and aromatic spices, turned into the most incredibly delicious fish served in Mexico. Ever.

Fish and Chips night at De Donde Eres has already become legend, and regulars have been known to cancel a date with a lovely new conquest in order not to miss it.

Dinner is generally served on a walk-in basis, so show up early or be prepared to wait for a table to become available. Seating is limited, and the word is spreading fast, all around the globe…

To find De Donde Eres, look for a few sidewalk tables in front of an otherwise unassuming place.

“Slow Food” it says, right there on the menu cover. In case you are not a foodie from California - or Italian - Slow Food is fast becoming the new hot trend in the culinary world. And no, it has nothing to do with aging waiters. What the international Slow Food Movement intends to do is to primarily put taste back at the heart of food, and that is precisely what José Luis Noriega and his wife, Rosalba Garcia, are doing at La Gula.

What started out as a Madera neighborhood insider tip only three years ago has turned into a local favorite offering one of the most understated but innovative culinary experiences in Zihuatanejo. La Gula is not too easy to find - even when you are standing right in front of it – because only a menu on a rod-iron stand next to a narrow staircase will give away the entrance to this second-floor jewel. Once you walk up the steps to the tranquil, open-air restaurant with its colorful wooden chairs and tables, the playful artwork, and the peaceful view over the roofs of the Calle Adelita neighborhood, the concept of slow food starts to make perfect sense.

The attention that is given to detail is immediately apparent. A waiter appears next to your table with the menus and a refreshingly cold facial towel – a thoughtful gesture that is very much appreciated by most diners not used to tropical climates. The “heavenly” inspired menu with its headings ranging from “Saint Appetizer” to “Angelic Stewpot” (soups) to “Enjoy Being Sinful” (main courses) does the rest to put everybody in a relaxed mood. While you are waiting for your food, the waiter serves you an amuse-gueule that is not just beautiful to look at but bursting with flavor.

The creative menu descriptions (“Sea Illusion,” “Angels on Horseback,” “Bird of Paradise”) promise enticing combinations of fruits, herbs and spices that take their inspirations from different cuisines all over the world. José Luis Noriega calls it his own “fusion” cuisine in which he experiments with unusual flavor combinations or new twists to traditional Mexican dishes. The “Creole Turnover,” for example, combines a crisp-fried homemade pasta dumpling filled with shrimps, vegetables and Oaxaca cheese with an intensely flavorful pineapple-ginger chutney. The Pesce Soleado is a mahi-mahi filet on a bed of banana, guava and avocado leaves that is covered with a dry mulatto sauce, mushrooms and red onions, and then wrapped and steamed in corn husks. The “Madera Mignon” is a Filet Mignon dipped in a coffee sauce and served with a potato-filled zucchini timbale.

The flavor combinations work amazingly well, and the presentation of the plates is impeccable, so it is no great surprise to learn that José Luis has a lot of years of experience as a professional chef under his belt. In addition to working at the Krystal Hotel Group, he participated in a number of gastronomical competitions in Madrid, and spent some time recently with the prestigious Swiss Mövenpick Hotel and Restaurant group in Stuttgart, Germany. This European experience awakened his interest in the emerging Slow Food Movement that started in Italy. “In December of 2007, the founder of the Slow Food Movement is coming to Oaxaca, and we are planning to organize a great food event,” José Luis beams. “Food is becoming more and more important to today’s travelers, and I think it is time for Zihuatanejo to develop its own serious food scene.”

At La Gula at least, the slow food revolution is well on its way. José Luis and Rosalba are reviewing and updating their menu every high season, and they are excited about Calle Adelita’s recent emergence as the rincón gastronómico – the culinary corner – of Zihuatanejo. “There is this great energy here,” José Luis says, “we are helping each other out and working together. It is fun to go out and eat at each other’s restaurants because each one serves different food.”

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