When in Mexico City, be sure to make a stop at Chef Oswaldo Oliva’s unique creations, Lorea and Aleli.
Not pretentious like some of Mexico City’s best known restaurants, Lorea set the tone for my weekend in Mexico City.
Located on the tree lined streets of Roma Norte, Lorea can be easy to miss if not for the building’s blue paint and tall cacti lining the sidewalk outside. The understated yet beautiful ambiance outside is a sign of what you can expect once inside the building itself.
Not sure if I was at the right place, I rang the doorbell and was soon greeted by a cheerful face behind a sliding door. We were seated at the chefs table with a view of all the action!
While I did not notice it that night, Chef Oswaldo pointed out that he keeps the team in constant rotation and makes sure to build their skill set across all areas of the kitchen and bar.
Before the menu was presented, the mood for the night was set with a note delivered in a fancy wooden box.
Valentine’s Day dinner at Lorea started off with a cocktail named “Love”, a delicious yet bittersweet drink served inside a ball of ice. It was followed by fourteen courses (yes – fourteen…) of deliciousness, creativity and sustainability. The menu featured the following:
SNACKS: Crispy Cheese. Chinchayote and Cheese. Tendon with Fava Beans. Homemade Jerky with Ants.
FEAST: Sourdough. Stems and Pistachios. Sea Bass and Tomatoes. Crispy Skin. Huitlacoche. Our Taco. Digestive. Honey and Arbequina. Sunchoke and Toffee. Flower In a Bite. Blanco Jaguar.
Chef Oswaldo’s pioneering attitude towards sustainable ingredients and methods further broadened my horizon and set my expectations for the rest of the weekend.
The following day, I had a lunch at Aleli, the sister restaurant of Lorea that’s located downstairs. It features many of the same ingredients, skills and methods of the team upstairs, but has a more casual environment.
That all said, if you’re looking for some of Mexico City’s most creative dishes that stay true to the city’s culture while also looking forward to its future, look no further than Lorea and Aleli.