Boy Meets Cricket: Oyamel, DC/ by Shelley Lance, Blog Editor
One of our best restaurant experiences while visiting Washington DC was brunch at Oyamel, a José Andrés joint. (Andrés, a major celebrity chef of the DC area, also owns Jaleo, Zaytinya, and other restaurants.) Oyamel describes itself as serving Mexican street food, with a lengthy menu of small plates of tacos, ceviches, salads, vegetable dishes and much more. The food is vibrant, exciting, and fun.
The wackiest item on the menu is “chapulines,” a Oaxacan specialty of sauteed grasshoppers which Oyamel serves in a taco with guacamole, shallots, and a splash of tequila. My husband, Frank, just had to have this of course. (He’s eating the grasshopper taco in the photo, top.) Frank said it was delicious, but, I’m a little embarrassed to admit, that seeing the little grasshopper legs falling to the plate, I couldn’t bring myself to take a bite. (The flavor had been described by our server as “strong.”)
We started brunch with guacamole (photo above left), prepared tableside, a basket of fresh tortilla chips, and an intriguing tomato salsa… all top notch. We passed on the cocktails, but tried the prickly pear limeade- pretty, pink, and refreshing. My personal favorite of the dozen or more little plates that we ordered was the quesadilla huitlacoche with Chihuahua cheese and “corn truffle.” (In the photo above right-partly eaten.) Huitlacoche is a fungus that grows on corn and is considered a delicacy in Mexico. I couldn’t get over the subtle flavor of the fungus, which I’ve never tried before, and the taco had just the right amount of savory, melty cheese and a hit of spiciness.
We also enjoyed the papas al mole, and, sorry Canadians, these French fries drizzled with mole, crema, and queso fresco are way, way more delicious than any poutine I have ever tasted. (Poutine- which means French fries covered with gravy and cheese curds- being a newly trendy dish I have never figured out the point of, unless it is to absorb the intake of too much alcohol or protect you from frigid Canadian winters.) Everything else- including tacos filled with everything from braised goat to asparagus, fresh baby cactus with lime dressing, and a tuna ceviche creatively seasoned with toasted pecans, crispy amaranth, and jalapeño- ranged from very good to spectacular. We polished things off with strong cups of coffee and shared a plate of tres leches cake. Then we were off to the airport for the return trip to Seattle- but can’t wait to get back to Oyamel for more great food on our next visit to DC.
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