ahumadero | Lawsons Yucatan

The Critic and his Better Half bought tickets for several culinary events for this year’s version of Club Sibarita’s Festival Gastronomico 2019, the third such festival in Merida and now recognized nationally as an event worth attending. Chefs from all over Mexico (including Merida of course) and places further afield are in attendance, showcasing their talents with exquisite creations for attendees to swoon over.

Events at Pueblo Pibil in Tixcocob, Museo de la Gastronomia Yucateca in Merida and the Hacienda Xcanatun were packed and the food was truly amazing. It made for some very late nights, and often the Critic and BH were home around 1 in the morning, full of great food and excellent wine courtesy of Casa Madero.

Enjoy some photos of the highlights of the events! First up: Pueblo Pibil, in Tixcocob for a leisurely and delectable lunch. Click on the photos to make them grow magically.

: Chef and Friends, at Tixcocobs fabulous Pueblo Pibil restaurant

: The room at Pueblo Pibil

: Waiting to uncover some deliciousness from the pib

: A beautifully presented ceviche

: Our hosts and the creators of Club Sibarita and editors of Dolce magazine

: Pueblo Pibil’s house margarita cocktail

: You may recognize a chef or two

: This is foie gras and mole. Talk about rich

: The caldo for the fish

: The fish

: Imagine two classics in one. Relleno Negro and Queso Relleno. Out of the park!

: Dessert by Shuteln

: Champagne popsicle with chocolate. I call it splat. Or art.

: Last words. Carlos takes the mic to thank everyone for visiting Pueblo Pibil

Next stop: Hacienda Xcanatun for the Fine Dining signature Sibarito event.

: Hacienda Xcanatun, The Art of Fine Dining

: A forest of glassware

: The room, with furniture brought in by sponsor Marbol

: The room

: Our hosts

: An oyster

: A sea urchin

: Fish

: Raviolo

: Raviolo II

: Paté

: Venison

: Dessert

: Dessert II

Lastly, Taste the Best at Altozano:

Ahumadero

Ahumadero means ‘smoker’ in English and that is the premise of this taco place, located at the glorieta in Francisco de Montejo where the ‘mestiza’ statue is.

Parking is a challenge, but if you drive around the block where the OXXO is, you will find plenty of street parking.

The menu is simple, a few cuts of pork, served in tacos or in tortas, and all smoked. The BBQ sauce is delicious and everything is home-made. There are regular and blue corn tortillas that accompany the melted cheese aka queso fundido, which is made with a tangy cheese and not the bland tasteless glop that so often passes for queso these days at other taco places. The frijoles appie is also delicious, hearty and on the sweet side like you would find at a BBQ kind of place.

In keeping with the September, mes de la patria theme, there will be pozole, also featuring smoked ingredients, available from today on and possibly to the end of the month if the demand is there. The Critic got to sample this pozole and it is fantastic, thick with chunks of meat and hominy corn and a tasty, satisfying broth.

No alcohol, just homemade regular and in-season fruit horchatas, jamaicas and the usual assortment of refrescos embotellados.

Prices are very reasonable and a filling meal can be had for a couple hundred pesos, for two to four people, depending on your appetite.

Queso fundido

Regular and blue corn tortillas

Smoked pozole

The crew

Working the plancha

Lawsons Yucatan

The Neurotic Foreigner – William Lawson

Tag Archives: ahumadero

Highlights from the Club Sibarita Festival Gastronomico 2019

El Casual Restaurant Critic visita Ahumadero