Tag Archives: smoked meat

The Casual Restaurant Critic at Carnes Concepción – Temozón

March 16, 2020Casual Restaurant Criticcarne ahumada, Carnes Concepcion, longaniza, restaurantes, smoked meat, Temozon, Valladolid, YucatanWilliamLawson

“In the town of Temozón
you will find Carnes Concepción…”

This was going to be a rhyme as those two words seemed to make sense in that context, but the Critic will continue as normal since poetic inspiration is at a virus-infused low point at the moment.

A search on this blog revealed that the Critic has never written about Carnes Concepción, one of several smoked meat options on the highway to Ek Balam or Rio Lagartos when coming from Valladolid.

A must-stop for lunch, the smoked meat (pretty well all pork) and longaniza is justifiably famous and mouth-wateringly delicious. If only the Critic wasn’t socially distancing himself at the moment he might take advantage of this lull in his regular activities to drive over and eat something.

Why Carnes Concepción in particular? On one occasion the Critic forgot his phone there and did not realize it until he was in Valladolid. When he raced back to the restaurant, the kind ladies had found and kept the phone for him. This has earned them the Critic’s undying loyalty and anytime he is in the area with guests, a stop at Carnes Concepcion for lunch is a must.

On the occasion that these photos were taken – a Monday – there was frijol con puerco (pork and beans) to be savored. When you go, order the mixed platter which has everything on it and take whatever you can’t eat home. Smoked pork or longaniza is great chopped into your scrambled breakfast huevos the next day!

Some serious smoking going on back here

Smoked pork close-up

The garnishes/complements for the Frijol con Puerco

That’s smoked pork in there.

Longaniza – the smoked sausage Temozon is famous for

El Casual Restaurant Critic visita Ahumadero

September 10, 2016Casual Restaurant Criticahumadero, bbq, Casual Restaurant Critic, comida en merida, comida yucateca, Lawsons Yucatan, Merida, merida restaurants, pozole, queso fundido, restaurantes, restaurantes en merida, restaurants, smoked meat, tacos, yucatan restaurantsWilliamLawson

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

The Casual Restaurant Critic visits Yerbabuena, del Sisal in Valladolid

December 19, 2014Casual Restaurant Criticcarne ahumada, comida, food, fresh, fresh tortillas, hoja santa, maculan, mole, new, restaurantes en Valladolid, restaurants, smoked meat, taberna de los frailes, tasty, tomatillo salsa, Valladolid, vegetarian, vegetariana, Yerba Buena, Yerbabuena del Sisal, YucatanWilliamLawson

On a very recent visit to the Valladolid area, the Casual Restaurant Critic and the three ladies known as the Belle Groupe (it’s a southern thang) followed up on Casa de los Venados owner John Venator’s recommendation to try a restaurant he likes, called Yerba Buena.

A colorful facade

Located across from the convent, this restaurant was previously unknown to the Critic and so, in the spirit of research and with the hungry Belle Groupe de acuerdo, this is where lunch was had.

Among all the pretty painted colonial facades across from the convent and right next to a video rental place (do video rentals still constitute a viable business option one wonders) was Yerba Buena. It’s even more colorful facade and interior, compared to the rest of the houses nearby, was a delight to behold.

The colorful entryway and restaurant

A most accommodating young man, friendly as one can be, asked if the group would enjoy a table in the garden and there, several tables of Europeans were enjoying the sunny, cool day and zen-like atmosphere, surrounded by eclectic decorative items and a ton of jungly greenery.

It only got better.

The Critic was amazed at the level of kind, friendly attention and service and the freshness of the food. When asked about a menu item involving corn masa and maculan or hoja santa, the waiter promptly disappeared into the foliage and came back with a leaf of this plant on a plate, for the group to examine and sample.

Maculan, or hoja santa

The items had for lunch included smoked meat tacos (a standard for this area, where longaniza and smoked meat are a specialty), smoked meat in a Oaxacan mole sauce, a poblano chile stuffed with cheese and quesadillas. All were beautifully presented and very sabrosos. There are four salsas that are brought to the table: roasted tomato, xcatic and habanero. But it is the green tomatillo salsa that will blow the taste buds off your tongue. The Critic has never tasted a fresher salsa verde. Anywhere.

Prices were beyond reasonable and the entire staff was welcoming and friendly. Try their ginger honey drink!

Definitely a highlight of the trip to Valladolid and, along with the Taberna de los Frailes, one of the best restaurants sampled to date in this ever-more cosmopolitan city. highly recommended.The Belle Groupe and the Critic were all most impressed at this find!

More info on their Facebook page here.

Enjoy the photos!

Menu at the door

Color everywhere

Chips and salsas

Smoked pork tacos and fresh avocado

There’s smoked pork under that rich Oaxaca mole sauce

Chile poblano

Quesadillas

The fresh corn tortillas with maculan or hoja santa attached

The maculan plants are the ones with the big leaves

Eclectic ornaments in the garden

One happy chef, preparing a giant vegetarian burger

Hard at work

Chef number two

How often do you find a happy dishwasher and cooks assistant?

The view from the front door.

The Casual Restaurant Critic and some Tips for Toronto

October 6, 2012Casual Restaurant Critic, Travelsbeer, biermarket, Casual Restaurant Critic, coras, esplanade, flammkuchen, food, Ontario, poutine, smoked meat, splendido, TorontoWilliamLawson

On a recent trip to eastern Canada; specifically Toronto, the Critic was able to sample some of the city’s restaurants. Here are some mini-reviews for your enjoyment.

Cora’s

Apparently this is a popular place for breakfast, according to some websites that know about such things. A lineup was waiting for Better Half and the Critic on sunny Toronto morning but the wait (about 5 minutes) was well worth it. Quick service, great food and big portions will ensure you are not starving when out and about (said in a Canadian accent) in the city during the rest of the day. The eggs benny are varied and fantastic. Critic and Half visited the downtown location on Wellington street in the “entertainment district” but they are all over the place.

The BierMarkt

There are several locations of the BierMarkt restaurants (http://www.thebiermarkt.com/index.php) and beer lovers

will love the ability to try several beers from around the world. In the photos, a selection of Belgian beers that one can order. Again, great place, and the Smoked Meat Poutine (the meat is smoked in house or so one is told) is To Die For. Honest. The Critic has tried just a few poutines but this one is a winner!

Splendido

It’s espléndido just like the name says. This was probably the highlight of the trip, restaurant-wise (http://splendido.ca/welcome/) Amazing room, unbelievably delicious and inventive food and the service was top-notch. Look at this fried egg appetizer with greens, garlic and your very own hen egg to prepare.

The result is scumptious and the smell of the sauteeing garlic is sublime. Almost as sublime as the main dish ordered by the Critic; Yorkshire Pig aka Pork Belly, Pancetta Wrapped Tenderloin & Boudin Noir Smoked Shoulder Baked Beans, Sweet Potato & Cranberry (copy pasted directly from their menu). Look at the photos!