What To Eat In Oaxaca

The second post in the “what to eat” series focuses on some of the tastiest meals you’ll find in Oaxaca, Mexico; often considered to be the culinary melting pot of the whole country.

Known for its sauces, its traditional Mayan-style chocolate, its grilled meats and especially its creamy, string white cheese, Oaxaca is a delight for foodie lovers.

Chapulines (or grasshoppers) unfortunately did not make it on to this list, even though they feature highly in traditional Oaxacan cuisine (usually mixed in guacamole or grilled in cheese quesadillas), mainly because I did not try them and so couldn’t give an accurate description. If you’re a hardier soul than me, you can find them being sold in large piles at any market in the city and can try them on their own, without any accompaniment.

Tlayuda

Nicknamed the “Oaxacan pizza” due to its shape and the fact that the toppings are arranged similar to that of a pizza, tlayudas actually taste nothing like their Italian counterparts.
Using a large, toasted tortilla as the base, tlayudas are then spread with lard and black bean paste, topped with stringy Oaxaca cheese, tomatoes and avocado. Like this, it is served “sin carne” (without meat), but if you order it with meat (usually chorizo, chicken or beef), the meat will be placed on top or on the side.

If you order a tlayuda from a street stand as opposed to in a sit-down restaurant or market stall, they will serve them folded, similar to a calzone.

• Grab an open-face tlayuda at Fonda Florecita in Mercado de la Merced

Oaxacan Chocolate

Ok, this doesn’t technically fall into the “eat” category, but you can’t talk about Oaxacan culture and cuisine without mentioning chocolate.
Oaxacan chocolate isn’t usually eaten in bar form, like it is in a lot of the rest of the world (although you certainly can if you like, it just takes some getting used to the high cacao content and stronger flavours), but instead ground up into a pot of hot water or milk to make a delicious cup of hot chocolate.

You will find hot chocolate (“chocolate con leche” or “chocolate con agua”) on almost every menu in the city and served at most market stalls. Typically it will be served with a sweet bread, which you are supposed to dip into the drink and enjoy.

• Enjoy a chocolate con leche in the courtyard of Cafe Brujula

Chilaquiles

Chilaquiles are a popular breakfast dish which can be found in several areas of Mexico, but which seemed to be more prevalent on menus in Oaxaca.
Consisting of fried strips of tortillas covered in sauce (usually a green “verde” or red “rojo” slightly spicy sauce), the chilaquiles are then topped with white cheese, sour cream and usually a choice of different meat (above is chicken).

• For a big portion of chilaquiles verde, go to Fonda Rosita in the Mercado de la Merced

Mole

Oaxaca is known as the “land of the seven moles” due to the number of different types of mole sauce you can find there.
Mole is a complex sauce consisting of several levels of flavours due to ingredients such as chilli peppers, spices, dried fruit, sesame seeds, chocolate and nuts.

Mole sauce is typically served over meat (usually chicken) and topped with raw white onions and crumbled cheese. Most times it will be served with a side of rice or crusty white bread.

• For a great mole negro (the dark, chocolatey sauce) go to the popular, but not cheap, Casa Oaxaca

Carnes Asadas

If you are a meat-eater, you cannot visit Oaxaca and not take a trip to the carnes asadas “alley” in the 20 de Noviembre market.
Here you will find rows of vendors selling raw beef, chorizo, seasoned pork, tripe and several other meats, which you can order by weight and which is then cooked for you on a hot charcoal grill.

To accompany your meat you will find vendors selling spring onions and jalapeno peppers (which you can ask the meat vendors to cook on the grill alongside your meat), salsas, guacamole, radishes, tomatoes and cactus salad.

You simply choose everything you want to create your meal, and pay for it separately to each vendor from which you purchased it (usually when your meal arrives to your table).

If you can get over the chaos, noise and steam, it is definitely an experience unlike any other.

• The carnes asadas alley can be found in the market on 20 de Noviembre street

Memelitas

Small, toasted corn cakes, memelitas (or memelas) are usually eaten as snacks and typically come topped with either black bean paste, lard, cheese, shredded cabbage, mole negro (black mole sauce) or a choice of meats.
They are similar in taste to tortillas but are fatter and cooked directly on a hot griddle.

• For some delicious memelitas to accompany your lunch, restaurant La Casa de los Abuelos cooks them straight on a griddle in front of the dining room