Topolobampo

Gaucamole

Well after going to Frontera Grill back in May we didn't think we would be back so soon to their sister restaurant Topolobampo.  But since we had a rare weekday off together and you don't need to make reservations months in advance for lunch (like you do have to do for dinner service) we decided to go.  Topolobampo is known for a higher level of service which we were hoping for after not that great of service at Frontera.

We made reservations less than a week in advance, but we really could have made them even closer to the date.  We had a reservation for 11:30 when the restaurant opens and we were the only ones in that room until noon.  You get to walk past the much busier and louder Frontera Grill and go past a door into a different more refined space. It was so nice to have the space ourselves for a half hour; it felt like such a luxury.  The waiter explained the favorite dishes and regions of Mexico they came from.

Chilpachole de Hongos

Before you get any other food you get a complimentary guacamole and chips dish. We've never had free guacamole before (usually salsa) but when you are at one of best Mexican restaurants in the country it's a little different.

For lunch they offer a 3 course fixed priced menus with limited options - but they were the options Natalie was wanting anyway (the soup, mole and tres leches cake) so she went with that and Nick went with items on the regular menu.

Tamal de Platano

Chilpachole de Hongos - wild chanterelles, butternut squash three ways, epazote, chilpachole (savory, silky broth infused with ancho and chipotle.  This soup tasted great and wonderful with all of the vegetables and spices. It is not something you would normally have at a Mexican restaurant but it was a gourmet surprise.

Tamal de Platano - plantain-malanga tamal, seared pork belly, spicy ancho-sesame sauce, jack fruit, heirloom runner beans.  This other first course was spicy but flavorful. It was such a wonderful mix of ingredients; we especially enjoyed the pork belly. It was a bit spicy with the ancho chile sauce, but nothing Natalie couldn't handle.

Lamb with Mole

Borrego en Mole Negro - wood-grilled Crawford Farm lamb leg, classic Oaxacan black mole (chilhuacle chiles and 28 other ingredients), corn husk-steamed chipil tamal, unctuous black bean, smoky green beans. The mole had a wonderful flavor.  The waiter told us that they have culinary students come help prepare the mole since it has so many ingredients in it. The lamb was tender and this dish was also served with corn tortillas to create tacos and mop up the remaining sauce.

Carne Asada

Carne Asada "Brava" - spicy habanero-marinated, wood-grilled Creekstone Natural ribeye, spicy salsa huevona (hand-crushed, grill-roasted tomatoes, jalapenos), grilled knob onions, and sweet corn tamal (topped with homemade sour cream and fresh cheese). This dish had a bit of a kick to it with the different chiles, but that heat was cut a bit with the cheese and sour cream.  We also made tacos with the carne asada and tortillas. It was nice and tender, not tough and chewy.  Both main entrees had completely unique tastes that were wonderful.

Tres Leches Cake

Pastel de Tres Leches y Avellana - classic tres leches cake infused with toasted hazelnuts, Oaxacan chocolate ice cream, vanilla-poached quince, housemade ricotta, hazelnut crumble & meringue two ways.  The cake was smooth not grainy (probably because of the ricotta in it).  The meringues that came with it were soft and it all was a great combination with the ice cream and fruit.

Crepas con Cajeta, Platano y Chocolate - warm, buttery crepes filled with ripe plantain & bittersweet chocolate, cajeta (goats milk caramel), caramelized plantain ice cream, toasted meringue, Spence Farm whole wheat crumble.  This was a great combo, especially for Nick because he loves chocolate and caramel.

Crepa con Cajeta

Final thoughts on Topolobampo:
Food - all of the food was amazing.  This restaurant elevates Mexican food to another level.  All of the food exceeded our expectations and we would eat it over and over.
Service - well this made up for the not as stellar service we had at Frontera back in May. The waiter was very friendly and explained the classics and favorites on the menu
Atmosphere - very serene; compared to the more chaotic Frontera Grill; also a definitely elevated experience as well; would prefer comping here again over Frontera but it is a bit more expensive (that is why we went there for lunch).

Interior of Restaurant