NOTE: Before I get to my review, I have to tip my hat to Bill Miller – an lbpost.com reader who shared this wonderful place with me in response to my first article. I went to Oaxaca Mio that day – and have been back four more times with friends and family so that I could be confident in recommending it to all of you. So please keep those suggestions coming!
Now, back to business.
Oaxaca Mio has everything I look for in a restaurant.
Most importantly – the food is excellent! It features traditional Oaxacan food. For the uninitiated, Oaxaca is a region in southern Mexico which has one of the most vibrant and unique regional cuisines in all of Mexico.
This is to say – it serves a different kind of Mexican food than most of you are used to eating. So I plead with you – try something new! Open yourself up to exploring the foods of Oaxaca. Take some friends – order several dishes and share them family style so everyone can sample the breadth and depth of this amazing cuisine.
At the center of Oaxacan cuisine are the seven tradition moles (sauces) of Oaxaca – five of which are on display at Oaxaca Mio. (The other two cannot be made because the ingredients are not readily available in el norte.) Mole negro – the most famous of these – is a rich blend of chocolate, chiles, nuts and spices. It is served over chicken or on enchiladas. It is excellent – but do not stop here. The other four – although not as famous – are equally deserving of your attention.
The Estofado mole is a miraculous combination of olives, raisins, chiles, almonds, and spices. Try it over their perfectly prepared chunks of pork. The Mole Verde (Green Mole – see picture) made with green chiles, parsley, cloves and garlic has a fresh and complex flavor – and a subtle heat which slowly builds with each bite. The Mole Amarillo (Yellow Mole – also pictured) resembles a curry sauce made with beans and squash, and is served over chicken or pork. The final mole – the Coloradito – is the one you are sure to try because it is on the chips that will greet you as soon as you sit down.
No trip to Oaxaca Mio is complete without sampling at least one or two of these wonderful dishes. I love them all – but my favorites are the estofado and mole verde.
Don’t miss the moles – but don’t stop there either. Oaxaca Mio also features the traditional meats of their region. Their Cecina – chili rubbed and thinly sliced pork; Tasajo – thinly sliced beef; and home made chorizo (sausage) are all outstanding! A great way to sample all three is the molcajete Oaxaqueno. This dish also features nopales (prickly pear leaves), Oaxacan string cheese and one other traditional food – chapulines (fried grasshoppers). Before you turn up your nose – open you mind and try them. They add a wonderful crunchy surprise to the tacos made with these meats – just squeeze a little lime and sprinkle these tiny little guys on top!
Still want more? Try a tlayuda – another traditional dish which is similar to a tostada – but much better. It starts with a crispy homemade tortilla covered with beans, Oaxacan cheese, cabbage and the meat of your choice. An empanada – similar to a quesadilla with a thicker, hand made tortilla – is a delicious if slightly more familiar choice. Try one with hultlacoche (corn truffle) or flor de calabaza (squash flowers).
The perfect accompaniment to any of these dishes is a glass of horchata – a traditional Mexican drink made with rice, almonds, cinnamon, and sugar – served with chopped nuts and fruit and a spoon to eat them.
Believe it or not – there is more that I could write about and even more I still have to try. But this will get you off on the right foot.
The food is good enough to keep you coming back time and time again because it is so consistently good. But the service makes it even more special. It goes beyond good – the family who runs this restaurant is passionate about what they do. They are wonderful ambassadors of their hometown – they want to share it with you and truly make you feel welcome. Oaxaca Mio is the product of a family’s love of the place from which they come – and their desire to share that with others.
I feel lucky to have found this place – and have enjoyed sharing it with my friends, family – and now you. I hope you try it and come to love it like I do.
I cannot wait to go back. Maybe I will see you there next time!
Here are the important details:
Oaxaca Mio
1169 East 10th Street (corner of Orange and 10th)
Long Beach, CA 90813
562-599-7212
For my next column: Have some cheese with your wine! And please keep your comments coming!