My husband gave me worms for my birthday!

Not just worms, but ants and grasshoppers too.

I celebrated my birthday, I'm not saying which one, during a Los Vagabundos trip to Oaxaca. As a treat for me, and incidentally for him, Erich made a reservation at Casa Oaxaca el Restaurante, one of the best restaurants in Mexico. We ordered the menu degustación, the tasting menu, which actually was not on the menu. Apparently you have to know about it and ask for it. We have dined in many excellent establishments around the world, and we can say with all honesty that this was one of the best meals we've ever had.

Tasting menus can be over done and much too heavy, but Chef Alejandro Ruiz has a light touch. The dishes were creative, elegant, perfectly sized, and after seven courses plus the opening appetizer everyone receives, we were pleasantly full but not stuffed.  The menu will vary depending on what is fresh and in season.

The meal started with a waiter creating a salsa at our table.  All ingredients used in the restaurant are organic and locally sourced.  

Squash blossoms

The first course was squash blossoms filled with ricotta cheese and wrapped in crispy sweet potato with a sauce with honey and epazote herb. Totally delicious.

Next came a toasted corn tortilla covered with a colorful array of agave worms, grasshoppers, chicatana ants, guacamole, cepiche herb and radish.  Yum.  All of the insects were well fried and crispy and there was nothing at all icky about it.  We really did like it. Honestly. Oaxaca is famous for its insect dishes, so everyone should try it.

Bugs

Course number three was a thick fried corn gordita with filled with pork, and cheese, avocado, habanero chili, coriander and pickled onions on top.

Pork gordita

The next treat was frijolon bean soup with conejo herb, avocado, fried tortilla strips, fresh cheese, and pasilla mixe chili.  We were served a bowl with all of the ingredients and then the bean soup was poured in.

Bean soup

Mahi mahi

After that, we had the catch of the day which was mahi mahi served on lettuce and squash blossoms with a delicious tomato puree with capers and then more caper sauce on top.  The fish was cooked perfectly.

Confit of suckling pig

The next to last dish was a confit of suckling pig with fried plantain, and a mole made from 28 ingredients.  There were some other tasty little things but I don't know what they were.

Finally we had dessert and an espresso.  The dessert was guava mousse, one with meringue, rose petal ice cream (on the right), a red fruit sauce and a fabulous mint sauce made to look like a tree.  It was wonderful.

If you are ever in Oaxaca City, be sure to go to Casa Oaxaca el Restaurante, Calle de La Constitución 104-A, Centro. https://www.casaoaxacaelrestaurante.com/  It is an easy walk from the Zócalo.