EL PATIO RESTAURANT REVIEW, TLACOLULA, OAXACA
Alvin Starkman M.A., LL.B.
Between the Oaxacan rug village of Teotitlán del
Valle and the Sunday market town of Tlacolula, en route
to the Zapotec ruin of Mitla, one finds El patio, a restaurant
of contrasts and inconsistencies, intriguing because somehow
the open air setting and general ambience is apt to draw
you back every once in a while, notwithstanding that there
are other restaurants along that stretch of road with more
to offer in terms of reliability.
We’ve been frequenting the eatery on an occasional
basis for perhaps 7 or 8 years now, and keep doing so. It’s
the expansive courtyard with comfortable breezes, the choice
of seating in sun or shade, soft music broken only by the
sounds of parrots vying for your attention, and pleasing
and unique (for Oaxaca) décor…partially antique
with vintage photos of Mexican screen stars, 50’s
and earlier typewriters and other collectibles, alongside
traditional Oaxacan with a mix of crafts and more customary
wall art adorning the patio floors and walls respectively.
The comfortable and relaxed atmosphere together with our
recollection of usually reliable fare constitute the allure.
Once drinks finally arrive, the wait for the complimentary
memelitas and the rest of the meal is not unreasonable.
If the mezcal tasting bar and gift shop were open on a consistent
basis (there’s certainly enough staff milling about
to warrant hours of operation similar to that of the restaurant)
one could understand the initial tardiness. But then again
prudent use of labor has never characterized the Oaxacan
worldview.
On this occasion perhaps 75% of what the four of us ordered
could be described as “good,” but no more. So
if you stick to the recommendations herein, and trust that
there will be ongoing consistency in terms the ability of
patrons to discern flavor combinations, freshness and keeping
grease and fat under control, the percentage likelihood
of each guest having a positive memorable dining experience
could elevate to 90.
The sopa de guias, usually a reliable and always a typical
dish was in fact better than how it is generally encountered.
Rather than with a thick mix of corn starch as base, it
was surprisingly light and not gooey, including the requisite
squash along with the plant’s blossom and runners
and portion of corn. Ordered as a meal it comes with traditional
tlayuda, an oversized tortilla topped with queso, quesillo,
avocado, lettuce and tomato, and then with a healthy piece
of flavorful tasajo placed atop. In this case the smokiness
from the firewood used to heat and melt the toppings was
a dominant essence.
Other dishes which serve the needs of the health conscious
include the pollo a la plancha, a large boneless pounded
then grilled chicken breast, served with veggies and starch,
or if you prefer a double side of simply boiled-for-a-baby
zucchini and carrots. My brother’s sopa mixteca, a
thick vegetable soup, was a bit light on flavor, but nevertheless
served his obsessive need for fatless fare, quite the contrast
to my caldo de gato, a meal sized tomato based vegetable
soup which includes a couple of chunks of meaty pork spine.
Even the almost always reliable squeezing in a couple of
lime halves was unable to cut through the grease floating
atop, bringing back memories of the Exxon Valdez.
Our party’s meals were rounded out with a salad and
mole. The former was typical to the extent that its ingredients
were laid out separately on the plate, consisting of nicely
grilled nopal paddles and zucchini slices, purple onion
pieces and too many thick sticks of panela, a cross between
Oaxacan queso, pressed cottage and Philadelphia cheeses.
The estofado de pollo was once again accompanied by a green
and orange medley of boiled not steamed. The main dish consisted
of the correct combination of ingredients composing the
mole (raisins, almonds, olives, miltomate, etc.) and would
be pleasing to most. But for those yearning to experience
the orgasmic sensation often associated with the reputation
of Oaxacan cookery, the ingredients failed to maintain their
individuality and ability to be discerned in the mix. For
me that’s the hallmark of a quality and unforgettable,
prepared to order or at minimum same day, which in both
cases clearly this was not.
Our recollection was that indeed the café de olla
is good, and a couple of their desserts are worth trying,
but with only a mediocre dining experience, one tends to
not wish to prolong the encounter. On a hot sunny day when
yearning for a comfy and relaxed setting, or if you’ve
already passed El Descano in Teotitlán del Valle
and are too hungry to wait until your arrival at Doña
Chica’s in Mitla (each of which is more reliable though
not unique in setting), then drop in at El Patio for a comida.
As long as my wife has her way, that’s what we’ll
probably continue to do.
Alvin Starkman together with wife Arlene operates Casa
Machaya Oaxaca Bed & Breakfast Alvin received his
masters in social anthropology in 1978, and his law degree
in 1984. Thereafter he was a litigator in Toronto until
taking early retirement. He and his family were frequent
visitors to Oaxaca between 1991 and when they became permanent
residents in 2004.
Alvin Starkman together with wife Arlene operates
Casa Machaya Oaxaca Bed & Breakfast . Alvin received
his masters in social anthropology in 1978, and his law
degree in 1984. Thereafter he was a litigator in Toronto
until taking early retirement. He and his family were frequent
visitors to Oaxaca between 1991 and when they became permanent
residents in 2004. Alvin reviews restaurants, writes about
life and cultural traditions in Oaxaca, and tours couples
and families to the villages.
