Road Trip Mexico at the Playground 2.0 Room

Tuesday, November 27. 2018

New theme for dinner at the Playground.  www.playgrounddtsa.com.  Arrived on time this trip but still took close to 2 hours from work to get here. At least going home it will be about 20 minutes.  Anxious to sample the new food dishes that will be served with this dinner.  All 15 courses.

Started off with a drink called "Killer Rabbit". Made with Mescal, Montenegro, Lime and a bubbly. Slight sour taste but this was really good but with the acid I could only drink one. 

First up is a trio of dips. Guacamole with pistachio, jalapeno, figs and fried chicken skin.  Apparently this is a version of guacamole that is served in the interior of Mexico. It was different and I liked it.  Sikil p'ak which is similar to Hummus but made with pumpkin seed that has been ground up. A specialty of Yucatan. Then a smoked cashew and chile de arbol salsa.  Bit of a bite to it but the color was beautiful and it was delicious once you got by the initial sting. All served with house made chips.

Then a plate of Quesco fundido sopes, rajas and carmelized onions. Fundido means  "molten". So it was a "molten" quesco (cheese) sope (thick tortilla) with rajas (roasted poblano chiles" and caramelized onions. The tortilla had good flavor. I had one bite of of it and then scrapped the topping off to eat. I do not want to fill up on too much bread. I know how these dinners work. You can fill up on the first few dishes and then have no room for the balance of the dinner. Topping was excellent. It would make a good dip.

Albacore aguachile with strawberry jam (house made) was next. Fresh albacore  "cooking" in a chile water with a dab of fresh, sweet jam. This was good after the heavier dishes before.

A beautiful salad of orange and red baby beets with orange slices, avocado, cotija, chile morita oil and lime. This was so tasty. I ate a bit more than I should have but it was so good.

A plate of Nopales (cactus) and purslane  salad. Interesting salad. Long strips of nopales and the thick purslane was quite a contrast. Great flavor.

Infladita ( light, puffy tortilla) with refried bean puree and quesco fresco. Melted in you mouth. 

Then a build your own taco - a very tender, moist white fish with tortilla. A side of Jicama slaw, limes and make your own.  I had saved some of the guacamole and added that also. Best fish taco I have had.

Then a huge hunk of grilled pork belly with a citrus and black garlic mojo. No words- The mojo had such unusual flavor and smeared on the pork belly, I was in ecstasy 

Vegetables came next, grilled, caramelized baby carrots, salsa macha, blood orange and almonds. Sweet and decadent.

A bowl of very crispy fried potato cubes, cooked perfectly, salsa tatemanda (all ingredients are charred over an open flame), scallions, pepitas and crusted goat cheese..  Beats tater tots any day.

Last dish before dessert was a "Wagu" beef, outside skirt steak taco with tamarind pasilla glaze, onion, cilantro and lime.  Never had a taco made with Wagu beef.  My new favorite although I think it will be awhile before I have another at the price of really good Wagu beef.

Dessert thankfully was light. An Arroz con leche with candied peanuts, abuelitas and dulce de leche.
Mexican rice pudding with chocolate caramel, whipped cream and cinnamon. I was so full I could only eat a small amount but my dining companions managed to eat everything. 

Along with the Killer Rabbit cocktail we had a glass of Eagle Rock Tinder Brau. 

Numerous wines.  

Haart, Goldtropfchen Mosel, Spatlese. 

 Raul Perez, a cruz das animas, Atalier,  (Albarino)

2005 Lopez de Heredia Vina Condonuic, Rioja,

 2016 Condrieu, Les Chaillets (Viognier)

2014 Grgrich Hills, Violetta, Late Harvest (Gewurztraminer, Sauvignon Blanc and Rielsing).