A few minutes away from the downtwon area of León, Guanajuato you can find “La Cocinoteca”, a restaurant that features one-of-a-kind cuisine, privileged atmosphere, incredible company and enviable peaceful environment.
Chef Juan Emilio Villaseñor awaits for the most distinguished guests, right there, in his own home, standing in his kitchen and along with his family too… La Cocinoteca; welcomes diners in an exclusive and much more intimate experience than any conventional restaurant.
On any given day of the week, these people will cook for anybody, in the intimacy of their own home.
The first plate they brought was birria, a Mexican dish that we have tried hundreds of times, but had never surprised us in this way, our face screams for an explanation and Juan Emilio gladly provides it:
The meat was passed by a double bake of 12 hours to Low temperature, and then meticulously skimmed on an iron pan.
The afternoon begins to take another dimension, expectations grow, and there are no secrets here!
For those of us who like to cook, in addition to eating, the opportunity to interact with a cook this experienced and talented, is just a dream come true.
The second course requires a little more interaction so we go to the kitchen to help preparing each one a chubby dough filled with squid ink that will be stuffed with “ropa vieja” (which means “old clothes” in Spanish, but is actually stewed beef with vegetables), followed by a stunning combination of pickled pear with anchovy and sage.
Afterwards, we gathered around the grill where the chef guided us step by step in the preparation of a special type of rice with beef, cheese and green sauce. Something absolutely memorable.
After the New York cut in juniper crust (which was out of this world)… we finished with a dessert that required a siphon, a microwave oven and a cold smoke machine to get it to the table.
At La Cocinoteca, there are no limits, no boundaries for the chef’s imagination and creativity… John uses whatever is needed to serve what the heart dictates, what passion recreates.
La Cocinoteca simply breaks with the traditional restaurant layout.
The service is only under reservation, if you want to enjoy this unique concept send an inbox message via Facebook to @lacocinoteca. The menu changes according to the diner’s taste and the cook’s inspiration @edeljuarez.
Source: http://foodandtravel.mx/