Rachel Laudan

“Sooner or later change had to come,” says José Carlos Capel, in an article in El País. The tasty Mexican culinary repertoire, one of the most varied in the world, degraded by the Tex-Mex image and thoroughly branded by its more ordinary versions, has joined the modern way thanks to the efforts of a new generation of cooks.”

He names many of the usual suspects: Enrique Olvera, Ricardo Muñoz, Patricia Quintana, Monica Patiño and Martha Chapa (with a nod to Angela Gironella) in Mexico City.

He adds José Luis Diaz in Oaxaca, Guillermo Gonzalez in Monterrey, and, slightly to my surprise, Bricio Dominguez in Guanjuato with two restaurants. Perhaps El Jardin de Milagros, just down the hill from me has changed hands. Last time I went about a year ago it was pleasant but not startling. And Ocho Reales just up the hill has re-opened in the last couple of months. I guess an outing is in order.

Anyway it’s always nice to read something that recognizes that the provinces exist. You can get names and addresses of the restaurants even if you don’t read Spanish.