Tepito builds on success of pioneering predecessor
Print Edition
MANY of us know Cantina Agave as a Tex-Mex trailblazer which to fame at a time when Shanghai’s dining scene offered little in the way of “south of the border” fare.
After closing the doors of this iconic institution for a major facelift, Cantina’s owners are back with a new name and a fresh menu. I recently experienced this reopened eatery, which goes by the name of Tepito, and was not disappointed.
First, let’s talk about the new menu. Tepito brought in chef Edgar Hernandez, a native of Mexico City who has worked in Mexican cuisine all his life — literally. Hernandez began cooking under the tutelage of his mother and grandmother, and then furthered his education with the “godfather” of Mexican cuisine, Ricardo Munoz Zurita. At Tepito, Hernandez has created a slew of new dishes that showcase the flavors he knows and loves.
I sampled several of Tepito’s latest creations, and all were absolutely divine. The first was a bean salad with pico de gallo, grilled corn, queso fresco and avocado sauce topped with crispy fried tortilla strips. Despite being bean-based, the salad was refreshing and a perfect way to tantalize one’s palate for the following courses.
Next was the ceviche de mariscos, which featured seafood, avocado, and onions marinated in citrus and chilli. It was followed up by the king fish, for another touch of light seafood and sweet fruit flavors.
After the lighter options, I finally arrived at the rich meat dishes I’ve come to love from Mexican cuisine. These included the Panuchos de Cochinita Pibil, which features Yucatan shredded-pork on two tortillas sealed with a black bean puree, all drizzled with habanero salsa. From there, it was back to fresh tastes with a platter of chiles toreados aptly named Ruleta Rusa (“Russian roulette”) — the idea being that one does not know whether a pepper is tolerably mild or abominably spicy until they’ve popped it in their mouth. The dish is served with lime and salt to season the peppers, and a shot of tequila to quell the fire of a particularly fiery pepper.
The final dinner course was a rack of the Yucatan tamarind pork ribs, steeped for 16 hours in a house marinade made with achiote, orange, and chilies, and then given a final basting with tamarind barbeque glaze.
Of course, a meal is never complete without dessert. We had the chef’s tresleches cake, a creamy white confection that, despite its thick, moist appearance, is still light and fluffy.
Overall, the dishes brought together myriad flavors into one cohesive meal jam packed with a contrast of fatty and fresh that will leave Mexican food lovers craving more. Cantina set a high standard, but Tepito builds upon the successes of its predecessor. Diners can expect an authentic Mexican culinary experience, complete with killer food and great service.
- About Us
- |
- Terms of Use
- |
-
RSS - |
- Privacy Policy
- |
- Contact Us
- |
- Shanghai Call Center: 962288
- |
- Tip-off hotline: 52920043
- 沪ICP证：沪ICP备05050403号-1
- |
- 互联网新闻信息服务许可证：31120180004
- |
- 网络视听许可证：0909346
- |
- 广播电视节目制作许可证：沪字第354号
- |
- 增值电信业务经营许可证：沪B2-20120012
Copyright © 1999- Shanghai Daily. All rights reserved.Preferably viewed with Internet Explorer 8 or newer browsers.
