Critics’ choice: Mexican newcomers worth traveling for
Pancita Seattle
Here are a few things you won’t see on Pancita’s menu: chips, salsa, and margaritas, said Tan Vinh in The Seattle Times. What you’ll find instead is “some of the best Mexican food in Seattle,” cooked with “nuance and heart” by 33-year-old Janet Becerra, a nominee for the 2024 James Beard emerging chef award. Becerra draws from the culinary traditions of Mexico City, Oaxaca, and Michoacán, and her “uncompromising vision” begins with tortillas made from heirloom corn varieties ground fresh each day. Her pork chop “may be the best I’ve had in Seattle.” Locally sourced, the juicy cured cut “oozes with rich, pork-salty flavors” that mingle with a bright mole verde. Equally good is the crispy-skinned chicken coated in a 30-ingredient mole negro. Because the tuna tostada, oddly, has been inconsistent, a surer bet is the taco de suadero, featuring marinated brisket wrapped in a “nutty, custardy” red tortilla. Yes, the bartender can mix you a margarita upon request. But I recommend sampling one of the bar’s signature agave-based cocktails or exploring the Baja wines. 5501 30th Ave. NE
Amparo Fondita Washington, D.C.
At this “neighborly” new restaurant, even diners well-versed in Mexico’s varied cuisine “feel as though they’re onto something fresh,” said Tom Sietsema in The Washington Post. Chef-owner Christian Irabién puts an emphasis on coastal fare, which is why his fluke ceviche and shrimp cocktail may become two of your go-tos. But don’t miss his brick-colored posole, whose pork and guajillo broth “tastes like some revitalizing tonic” and is packed with shredded braised pork and adorned with a fan of sliced avocado. The menu’s large shareable dishes include red snapper over squash rings and turnips, and everywhere, “the sides are stars,” particularly the smoky black turtle beans. In the D.C. area, Irabién’s tacos are also “the best by miles.” Each hand-pressed tortilla is made from freshly ground Oaxaca-sourced corn, and the fantastic fillings include flounder cooked on the plancha, braised lamb in mole, and masa-crusted scallops. For dessert, order the “swoon-worthy” tres leches cake, festooned with fruit, whipped cream, and marigold petals. 2002 P St. NW
La Ingrata Camden, N.J.
La Ingrata is reason enough to cross the Ben Franklin Bridge, said Craig LaBan in The Philadelphia Inquirer. Located minutes from Philadelphia’s Center City, this two-year-old restaurant is run by husband-and-wife chefs Karla Torres and Ernesto Ventura. Maybe you’ll start with Torres’ award-winning tamales, a “novel twist on birria” in which spiced masa is stuffed with cheese and stewed beef and served with a “profoundly flavorful” consommé infused with chiles, juniper, and ginger. “The alambre skillet is one of their signatures, a sizzle pan of mixed marinated meats and crispy bacon covered in oozy white quesillo.” The “must-order” list runs long, encompassing gorditas stuffed with pork bits and a posole whose rich broth requires cooking down a pig’s head. Ventura provides the menu’s Poblano specialties, such as the fantastic Árabes taco, featuring marinated pork and a tamarind salsa. His “masterpiece,” though, is the barbacoa, the short rib marinated for days in a cumin–avocado leaf spice paste, cooked overnight, and served with handmade tortillas. 1999 Federal St.