Breaking down Mexico’s regional cuisines in CT

When people think of Mexican food, they might immediately think tacos. However, Mexico and its 32 states offer a wide variety of intricate dishes.

“Mexican food is not just what people know. It’s an endless flavor bomb. It’s such an aggressive palette within the food community. As a chef, I really love and celebrate it, from the spice levels to the freshness of the ingredients for different salsas,” said chef Colt Taylor, owner of Los Charros Cantina in Centerbrook.

From the flour tortillas of Sonora to the cochinita pibil of Yucatan, Mexico’s cuisine is divided by seven culinary regions: North, Pacific North, Central Mexico, Gulf, The Bajio, South Pacific Coast and South.

The whole country shares some staple dishes, but each region prepares them in a particular way. However, many Mexican restaurants in the United States offer dishes from several different regions of the country on their menus due to popular demand.

Before opening Los Charros, Taylor wasn’t sure what type of food was preferred by the community. He ran a yearlong project where he offered people different styles of food throughout a week.

“The population of the area spoke overwhelmingly, saying that they wanted tacos,” said Taylor. He wanted to showcase Mexican food in a new but authentic way, wondering, “How do we make this so that people start to understand the beautiful food of Mexico without thinking it’s street food from a taco truck only?”

Los Charros’ menu offers a variety of tacos such as chicken tingas, carnitas, carne asada and tuna with organic heirloom Oaxacan corn tortillas.

The Mexican diaspora has also found new ways to bring its roots to Connecticut while adding its own twist. One example is Mil Sabores, a Mexican and Venezuelan food truck in Norwalk started by Edwin and Yohana Mondragon.

“It is good to have a variety of authentic food,” said Edwin.

The Mondragons decided to open a food truck that offered people the best of their cultures.

“People like the fusion. They like

Adriana Morga/ Hearst Connecticut Media Tacos from Te Amo Tequila in New Haven.

Above, a drink from Margarita at Mezcal in New Haven. Left, customers line up for Mil Sabores Venezuelan food during the annual Nice Festival on July 10 at Oyster Shell Park in Norwalk.

Erik Trautmann / Hearst Connecticut Media

Derek Turner / Hearst Connecticut Media