What a glorious time we had last Monday at one of our favorite Cleveland restaurants, Momocho! And our great time benefited a wonderful cause - Slow Food Northern Ohio. Chef Eric Williams and his crew opened the restaurant on their day off for this delightful, family friendly evening, with a portion of the proceeds benefiting Slow Food. And though I don't have children (I find the husband quite sufficient) - evenings like this almost make me wish I had one - from the youngest in the house (1 week old Isabel W.) to the almost-two-year-old Pchak twins, to some slightly in-between and even older youngsters. Every one of them was wonderfully behaved.
As an extra bonus - by going relatively early during Daylight Savings Time, and being seated by a window - I actually had good light to photograph (Momocho is one of those places that has dim light and lots of reds at night, which makes photography with my limited skills and camera difficult.)
I started with a Pomegranate Margarita, but then switched to what is now my new all time favorite at Momocho - the Pineapple Margarita with Chile-Lime salt. We had three friends at our table, and an extended table of friends right next to us, and the aforementioned W. family behind us!
While enjoying our cocktails, we ordered up a 3-guacamole sampler. No one makes guacamole like Momocho - simply fresh and fabulous!
Freshly Fried Chips
Guacamole!
Goat Cheese, Tomato, Poblano
Jicama, Pineapple, Habanero, Mint
This was the table favorite.
Garlic Confit, Bleu Cheese, Chile Verde
Starting on the left and going clockwise - goat cheese, pineapple and bleu cheese.
Goat Cheese
Pineapple
Bleu Cheese
The guacamole was a more than ample appetizer for us, so we moved on to the mains!
Pepita & Pecan Crusted Trout w/Jalapeño Mustard Crema & Sofrito Green Beans
My taste was yummy!
Adobo Lamb Chops w/Jalapeño Mustard Crema & Goat Cheese Avocado & Spinach
Since two of my dining companions ordered this dish, I got two different angles on it:
It was wonderful.
Kobe Beef Abondigas, Charred Tomato & Chile Guajillo, Hominy, Truffle Oil, Cotija
This photo does not do justice to this tasty dish - an amazing textural and flavor combo!
Pork Chop el Carbon w/ Oaxacan Mole, Smoked Gouda Tamale Dumplings
My dish - and if I do say so - the winner and most amazing!
Tender, succulent pork and complex mole married with caramelized peppers and those amazing corn dumplings.
Grilled Corn on the Cob w/Chipotle Lime Butter, Cojita & Crema, Pico De Gallo
I first tasted an incarnation of this dish last spring at the Taking it to the Streets for Annie benefit. Chef Eric has refined and improved it - and where oh where does he get corn this good at this time of year?
I am so delighted to show you some of Momocho's food - we love them so much, but don't get there often enough - and when we do, the light often defeats my efforts to capture the food - thanks to Cinqo de Mayo, though, I was able to play with my food with abandon at Momocho last Monday!
As an extra bonus - by going relatively early during Daylight Savings Time, and being seated by a window - I actually had good light to photograph (Momocho is one of those places that has dim light and lots of reds at night, which makes photography with my limited skills and camera difficult.)
I started with a Pomegranate Margarita, but then switched to what is now my new all time favorite at Momocho - the Pineapple Margarita with Chile-Lime salt. We had three friends at our table, and an extended table of friends right next to us, and the aforementioned W. family behind us!
While enjoying our cocktails, we ordered up a 3-guacamole sampler. No one makes guacamole like Momocho - simply fresh and fabulous!
Freshly Fried Chips
Guacamole!
Goat Cheese, Tomato, Poblano
Jicama, Pineapple, Habanero, Mint
This was the table favorite.
Garlic Confit, Bleu Cheese, Chile Verde
Starting on the left and going clockwise - goat cheese, pineapple and bleu cheese.
Goat Cheese
Pineapple
Bleu Cheese
The guacamole was a more than ample appetizer for us, so we moved on to the mains!
Pepita & Pecan Crusted Trout w/Jalapeño Mustard Crema & Sofrito Green Beans
My taste was yummy!
Adobo Lamb Chops w/Jalapeño Mustard Crema & Goat Cheese Avocado & Spinach
Since two of my dining companions ordered this dish, I got two different angles on it:
It was wonderful.
Kobe Beef Abondigas, Charred Tomato & Chile Guajillo, Hominy, Truffle Oil, Cotija
This photo does not do justice to this tasty dish - an amazing textural and flavor combo!
Pork Chop el Carbon w/ Oaxacan Mole, Smoked Gouda Tamale Dumplings
My dish - and if I do say so - the winner and most amazing!
Tender, succulent pork and complex mole married with caramelized peppers and those amazing corn dumplings.
Grilled Corn on the Cob w/Chipotle Lime Butter, Cojita & Crema, Pico De Gallo
I first tasted an incarnation of this dish last spring at the Taking it to the Streets for Annie benefit. Chef Eric has refined and improved it - and where oh where does he get corn this good at this time of year?
I am so delighted to show you some of Momocho's food - we love them so much, but don't get there often enough - and when we do, the light often defeats my efforts to capture the food - thanks to Cinqo de Mayo, though, I was able to play with my food with abandon at Momocho last Monday!
