Monday, January 30, 2012

Restaurante La Olla and Cocina Economica Isabel


La Olla

La Olla, open Monday through Saturday and located on La Reforma 402 just two blocks from the historic Santo Domingo Church, is popular with locals, tourists, and foreign residents.  For locals the main meal of the day in Oaxaca is the afternoon comida usually served from sometime after one to about four PM. La Olla has a comida corrida which changes daily and includes a freshly-made salad, followed by a soup, a choice of two entrees, with tortillas or bread, and finishing with a dessert or espresso coffee. Many typical Oaxaqueño dishes are featured, so for not much money you can experience the very best traditional cuisine.  Pilar Cabrera, the chef/owner of La Olla, was born in Oaxaca and grew up in the local Oaxaqueño culinary environment and opened “La Olla” in 1994. Her approach to food is earth-friendly, working with regional farmers to provide local flavors, helping the local economy and serving organic products when available.

 
She is also founder and Chef at “Casa de los Sabores” cooking school where she offers a hands-on cooking class which includes an explanation about ingredients, a tour of the local market, hands-on meal preparation, mezcal tasting and finishes with the five course meal you prepared.  La Olla has a website which is in both Spanish and English.  From there you can link to the “Casa de los Sabores” cooking school website.













Isabel

If your budget is tight try Cocina Economica Isabel a few blocks further east just off Pino Suárez and just south of Parque Llano on calle Cosijoeza #200.  As they say don't judge a book by it's cover.  The entry room serves tortas and nieves but walk back into the garden courtyard and there you dine on your comida corrida in lovely surroundings.  The food is simple but fresh and well prepared.  The waitstaff is friendly and efficient.  You start typically with a soup then choose from five main plates, which rotate through the week. Like all comida corridas it includes an agua fresca and a postre.  Isabel is open Monday through Saturday.


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