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Information, discussions, attractions, and activities in México with a focus on Michoacán, El Alma de México.
 
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 La Mesa de Blanca Otra Vez

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Don Cuevas
Amigo
Don Cuevas


Posts : 281
Join date : 2011-02-21
Location : Michoacán, Mexico
Job/hobbies : Retired
Humor : incomprehensible

La Mesa de Blanca Otra Vez Empty
20110228
PostLa Mesa de Blanca Otra Vez

We returned with friends yesterday to the delightful Mesa de Blanca at Ziracuaretiro. This was, if I've counted correctly, our fourth visit in just under a year. We'd also been to the breakfast only restaurant, "El Gorjeo de Las Aves En Las Mañanas de Abril", owned and operated by the same couple on two other occasions. Both are very attractive, El Gorgeo almost Eden-like, but overall, the menu selection is more extensive and interesting at La Mesa de Blanca. Note that El Gorgeo is open for breakfast everyday, from 9 to 1, and La Mesa de Blanca open only Thursdays, Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays, from 1 to 6. We prefer the weekend days. Yesterday, we arrived just before 2 and there were plenty of tables free. When we left a couple of hours later, there were guests waiting for seating.

La Mesa de Blanca Otra Vez IMG_8203

La Mesa de Blanca has three kitchens. This one, in the entry hall, is dedicated to masa de maíz, carnitas and grilled meats.

There's a choice of three dining rooms, all bright and airy. The main room has aquaria of carp or very large goldfish. But we chose again to sit in "El Refugio", an elevated and slightly detached terrace off the service bar, which is far from the kiddie playground and where chldren may not enter.

As I've already covered most of our previous visits on my blog, http://mexkitchen.blogspot.com/ I'll limit this to a brief decription of what we five ate yesterday. We focused on the "botanas", which are really more like substantial appetizers, then later, ordered two platos fuertes.

Guacamole con Chicharrones is simple well made. It's hard to beat freshly made guacamole, in an avocado growing district, in a restaurant patronized by aguacateros and their families.

The tacos de carnitas are always good, and yesterday was no exception, this time on freshly made blue corn tortillas. They are served with dishes of pickled jalapeños, pickled carrots, onions and cauliflower and a bowl of salsa roja. All was good, but the salsa roja seemed a littled "tired" in contrast to that of previous visits.

We also had two orders among us the the Platonic dish, Chiles Capones, 3 per order, of long, dark green chles pasillas filled with strips of queso fresco and served in a pool of salsa verde no muy picante, and laced with crema.

Out of curiosity, I ordered Manitas de Cerdo al Chipotle, which was the least memorable dish of all those we had. It was cooked very tender, but the textures did not appeal to me, and the sauce was underseasoned.

Before our meal,my wife and I both had glasses of mezcal, accompanied by the unique sangrita made in house. There's also an extensive listing of Tequilas. The aguas frescas of the day were zapote negro or horchata. Unfortunately, the signature agua de zarzamora was not available. I highly recommend that to all. It's worth asking if it's available. I didn't try the zapote, but my wife did and said is was sweet but not a lot of flavor. The horchata was very pleasant, just the drink to accompany comida picante, and tasted more of almonds than of the usual cinnamon.

During a pause, we discussed platos fuertes and even whether any were desireable. Two of us decided to go for it. Our friend, Ron ordered Mixiote de Cordero, tender morsels of seasoned lamb, impressively presented in a bag from the inner tissue from pencas de maguey. All of us sampled it, and agreed that it was excellent.

I ordered Trucha a la Talla, simply trout split length wise and coated with a mild adobo rojo before grilling. I realized later I'd had that before, but it was a suitably relatively light main dish.

None of us had room for dessert, but there was one café American (weak, sad to say), a rum, and for me, an anís seco. Overall, a very enjoyable afternoon of excellent food and the company of friends.

Rather than try to put more photos in this post, I'll simply direct those of you interested to view them here: http://tinyurl.com/MesaDeBlanca
There's also a map in the album and a Google Map Photo Location on the right of the window.
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La Mesa de Blanca Otra Vez :: Comments

Peter
Re: La Mesa de Blanca Otra Vez
Post Mon 28 Feb 2011, 11:31 by Peter
On the way back from the coast one afternoon we were passing by Ziracua (that is the abbreviation used on the back of their taxis there and on other signs) we decided to pull in to town for comida. We had a nice tour of the town but could only find one restaurant open, a mariscos place and after being on the coast for several days we really had in mind something else, anything else. I think we ended up holding our appetites until we got back into Morelia.

Very likely as we passed through it was on a Wednesday so La Mesa de Blanca would not have been open. Our usual travel days for this sort of trip might have also had us passing through on a Thursday during the appropriate hours but we would not have found this place as it appears to be well off the main drag. I take it, simplified, the restaurant is on Av Ferrocarril past the tracks and visible enough at that point to see it, correct? We would come down the main drag looking to make a left (where the choice is a left only) onto that street and RR tracks would be visible ahead as we were preparing to turn??

In some ways it seemed an appealing town, comfortable but very busy with people going about. I would like to go back there again sometime, the next time finding a restaurant - hopefully one you describe.

Besides the aguacates you mention it appears banana growing is also a big industry there. Our car was filled with family and all the things we took to and from the coast so did not buy any platanos as I was tempted to do. They seemed to be available in several roadside stands in a variety of shapes, sizes, and colors. Did you try any of the bananas or purchase any fruit from the stands there?

If you know of a time when you will be going back for breakfast or comida let us know ahead of time so we can maybe meet there in town. It is a good hour or more out of Morelia so next time we don't want to leave with an empty stomach.
Don Cuevas
La Mesa de Blanca: directions
Post Mon 28 Feb 2011, 12:14 by Don Cuevas
When you come into Ziracua from the Autopista, you come to a bridge arched over the railroad tracks. Immediately after crossing the bridge, the road forks at a Y. Take the left along the main commercial street, which is also the libre continuing to Taretan, I believe.

In about 4 or 5 blocks, Av. Ferrocarril is to the left, and there's presently a banner with "La Mesa de Blanca" on it. You'll only see the tracks when you turn into the street.

Turn left there, descend and cross the RR tracks, then almost immediately uphill on the left is the large restaurant building. The free parking lot is to the right.

I've seen banana plants in Ziracua, but wasn't aware that bananas were a big industry there. I did know that they also grow a lot of zarzamoras in the area, as well as mangos. The fruit stands in town were featuring good looking mameyes yesterday.

When we plan our next visit there, we'll let you know. This one came up impulsively at the last minute.
Peter
Re: La Mesa de Blanca Otra Vez
Post Thu 17 Mar 2011, 19:02 by Peter
I read on the Mexican tourist brochure from the State of Michoacán that Ziracuarétiro in P'urhépecha means "place where it quits being cold and starts being hot" so armed with that info and moderator controls I thought this topic would bring a little flavorful delight to the loneliness of this forum.

I'll bring it some company if I can find something I've written about the birria de chivo at Cuatro Caminos by Nueva Italia. Less than 4 weeks and well over 500 posts now it could take some searching though. Might be awhile. May have to write something new about that and a note or two about the dairy farms of Taixtan near Tepalcatepec.

Did you know there was a muffler ordinance along the main Blvd of Apatzingán? Not sure if that meant for your car or your firearms.
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