12 November 23 - 29, 2023 dallasobserver.com DALLAS OBSERVER Classified | MusiC | dish | Culture | unfair Park | Contents Inca Do Ayahuasca might be Dallas’ most under- rated restaurant. BY LAUREN DREWES DANIELS A yahuasca might be the most out-of-sight restaurant in Dallas. For a bit of background, in the Quechua language of the Inca Empire, aya means spirit or soul — or, maybe dead body, depending on where you look. The word waska refers to twine around something, like a rope or a woody vine. To- gether, ayahuasca is a line to the soul. If you ask the owner of the restaurant that bears that name in Dallas, he’ll point to the middle of his forehead and matter-of-factly say, “It’s your third eye.” Ayahuasca is also the name of a tradi- tional psychoactive brew concocted by a shaman and used in rituals and healing cere- monies in the Amazon Basin. Hipsters and Hollywood stars dabble in the ritual and brew, looking to vomit in a tent in Costa Rica to get visions of their childhood. In Oak Cliff, however, Ayahuasca is a dark dining room behind Xaman Cafe — an inten- tional pairing of the medicine man and the drink he makes. Here, owner Mauricio Gal- legos and chef Monica Lopez serve pre-His- panic dishes and techniques influenced by Oaxaca, Mexico. A native of Mexico City, Gallegos travels to Oaxaca several times a year, bingeing on food and drinks throughout the region, each town with its own traditions and recipes. In addition to the menu ideas, ingredients and mezcal he discovers, Gallegos stuffs his suit- case with locally made dishes and mugs to bring back to his cafe and restaurant. To find this hidden gem in Oak Cliff, don’t look for a sign. There isn’t one. Enter at Xaman Cafe on Jefferson Boulevard and walk down the only hallway toward a wooden door. Inside candles provide most of the light. A tree-like table in one corner is dripping with wax, and the art around the space, much of it Catrinas in some form, is all from Mexico. Every bottle behind the bar is from Mex- ico: rum, gin, red wine and, naturally a lot of tequila and mezcal. A house cocktail, the Pulqueloma ($15.50) is made with pulque, which is the fermented sap of a maguey plant (a cousin of mezcal), along with espa- din (a variety of mezcal) and a splash of lime and grapefruit served in a traditional bowl- like cup made from a gourd. The cocktail menu, much like the dinner menu, will likely have some ingredients you don’t recognize, but that’s part of the aim. Gallegos wants to introduce diners to pre- Hispanic flavors and traditions that have been a part of the Mexican culture for hun- dreds of years. He also sees it as an opportu- nity for engagement between servers and diners; Servers will walk guests through the menu, asking them what looks interesting or what kind of dish they’re looking for. The bar team will also gladly walk you through many bottles of mezcal, homing in on specific varietals and flavors. Like the mezcal Nuestra Soledad, which is smoky compared to Derrumbes, from San Luis Po- tosi, which has a slight citrus touch. We started with the chicharron en salsa verde made with tender pork confit, a vi- brant green salsa with chile de arbol oil and criollo corn tortillas. The pork is fork tender and in perfect harmony with the piquant salsa; wrapped in one of the homemade tor- tillas, it is a beautiful bite. The tuetano, however, we can’t recom- mend highly enough. Two large bones filled with marrow are topped with a lively chimi- churri. A bowl of diced ribeye is served along- side. Scoop up a spoonful of baked marrow from the bone and spread it into a criollo torti- lla, then drop some of the ribeye in the middle. Top it with mushroom and bell pepper hash. There’s sauce, too, but first try one bite with- out it. These $49 tacos are worth every dime. For a bit of show, just before this dish is set down, a server lights totomoxtle leaves (husks) under the bones, creating a brief fiery spectacle, like a phoenix landing on the table. Pulpo and Tinta (octopus and ink) is an enticing and fun dish. A large plate of grilled octopus is covered in a reduced sauce that is splattered across the plate mimicking ink. The bite-sized chunks of charred octopus are perfect, not a second overcooked. Caldo de piedra is another show-off dish that also delivers gastronomically. This tra- ditional Oaxacan soup, as Gallegos explains, is prepared by the men of the indigenous community of San Felipe Usila in the Tuxte- pec region of Mexico to honor and recog- nize the women in the region. The soup is served in jicara (gourd) and cooked at the table with two volcanic stones that a server carefully drops into the broth. Cilantro, celery, red chilies, onions, toma- toes and more spices are added plus redfish, pulpo and shrimp. After the broth boils and simmers, the resulting rich broth and soup is quite amazing. Reservations aren’t necessary but are suggested to make sure you get a table in the modestly sized spot. Ayahuasca’s happy hour runs Tuesday through Thursday from 5 to 7 p.m. and of- fers $10 cocktails — a margarita, mezcalita, paloma and a few others. Go early for a cocktail, but you likely won’t want to leave, so plan on dinner as well. Ayahuasca, 334 Jefferson Blvd. Tuesday – Saturday, 5 p.m. – midnight. ▼ COFFEE SIP AND SPIN SPIN COFFEE AND VINYL IS A HYBRID CAFE AND RECORD STORE IN DALLAS THAT DELIVERS MUSIC, ATMOSPHERE AND CAFFEINE. BY CARLY MAY GRAVLEY T he Spin Coffee & Vinyl, a hybrid cof- fee and music store in Far North Dal- las, has the kind of ambiance people make ASMR videos trying to replicate: a cozy coffee shop with a record player spin- ning oldies. That search on YouTube brings up over 5 million results. Those do in a pinch if you’re trying to fall asleep, but what Spin has going for it is a little harder to replicate. The menu at the coffee shop side of things is simple, sticking to the familiar drinks you’ll find in most cafes. Three-dollar lattes and cappuccinos while perusing al- bums isn’t a bad deal at all. There are also chai, teas and espresso shots. The presenta- tion of the drinks is both aesthetically pleas- ing and functional. The coffee cups have rims that spiral and swoop outward. This not only feels visually in line with the vinyl record theme but also makes it easier to sip out of a completely full cup. The drinks themselves are a warm and fuzzy way to start the day. The mocha is smooth, with an Instagramable chocolate drizzle on top. The drinks pair well with pastries — croissants, scones and biscuit | CITY OF ATE | ▼ Dish Lauren Drewes Daniels Tuetano comes with two servings of bone marrow topped with chimichurri, with diced rib-eye and homemade tortillas. 12817 Preston Road, Suite 105 • 972-392-0190 indiapalacedallas.com Taste The Best Indian Food in Dallas
