Uptown’s Xiquita Is a Deliciously Ambitious Ode to Mexico City

Where:

500 E. 19th Ave., North Capitol Hill

The Draw:

A restaurant with a ton of heart and a clear viewpoint

The Drawback:

Not all items are dialed in; dishes deserve more explanation than currently given.

Noise Level:

Medium

What To Order:

Hoja santa; any of the masa dishes, but especially the tamal Oaxaqueño; martini sucio

When you walk into Xiquita, the new Uptown restaurant from James Beard Foundation Award–nominated chef Erasmo Casiano, one of the first things you’ll notice is a vibrant mural of multicolored corn cobs. The painting, by Panama-born artist and former Denver resident Jahna Rae, is a clue to what Xiquita (pronounced “Chiquita,” like the banana), is all about. Another hint: The menu, written in Spanish and a variety of Mexico’s Indigenous languages, points to Casiano’s commitment to ancestral foodways.

An English-translated menu is tucked beneath the primary version, and non-native Spanish speakers needn’t feel shy about using it. Xiquita is an unapologetic ode to the dynamic cuisine of Mexico City, and diners will benefit from learning all they can about how that translates to the kitchen’s ingredients and techniques. In fact, although much of the food was exceptional, the waitstaff left me wanting more when it came to sharing the restaurant’s mission—or at least expounding on the virtues of the dishes in front of me.

When presented with the outstanding, complimentary house-made tortillas with jalapeño ash butter, I would have loved to hear about the process of nixtamalization and the relevance of ash across Xiquita’s menu. (Nixtamalization is the ancient method of soaking corn in water alkalized with ash to render it tender enough to grind into masa, which forms the base for tamales and corn tortillas, among other things.) To truly understand Xiquita, diners need to understand the keystone, labor-intensive role corn plays in the kitchen.

An observant visitor might draw that conclusion by noting that masa dishes make up a third of the menu. The queen of that section is the tamal Oaxaqueño. Steamed in a banana leaf, the tender, almost custardlike masa arrives smothered in an earthy, black, deeply rich mole that seems to reach back centuries to the central highlands of Mexico where mole was born. Queso fresco, toasted sesame seeds, and the zing of white onion rings modernize the plate. Fourteen dollars for this labor of love is a downright steal.

Read More: The 25 Best Restaurants in Denver in 2024: Lucina Eatery & Bar

Casiano, who debuted nationally acclaimed, locally beloved Lucina in Park Hill in 2022, has handed Xiquita’s toque to executive chef Rene Gonzalez Mendez, who spent years in Mexico City’s fine-dining restaurants (and made an impression on Denver diners at the now-closed Pato’s Tacos). You can taste that pedigree in items like the must-order hoja santa. These bundles of Oaxaca cheese and a salsa of charred, slightly fruity morita chiles are packaged in the dish’s namesake sacred leaf, historically used in Aztec rituals. Redolent of anise, mint, and black pepper, the bright green herb stands up against sautéed mushrooms and dried chile and garlic notes from the ladle’s worth of salsa macha it sits upon. Crowning the gorgeous dish is a tiny tostada dusted with ash and marigold petals.

Pair those deep flavors with the simple martini sucio. The smooth, delicately floral cocktail will ruin you for other dirty martinis. Or, if it’s on offer, lean into a crisp glass of Bodegas Henri Lurton, a Mexican Sauvignon Blanc.

Sadly, even those delightful sips weren’t enough to smooth over a few big missteps. One night in particular, there was such an aggressive use of salt that my dining companion and I both flinched when nibbling the sikil pak: slivered rounds of grilled beet over a Yucatan tomato and pepita spread topped with nubs of goat cheese and sesame-seed-rich pinche salsa macha.

We had a similar experience with the stunningly presented tikin xic. The daily catch—kampachi, that evening—was rubbed with adobo, wrapped in banana leaf, and grilled. Sadly, the fish was mightily overcooked, and the accompanying onion-habanero relish on top was a salt bomb. Meanwhile, the charbroiled oysters, garnished with charred jalapeño butter and maize powder, were wholly unsuccessful, with an off-putting algae flavor. (When I mentioned this to a well-versed food friend who had recently ordered the starter, she relayed that her oysters had been excellent, briny, and bright. I’ll chalk it up to an off night, but I won’t order them again.)

I have full confidence that with more time, Xiquita will be exquisite, just like its sister restaurant Lucina. Beyond correcting the kitchen missteps, though, I desire more connection at a restaurant so steeped in heart and tradition. I wish for more background on the dishes I order and why they matter to the kitchen. I want to feel the pride. Xiquita, which translates to “little girl,” is finding her way. I can’t wait for her to be big and bold.

Read More: Xiquita Explores the Convergence of Flavors and Cultures in Mexico City

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