La Romeria-The Yucatan but in Morelia

          By Alma Maria Rinasz

Chef Freddy Martinez and La Güare. 

Relocating to another country different from the one you were born is a real adventure but there are times when you might not want so much adventure and chose to stick close to home. And just because you live in Mexico doesn’t always mean you get a chance to travel around the country. I’ve found that one of the best ways to “travel” on a budget is to go to specialized restaurants.  La Romeria (Facebook page), is a small restaurant featuring Yucatan cuisine. Chef Freddy Martinez began La Romeria in Santa Maria de Guido (My Mexican Kitchen review) but recently moved the restaurant downtown to the picturesque but often forgotten Jardin Artilleros (map). 

Photo Source: http://www.panoramio.com/user/3735320?with_photo_id=44060378

Comfortable, lightweight chairs and square tables for four are clustered together on the cobblestoned street that has been closed off from traffic.  The menu is simple but seems to give a good basis in Yucatan food.  Sopa de lima, cochinta pibil, frijol con puerco, pan de camaron are featured on the menu. When we ask about my dining companion's sopa de lima, Chef Martinez explained “this isn’t a traditional sopa de lima, it has a base of turkey broth and it’s made with a tomato reduction”.  It is one of most soothing, soul foods I have tried. The next time I have a cold or another hurricane blows through Michoacan (Tormenta Tropical Fernand) I am getting this soup. For dessert, I shared a slice of chocolate heaven, with my mother who joined me at La Romeria. Otherwise known as Pastel Limatour, this edible piece of paradise is from the delectable, local chocolatier Gerardo Torres's pastery shop, De la Calle Real.

Limatour from De la Calle Real Photo:A.M. Rinasz

Chef Martinez doesn’t limit his offerings to just Yucateca food. I ordered chile en nogada, a typical dish from Puebla. A roasted poblano chile, sweated out and seeds removed, is stuffed with a mixture of ground beef, raisins, chopped nuts and seasoning. It’s the smothered in a rich, thick cream that has been mixed with walnuts and topped off with ruby red pomegranate seeds.  Whether in Michoacan, Yucatan or New York, a chile en nogada is hands down one my favorite Mexican dishes. ¡Buen provecho!

Chile en nogada  Photo: A.M.Rinasz

La Romeria is located in Morelia, Michoacan on Bartolome de las Casas #565, Centro Historico (443) 233-7000 (right in front of Jardin Artilleros).