Easter is a time for thoughts of transformation and redemption and Los Telares, one of the most resilient of venues in Ajijic, proved the perfect Easter-dinner atmosphere. Our party of four were greeted pleasantly at the entrance, always an important touch that makes guests feel welcome and appreciated, especially on Catholicism’s grandest feast day.
Los Telares offers a number of things among its attractions, central Ajijic location on the east side of Calle de Colon, steps from the malecon, parking availability, a friendly wait-staff, and a garden setting with well-spaced tables and gentle background music. Los Telares means The Looms, an image that may not suit a restaurant, except for the loom’s capacity for exacting precision and consistency. This restaurant’s culinary efforts have shown that kind of reliability. What’s more, Chef Luis Cabello presides over a menu with delightful entrees for guests looking for something special, especially with Mexican panache. Mexican cuisine is currently considered a rising star in many international cities. And it is largely because of chefs like Cabello, who will present native and standard dishes in grand and exotic fashion.
Our dinners were all nicely plated, such that our party delighted in taking the time to admire each dish and presentation at our table. Everything was served with a smile and a vigilance that matched the plate presentations. My Axixic Chicken dish is a restaurant specialty, and I’ve had it there several times. It’s always perfect. The green sauce that pools about and over the chicken-breast slices is pesto-like but with toasted and ground pumpkin seed, cilantro and clove – a pre-hispanic recipe from Guatemala. Mild, delicate and fresh, this sauce is a luscious enhancement to the juicy chicken set over sauteed squash and other soft-pulp veggies. The other dishes were prepared with the same five-star quality: an arrachera that was one of the most flavorful I’d ever tasted in the village. It came with baked potato and a grilled chorizo accompaniment. The seared tuna steak encrusted with sesame seeds also drew raves: moist tuna wrapped in a fine crisp outer texture and butter-knife tender inside. The Greek Salad, filled with fresh leafy vegetables, black olives, cherry tomatoes and aromatic feta cheese, offered a light but fancy springtime meal.
Los Telares is renowned for its bar, and it’s easy to get laid-back and relaxed there. It features dozens of fine tequilas, a ladder of fine whiskeys, vodkas and other spirits, and a large selection of Mexican beers.
So, while the food may be up-scale, the dining experience aims to remain casual and mellow – a nice, combination that gives Mexican cuisine a special international reputation.