A couple weeks previously, we had taken my friends Nancy and Fred on a day trip to Cholula. For dinner we had driven the short distance to Puebla and ate at one of the branches of "La Fonda de Santa Clara". It is a chain of restaurants that specializes in the cuisine of Puebla. All four of us were pleased with our meals, the service and ambiance.
On our first night in Puebla, Alejandro and I went to the downtown branch of "La Fonda de Santa Clara". We arrived shortly after seven. The place was dead with only a couple tables occupied, and we were informed that the kitchen would be closing at 7:45. We thought it odd that they were closing so early on a Saturday night.
We ordered our meals. I had the same dish that Fred had ordered a couple weeks ago at the other "Fonda"... "manchamantel", a type of "mole" whose name means "tablecloth stainer". Fred had really liked the dish, and it was very good here also.
Alejandro ordered the traditional "mole poblano". His "mole" was OK, but the chicken breast was very dry.
Before we were done with our main courses, the waiter came to ask if we wanted to order dessert before the kitchen closed. We ordered crepes with "cajeta" (Mexican goats' milk caramel) to share. A Frenchman would have been incensed by the rubbery texture of the crepes that they served us. I was going to pay with my credit card. However, the waiter said that the credit card terminal wasn't working and asked if we could pay in cash. I don't know what he would have done if we had not brought cash with us.
The whole experience just seemed very different from the other "Fonda", and we left the place rather dissatisfied.
The next night we dined at a different place... a boutique hotel and restaurant located in an historic, colonial mansion called "La Casona de la China Poblana". (In a future post I will tell you the legend of the woman who was known as the "China Poblana".) The setting is very pleasant in the courtyard of the mansion.
As a starter, Alejandro ordered rice with "mole poblano". Alejandro is something of a "mole" connoisseur, and he said that the "mole" was one of the best he has ever had.
I started with "fideo seco" (a noodle dish) which was topped with shredded chicken and served with various garnishes. It was very good. Even the "chicharrón" (pork rind - not my favorite) was crispy and tasty.
For my main course I had chicken served with a "mole" I had never had before. It was made with cashew nuts. Excellent.
Alejandro had red snapper in a tamarind sauce. The ring is made of pastry and reminded me of Yorkshire pudding. He said that it was very good.
So, for our two night stay in Puebla, "La Casona de la China Poblano" was definitely the winning dining experience.
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