Skip to content

4 Must Try Mexican Dishes

  • Blog

Oftentimes in the United States, Mexican cuisine is limited to Tex-Mex restaurants. Now, there’s nothing wrong with Tex-Mex, but it is a simplification of Mexican food, which has a long and diverse history, dating back to the Mayans of 2,000 years ago who sustained themselves on foods like beans, pork, and corn. Luckily, there are plenty of Mexican restaurants in Miami and Mexican restaurants in Coral Gables that produce authentic Mexican food. So, here are four dishes to try at Mexican restaurants.

Ceviche
For someone looking for a light and fresh fish dish, ceviche is a great option. Ceviche is fish that is actually cooked in acid, rather than over heat. Typically, lime is used as the acid, which gives the fish used a citrus flavor. Other seasonings, such as olive oil, garlic, cilantro, and chiles are often used for flavor. White fish is commonly used in ceviche, but shellfish, like shrimp, are commonly used too. This is a refreshing course, often eaten as an appetizer for a larger meal, and great for a hot summer’s day.

Octopus Tres Chiles
When thinking about the food you can get at typical Mexican restaurants in the United States, octopus is rarely on the list of items. However, much of Mexico is along the coastline, making seafood like Octopus popular. In the case of Octopus Tres Chiles, it’s served with three different chiles, either as a sauce or the peppers themselves. This gives the grilled octopus a bold flavor, making it one of the most popular options at authentic Mexican restaurants.

Roasted Pork Belly Mole Blanco
Pork belly is one of the best cuts of a pig, incredibly tender and savory while offering a similar crunch to breakfast bacon. In this case, it’s served over rice and paired with a blend of nuts. Pine nuts and almonds are commonly used while cooking the dish as well as when garnishing the pork belly. These nuts help to flavor the pork belly and give it an additional crunch when eating it. Mole refers to the sauce that is used in the dish. Typically, mole is rich and sweet.

Huachinango en Salsa Verde
A popular fish dish, Huachinango en Sala Verde is a snapper that is cooked in tomatillo and shellfish juice. Clam juice is the traditional choice, and it can also be cooked with shrimp. This is another dish that highlights Mexico’s great seafood tradition that is often overlooked. Sweet and light from the shrimp and fish, this dish also has a great tomato flavor coming from the tomatillo sauce that it is cooked in. This gives an earthy flavor to a dish that is otherwise based in the ocean, and makes it an incredibly popular option.

Mexican restaurants have often been limited in the popular imagination to tacos and burritos, but that couldn’t be further from the truth. Authentic Mexican cuisine offers a variety of flavors, proteins, and textures. Desserts, from spiced rice pudding to tres leches cake, are varied, and even in drinks like tequila can a person find a variety of flavors and choices depending on the occasion and their personal preference.