Mestizo
I had been meaning to check out the dedicated gluten free Mestizo for far too long. And now that I finally have, I’m kicking myself for not trying them sooner!
Mestizo serves a variety of Latin American cuisine, all fresh, tasty and gluten free! I’m a bit hobbled by an injury at the moment, so I ordered Mestizo for delivery this time. For dine in, they are located over on SE Division in a pretty bustling area of restaurants and shops.
As a lot of Latin American food is gluten free by nature due to heavy use of masa and corn tortillas, I had to be sure to try something that isn’t normally available gluten free anywhere - and empanadas fit the bill!
I ordered the sweet corn and queso fresco empanadas. The pastry appears to be made with a blue corn masa, which is so delicious and earthy. The filling has an abundance of that lovely sweet corn flavor - think fresh roasted corn on the grill - cooked long enough to really bring out all the natural sugars. The accompanying sauce really takes it to the next level though. It has a touch of heat, but it’s more of a roasted red pepper flavor that is super addictive.
I paired the empanadas with one of their signature cocktails, the “Bossy”, which is a mezcal, pineapple, peach and spicy bitters based concoction. Perfectly smokey and fruity, but not too sweet - it’s a pity I only ordered one!
For my entree, I ordered the carne asada bowl. There was no option to specify doneness on the Doordash app - not sure if this is the norm for ordering this in the restaurant as well? The meat was definitely visibly cooked to around medium upon arrival, but it was so unbelievably tender and flavorful. You could tell it had been marinated for quite some time, as is proper for a good carne asada. With that, the precise doneness level is a lot less important - as long as it’s not cooked to shoe leather status.
Mestizo offers a variety of tacos (including gluten free fried fish tacos), chips and guac, tostadas, soups, ceviche, and even desserts! There are many vegetarian options and even sides like brussel sprouts and yuca fries, so it’s a perfect spot to dine with a group with various dietary restrictions.
I can’t wait to visit them in person soon!
