Puebla: Modern Mexican

The other night my family and I went out to dinner at Puebla: Modern Mexican. Puebla is one of my favorite restaurants because of the fact that they're pushing the new, trendy, city like vibe in the suburban area. The food reflects the exact look of the restaurant, colorful, new, clean cut, and flavorful.
  
We started out the meal with chips and three salsas, (from right to left) Chile De Arbol, Verde, and Jalapeno. The chips were golden, warm, and crispy with the perfect hint of salt. The Chile De Arbol was the most standard of the salsas; fresh, very little heat, with an undertone of smokey, roasted tomatillo. By far my favorite, the Verde salsa had a little bite to it as the freshness of the green tomatillos were perfectly complimented with garlic, cilantro, and lime; so delicious. And lastly was the Jalapeno salsa which turned out to be quite a surprise. I was expecting a red tomatillo, spicier version of a traditional salsa, but what came out was a decadent, creamy, Jalapeno and garlic cream (almost like an aioli). It was a delicious and innovative twist.

To keep the starters going we ordered the Elote Guacamole (unfortunately not vegan) with grilled corn, epazote, a little heat with some serrano, and fresh cilantro, topped with creamy queso fresco. I love how grilling corn creates a golden caramelization  and brings out the natural sweetness of the corn. It was a perfect sweet and savory pair in this creamy guacamole.

For my meal I ordered the Hongos tacos (vegetarian but not vegan) which were sautéed portabello mushrooms and red peppers, topped with a very spicy peanut mole, finished with a sprinkle of cotija cheese, all wrapped in Bibb lettuce. These tacos were fresh, spicy, and crunchy. I didn't feel heavy after eating them, and probably would've been able to finish them if I hadn't filled up on chips! 

Overall Puebla's food is amazing; authentic Mexican with a modern, tapas style twist. As for the vegan options, they are lacking ( other than the chips and salsa) but finding something healthful AND delicious wasn't a trouble with their vegetarian options. Puebla is one of my favorite Mexican restaurants in my area from the sleek design to the innovative food, and I'd bet it'd be one of your favorites too after a delicious meal like I had!