Itzocan Cafe

[Wilfrid]

I mentioned this little hole in the wall on the thread about huitlacoche in the cooking forum. It's at 438 East 9th between 1st and A (212 677 5856), and the dinner menu offers huitlacoche - a dark, pungent fungus which grows on corn - in quesadillas, along with mushrooms, corn, poblano peppers and cheese, and in a corn soufflee cake.

Word of mouth plus some good press (New York magazine, for example) has this place packed. After two abortive attempts at a spontaneous dinner, I sneaked in mid-afternoon on Saturday to find they were still serving brunch. They serve fourteen covers (only one table for four), so dinner reservations are essential, and indeed I found the owner/chef and server slaving over the reservation book with the phone ringing off the hook.

On the short brunch menu (about $8 or 9$ for an entree with coffee or juice and chips 'n' salsa), I found the huitlacoche in an omelette with corn and cheese. It came out of the kitchen looking a bit dry and yellow, but not at all - the interior was moist and fluffy, and the huitlacoche quickly colored my plate black. It;s a bit like eating mud from the edge of a pond, only in a nice way. A big serving of mildly spicy, rosemary-flecked home fries came with the omelette. The complementary salsa which preceded it was home made. One could immediately sense that this place takes pride in it what it's doing. The decor in the tiny room was thoughtful and attractive; the owner cooked my omelette and then came out to see how it was. Altogether charming.

Anyone get in for dinner yet?

Edited March 12, 2003 by Wilfrid (log)

[Joy]

It;s a bit like eating mud from the edge of a pond, only in a nice way.

...I'm trying to understand this...head bursting into flames...

[guajolote]

That's a very good analogy Wilfrid. The fungus is very "earthy", for lack of a better word and the texture is kind of gritty. When I was in Mexico a few weeks ago several menus translated huitlicoche as "Mexican Truffle".

[Wilfrid]

Thank you. And indeed the first time I had it, the menu gave it as "corn truffle". So in flavor truffly, but in texture more sort of muddy.

Edited March 12, 2003 by Wilfrid (log)

[Liza]

Does all that attention to detail and concern about customer satisfaction get in the way?

[Wilfrid]

Well, obviously it's a bit creepy...

[Joy]

ok, clear now. did you like it though?

[Pan]

Can you order takeout from the place? Huitlacoche sounds like something I'd try once to see if I like "mud from the edge of a pond, only in a nice way."

[Wilfrid]

Sorry, I missed the question Pan. Yes, they have take-out menus - I don't know how far they will deliver - it's a small operation. I posted the phone number above.