The ambience is spacious and comfortable, and most importantly with décor unique to Oaxacan eateries ... the old Mexico of the 20's, 30's and 40's. The consistency of theme begins with reception: vintage iron sewing machine bases with thick rosewood-stained table tops, and artwork of the epoch adorning the walls.
The restaurant is furnished with antique-style pine tables, chairs and servers. An absolutely magnificent antique bar complemented by period posters of liquors and mixed drinks is set off to one side. An iron treble clef titivates another wall, with old brass instruments appearing to hang from a page of sheet music striking a pleasant chord. The baby grand is without pianist this evening, but playing nevertheless. A long glass showcase with three shelves upon which are displayed vintage kitchen, dining and imbibing gadgets, and green glass pieces from the depression era, cries out for attention: if you didn't know what this restaurant was all about before, just take a look now. Of course Chory is always there to explain.
When Fernando Gonzalez was a child growing up in Oaxaca, they used to call him Shorty, which naturally, translated into Spanish became Chory. It's taken Don Fernando some fifty plus years to turn what must have then been an embarrassing stature for him, into something of which he can now be proud, Chory's Bistro. He certainly has the pedigree to make this most recent entry into the Oaxacan restaurant lottery a success, with over thirty years in the hotel and restaurant business and training in the United States.
Piping hot from the on-site bread and pastry ovens to the table, a round loaf of bread arrives almost immediately upon being seated, accompanied by a dish of roasted garlic with fresh rosemary and drenched in olive oil for spreading. The selection of blended scotches and other liquors is sufficiently broad for both Oaxacans and travelers alike, the wine list is short but covers all bases for matching menu selections, and the mixed drinks reassure that the bar is there to serve.
The menu is shorter than most, but the selections seem to be just that, carefully chosen items developed by Don Fernando over the years. We began with appetizers of Caesar salad, baked oysters and paté, each of which is unique to Oaxaca, even though the salad appears on several menus. In this case the dressing was not from a bottle, but rather freshly prepared, with anchovies and all, in the kitchen ... not the regular kitchen, but the secret kitchen in a separate building where Don Fernando personally prepares certain mixtures and salsas so as to assure that his recipes do not find their way into competing eateries. Even the croutons are baked on site. The chicken liver paté was the best I've tasted outside of my grandmother's haimishe home. The oysters were to die for, prepared au gratín with manchego cheese in a moderately spiced cilantro salsa. If you are disposed to ordering this plate, consider the larger size so others in your party can appreciate it ... they won't let you keep it to yourself.
Two of Chory's signature dishes which we tried were Chory's Steak Select and the smoked shrimp. The latter consists of 5 oversized jumbo crustaceans smoked on the premises and served with a chipotle dipping sauce and garnishes. They were cooked to perfection. The carne negra is beef tenderloin marinated in another secret salsa, comprising one or more of the multitude of local chilies, and other herbs and spices, then flame grilled -- unique and delectable to the extreme. Our final entrée was barbecued pork ribs, perhaps not unusual to the American palate, but in the case of southern Mexico, something not commonly encountered. Thankfully the ribs were more than expected in that they were not fall-off-the-bone, signifying no over-boiling (if they've in fact touched water at all), and the Texas-style BBQ sauce was tangy and rich.
Rather than selections from the antique pastry cart which was rolled out to our table, we opted for Singapore style plantains prepared with Kahlúa, and Oaxacan lime pie, both of which were up to par and did the trick.
I recommend all of the signature dishes as well as the foregoing plates found without the special designation. Over the past dozen years of friendship with Chory and his family, my wife and I have tried them all.
-
Chory's Bistro
Flores Napolitas No. 301
San Felipe del Agua, Oaxaca
(951) 133-6136
Tues – Sun, 2 – 10
Entrées from 60 to 200 pesos
Private dining room for 12 available.
Alvin Starkman together with wife Arlene operates Casa Machaya Oaxaca Bed & Breakfast. Alvin received his masters in social anthropology in 1978, and his law degree in 1984. Thereafter he was a litigator in Toronto until taking early retirement. He and his family were frequent visitors to Oaxaca between 1991 and when they became permanent residents in 2004. Alvin reviews restaurants, writes about life and cultural traditions in Oaxaca, and tours couples and families to the villages.