Beginning July 1, the French-Mexican spot Tzuco ( 720 N. State St.; tzuco.com ) offered indoor seating at 25-percent capacity, per Phase 4 guidelines regarding the coronavirus pandemic.
I stopped by to check out things, and this restaurant seems to be doing everything right in terms of spacing and sanitation. However, I also wanted to assure those who are not ready to sit inside ( or outside, for that matter ) that Tzuco's takeout items are just as delectable as what you could eat sitting there.
In September 2019, Chef Carlos Guytan—the first Mexican-born chef to earn a Michelin star—opened Tzuco, and hopes were high. They still should be.
Dishes encompass Mexico's vibrant flavors while connecting to preparation techniques of French cuisine. Start your meal with tetelas—large corn masa items stuffed with tinga de pollo, sour cream and queso fresco. From there, I went to the avocado flatbread—a visual and gustatory marvel with loads of the berry in addition to ricotta cheese, salsa macha and preserved lemons. ( Yes, avocados are technically berries. )
And the cochinita pobil is a masterpiece of meat—a pork shank with black bean puree, pickled red onion and habanero salsa. The pork was fall-off-the-bone tender, and was served with condiments and tortillas that made this a wonderful entree.
However, leave room for the salted-caramel flan. It's a buzzy ( sweet and slightly bitter ) way to end your meal.
But Tzuco has so much more to offer, including the Tzuco Burger ( beef sirloin, huitlacoche bun, oven-roasted tomatoes, gruyere cheese, caramelized onions, pickled yellow beets and black truffle sauce ), soft-shell crab sandwich, pan-roasted mahi mahi, ceviche verde with cured fresh cactus, roasted octopus and carne asada. And brunch holds more tantalizing surprises, ranging from chorizo crepes to duck waffle to pan dulce.
