CleverRoot

7 6 | t h e c l e v e r r o o t VARIETY IS THE SPICE OF LIFE WITH THESE TRENDING MEXICAN RESTAURANTS by Irene Virbila A NEW GENERATION of chefs from across the border are bringing their so- phisticated contemporary Mexican cuisine to diverse American cities like Houston, San Francisco, New York and Los Angeles. These very serious restaurants can easily hold their own against the best of any genre— in fact, one is from Enrique Olvera, a Mexico City chef who has two restaurants on the World's 50 Best Restaurants list.A meal at any of these modern Mexican spots is sure to be revelatory. Atla, New York City, NY When Mexico's most influential chef, Enrique Olvera of Pujol in Mexico City, opened Cosme in New York City, you couldn't get in for months. Now he's gone casual with an affordable, all-day concept called Atla: That's big news considering he has not one, but two restaurants on the World's 50 Best Restaurants list (Pujol, ranked the best restaurant in Mexico,is No. 20, while Cosme holds the No. 40 spot). Atla's menu, conceived with Daniela Soto-Innes, the young, hyper- talented head chef of Cosme, just works. I would have breakfast here (available until 4 p.m.) every day if I could. Start with a cup of traditional sweetened café de olla and some irresistible, impossibly flakey chur- ros or a bowl of chia oatmeal. And then, maybe—just because I love them—two perfect chicken enchiladas with green or red salsa. Even better, order them di- vorciadas (divorced)—half red, half green. Chila- quiles sprinkled with flax seeds are terrific, too, and you definitely have to order the dreamy guacamole piled high with herbs—cilantro, basil and tarragon— crowned with a jaunty giant chip. I wouldn't say no to another glass of the refreshing fermented pineapple drink called tepache either. Atla, 372 Lafayette Street, New York City, atlanyc.com Enchiladas with red salsa and crema at Alta in New York City. SENSE OF PLATE Mexico Moderne PHOTO: SIGNE BIRCK

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