Chayote Salad – sunflower seeds, guajillo oil, asian pears 🤤
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If the quality of corn used is one defining metric of a good Mexican restaurant, newcomer @pascual.dc is justifiably maíz royalty. They source Mexican heirloom varieties from @masienda and @tamoamx for their masa. It anchors the courses that begin with a “t”, from the quintessential taco al pastor to the beguiling parsnip tamal. They have a dedicated in-house tortilla maker named Balbina. Not surprisingly, her tortillas are fantastic 🌽

The menu contains five sections: cold, hot, vegetables, proteins, and desserts. Three to four choices per heading keep the options sensibly contained. Just into their second week, the food already feels accomplished, much like the husband-and-wife chefs who head this place. You may know @conroy_matt and @chabelacoss from local favorite @lutecedc in Georgetown. Prior to coming to DC, the couple’s foray into high-end Mexican cuisine covered both Mexico City and NYC where they refined their craft at restaurants with Michelin-star and World’s 50 Best recognition 👏

Pascual feels like a personal space where Matt and Isabel pull from experience and heritage to cook food they love best. Cylindrical chile slices in the chayote salad zing the tastebuds and nip the tongue with just enough heat to announce its presence. The smooth dressing with guajillo oil will draw you back for more bites. A creamy mole blanco overlays the parsnip tamal which gets topped with crunchy bites of almonds and sliced endives. Don’t let its unassuming, monochromatic appearance fool you. It’s one of the best dishes on the menu 😋

A wood-fired hearth plays a central role here, roasting not just the vegetables and proteins but also imparting a delicious smokiness to other components. Take the skate a la brasa, for example. Grilled inside a banana leaf, the sweet flesh is rendered to a silky softness. The meat becomes tender enough to scrape off the bony spines to make fish tacos with the accompanying pickled onions, cucumbers, and cabbage 🌮

I’ve described one-fourth of the menu. There’s so much more to discover, and I can’t wait to return already. Pascual’s kitchen has only begun to fire up 🔥