In Search of Mole in Coastal Oaxaca
Basically all I thought about before moving down to Mazunte was all the authentic Mole I would be able to eat. And then I got here and I didn't see a drop of Mole on any menu or table cloth for a few weeks. I asked around and every local I could find wanted me to go to some inland town called Pochutla.
Pochutla is about 45 minutes (by Colectivo) from Mazunte and if you're lucky you will get a seat and maybe a puppy will lick the buckles of your birkenstocks. If you're unlucky you won't get a seat and you'll have to hang off the back of the truck and feel an intense mixture of joy and fear, like what I imagine dogs feels on surfboards.
I was given very specific Mole directions which I somehow managed to follow to perfection (details are not a strength). The results were staggering. I've had Mole plenty of times in the states. I like it. I've never loved it. This experience was different. Obviously all Moles are going to differ a little bit based on however many million ingredients the chef decides to include. The most memorable ingredient being cacao. In the past I've never tasted a very strong chocolate presence. That was not the case this time. The mole was strong and rich and a little spicy and I want more.
Here's how you get there: Enter the market and ask for the location of a place called Tienda Milano. This is a clothing store. Do not go in there unless you need stone washed jeans. To the right of Tienda Milano is the entrance to the indoor market. You will go up a pathway and then up a set of stairs and immediately on your right will be this place called 'Lizbeth.' This is where you Mole.
Obviously I could have been a little more creative with my order. I just got a chicken leg with the Mole. The lady who took my order had a little of the soup Nazi in her and I freaked out a tiny bit. Next time maybe I'll go shrimp or beef.
The Menu:
