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Morelia Restaurants
Origo, a bakery of origin, returns to the beginning of food and flavors. Pietro’s motto is “from the field to your hand” and the slogan “desde el campo hasta tu mano” is around his bakery.
Besides the burgers, choose from salads, baguettes, pizzas and sandwiches, along with special breads, puff pastries: croissants and seasonal treats like macarons, eclairs and pies. His bakery has dozens of kinds of breads, specializing in bolillos.
You might not be in the mood for the perfect burger, but if you want food which is as close to its origins as possible, try Origo.
…the origin of the perfect hamburger…
It doesn’t take a gourmet chef to define a perfect hamburger. The bun holds together to the last bite. The meat should be the right texture, neither tough from over-cooking, nor mushy from under-cooking. The sauce must flavor, but not overpower, the entire burger. The lettuce has to be crisp and the tomato ripe.
The origin of the hamburger was perfection and at Origo, it still is.
However, the spotlight is on the meat of the OrigoBurger. Ground in their own kitchen using pure beef, the burger is virtually, fat-free, seasoned with spices and Dijon Mustard seeds. Patties are hand formed, sealed in a vacuum bag, slow cooked for several hours in a water bath, opened and seared on a griddle. The sous-vide method of vacuum cooking retained all the juices, flavors and spices, while the hours of slow cooking produced the most tender, perfectly cooked patty imaginable.
As I bit-down, my teeth pushed past the poppy seeds to the “masa” bun, yellow from the corn, with the distinct flavor of sourdough. The sourdough-starter is over 80 years old, from a batch made by the great, great grandmother and literally smuggled out of Italy and into Morelia. The sliced tomatoes are slathered wth mayonnaise, placed on top of the lettuce and all of that is covered with lightly sautéed, thinly sliced, purple onion.
The seared burger was perfectly prepared, virtually grease-free, with a texture compatible with the rest of the burger. This is the origin of the perfect hamburger.
Besides the organic, green salad, the other choice of a side were different varieties of herb encrusted roasted potatoes, with a hint of olive oil.
Rose and I met the owner, Pietro, who was excited to chat about Origo. He spent part of his life in Italy, but preferred Mexico, the home of his mother. He went to Paris to study cooking and returned to Morelia eight years later to start his business.
From the ground up, Pietro started with land north of Morelia, growing his own grains. He has a mill to stone-grind his own grain.
Sponsor
Free
100%
Panadería de Origen
opens daily at 8am, 9am on Sunday
-parking in back-
The burger was a masterpiece of delicious flavors, including the quarter-pound beef patty, seasoned to perfection. I wanted to try the falafel, but a previous customer cleared the racks and kept them all to herself. But, I’m not bitter. There is always a next time.
And there will be a next time to try the other delights on the menu. They do french fries with pico de gallo, sprinkled with Oaxacan cheese and covered with mushroom gravy. The churros are the best, according to that friend, while the chilaquiles, molletes and croissants sandwiches looked delicious.
PATCHÁ = FOOD-LOVE-ART
PATCHÁ = FOOD-LOVE-ART
Aldama 373-B, Morelia 58000
Burgers Galore
When the biggest decision is deciding between burgers, either beef, portobello mushrooms or lentil patties, you know you are at the right place. PATCHÁ is tucked in the heart of Morelia, just down the street from Casona Rosa B&B on Aldama, and the home of all three tastes.
Chef Jorge and server Alexis are a delight. They have only been open two months, but ready to expand their location. They are planning cooking classes and are ready for group meals. The bottom floor has communal tables, while the second floor offers 4-tops.
As I waited for my dining companion, a friend informed me it was the best lentil burger in the world, while a total stranger thought the portobello burger was the tastiest in town.
So, I tried the beef.
All of the burgers are “…a la lena,” cooked over wood-fire for a true burger taste.
Everything is homemade.
The fries are hand-cut and the salad was a mixture of fresh greens, with chopped tomatoes and cheese crumbles on top. Drinks included Agua de Jamaica, plus organic coffee and teas.
The location is surrounded by universities, but there was plenty of parking spaces and easily accessible in the centro.
Next time you are craving artful food in Morelia, try PATCHÁ.
You will not be disappointed.
There is a choice between fresh salad or fries
ORIGO'S
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ORIGO'S
Boulevard Garcia de Leon 936
Nueva Chapultepec
Morelia 58280
PATCHÁ
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La Conspiracion de 1809
Conspiracy for a great birthday!
Saying Happy Birthday to a bestie must be done impeccably. Linen tablecloths, folded napkins, old-world charm, a fresh, open, indoor setting, snappy service, conscientious owners, and a downtown Morelia location make Restaurante La Conspiracion de 1809 the perfect gift: a fabulous birthday meal.
We left Casona Rosa B&B and walked around the corner to the middle of everything, the south side of Plaza de Armas. We chose an inside table to enjoy the luxurious ambiance and comfortable surroundings.
First to arrive was a basket of warm rolls and bowls of room temperature butter.
What a concept: spreadable butter.
The chilly afternoon called for warm bowls of soup. The cream of garlic was just that: creamy garlic, the most unusual and delicious soup I have tasted. My Tarascan soup had a unique, delicious flavor with extremely thin, julienne of tortillas.
Cream of Garlic Soup
The servings at La Conspiraion were large. I was thrilled Rose was such a small eater since she was generous with me sampling her dishes.
How could I review something I had NOT eaten?
Neither of us was drinkers and we were offered a variety of bottled waters. I noticed the table next to us (6 feet, social-distanced away) had house wine which was served in a huge wine goblet, with a heavy pour.
There is nothing skimpy about La Conspiracion.
The four Tacos de Pescado were handmade corn tortillas with fish fillets, served with relish, slaw, garnished with huge, thin radish slices, pickled cabbage, and served with a mayonesa sauce. I was thrilled when Rose could only eat two, since I got the other two of the BEST fish tacos del mundo.
My salmon should have been served with violins and angels since it was directly for heaven. The entire dish was layered in a mild pesto-type sauce. There were wedges of baked potatoes with a large portion of perfectly grilled salmon. The other side of the plate had a huge portion of mixed veggies, perfectly al dente. It was an excellent combination of flavors.
What’s a birthday without dessert? The baked meringue was big enough for two. The middle of the large serving had whipped cream, arranged with sliced fresh strawberries, and surrounded with a mixture of other local berries, including blues. (Yes, blueberries are locally grown around here.)
The combination of textures from crisp meringue, dollops of local fruit jelly, savory fruits, and creamy whipped were a culinary experience.
The birthday feast with Rose was an exquisite meal. We left smiling.
La Chef Cynthia Martinez and husband Roberto González welcomes you to La Conspiracion 1809.
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Allende #209, centro Historia. Plaza de Armas
CIELO COCINA FUSIÓN
Boulevard García de León 700
Morelia
