Dinner with My Grandson
I dined with my grandson, Austin, this week. Just the two of us. I had come up with the names of several nice restaurants, that I thought he might not have gotten around to yet. Without hesitation, he picked Nixta, the upscale Mexican place on Tower Grove that’s part of Chef Ben Poremba’s culinary kingdom.
Austin is an adventurous cook and a big fan of Chef Yotam Ottolenghi.
Nixta is not Mexican in a Chipotle sort of way. And there’s no marimba band, though a dash of samba music is played outdoors during the dinner hour. The place was once a farrier shop for police horses and more recently a fried chicken shack. But today it looks more like a brightly-hued cantina on the west Texas border.
A Good Vibe
Shortly after we arrived, Austin made a quick assessment of the space. “I like it here,” he said. “It has a good vibe.” Those were my thoughts exactly. Still it surprised me to hear him say that, since there’s a big difference in our ages—and often our thinking. Glancing around the dining room, it was obvious that the place had a wide appeal.
One look at the small, but eclectic menu and you know you’re not at Casa Gallardo. The one-pager listed 18-20 items, mostly small plates in sharable portions. Perfect for two. Like all of Ben’s restaurant menus, it was brief, but inspired. A few of the items had words that my Spanish grammar classes didn’t cover, but between the two of us and our savvy table server, we figured it out.
On the Menu
Below are photos and comments about the small plates we shared: Pepita Guacamole, Crab Tostada, Flautas, and Beef Mole.
There were three desserts unmentioned on the menu: a flan, bread pudding, and one other that slipped my mind after hearing our server speak eloquently about the fruit laced-bread pudding.
I often make bread pudding, but never use anything more fruity than golden raisins or dried cranberries. With all that fresh fruits tucked into the batter, this bread pudding had enough pizazz to dance off the plate.
We started with the Pepita Guacamole, rich, chunky, and silky to the taste, sprinkled with crushed pepitas and served with warm, thin tortilla chips. It’s the sort of thing you munch on until it’s gone and run your finger around the dish for the last magnificient bite.
Crab Tostada with blue corn tortilla, avocado, poblano, and mango is a house favorite.
Flautas rolled and stuffed with meat achieve stardom with the addition of seasonal mushrooms, baby greens and a creamy mushroom sauce. Let’s hope this menu item doesn’t get lost in the rotation; it’s a keeper.
Executive Chef Tello Carreon fashions Beef Mole Negro de Abuelita Concepcion from the memories of his grandmother’s kitchen in Guanajuato. The dish features braised beef cheeks, fresh herbs and queso fresco, topped with a mole sauce made of coffee, chocolate and spices—all encircled in chive oil.
The cobalt and coral exterior are a prelude to an evening of adventuresome dining.
Nixta comfortably takes its place among Chef Poremba’s other locations: Elaia, Olio, La Patisserie Chouquette bakery, and Parigi.
Nixta delights the diner with jolts of color from the brightly hued walls, painted tables, woven Mexican textiles, baubles of overhead light to the funky artwork.
Dinner at Nixta makes for an evening of visual and culinary excitement.
Chef Ben Poremba
Meals are best when shared and especially with those who are fond of cooking and curious about foods. Nixta made for just such and evening for me and my grandson.
Nixta, 1621 Tower Grove. Open: Tue-Sat 5p-10p. Thu-Sat 10p-midnight. Late night menu.
