Raul and Olga Reyes Are Back With Mesa

by Steven Doyle

Former owners of La Palapa Veracruzana will be soon opening their newest restaurant in Oak Cliff, Mesa which is billed as Veracruz Coastal Cuisine at 118 West Jefferson Blvd. Chef-Owners Raul and Olga Reyes come from Alvarado, Veracruz the coastal city off the Mexican peninsula on the eastern seaboard of the Gulf of Mexico.

The region in Veracruz is rich with seafood and wild game and the Reyes family is committed to bringing their guests that same experience.

The former restaurant La Palapa Veracruzana was extremely popular with local food enthusiasts due to its penchant for authenticity. The new restaurant promises that same feel, striving to bring their Mexican experience to Dallas. Mesa will offer  authentic coastal cuisine Raul and Olga have been cooking and eating since their childhood using the highest quality fresh seasonal and sustainable ingredients whenever possible. Mesa’s commitment to sustainability includes an elegant interior designed using reclaimed woods and metal.

Huachingo a la Veracruzana

The new menu reads like a roadmap through an old Mexican village and includes many vegan choices.  We are excited about the opening slated for around the tenth of May. Crave was been given a look at the menu:

Antojitos

Surtido Veracruzano
Enmoladas, enfrijoladas, platanos fritos, picada, and empanada. 13.50

Picadas de Veracruz
Handmade masa tartlets filled with salsa, cheese, and onion. Three to an order with tomatillo, tomato and chipotle salsas. 6.75 –add chicken, 2 –add shrimp, 3

Empanadas Rellenas
Plantain and corn dough turnovers filled with cheese. Two to an order. Served with black beans and salsa verde. 6.75 –add chicken, 2 – add shrimp, 3

Ceviche
Choice of robalo, Galveston shrimp, or mix of the two cured in lime juice mixed with tomato, onion, cilantro, and avocado served with house-made chips. 8.50

Emapanada

Sopas y Ensaladas

Sopa de Lentejas
Lentil soup with pork rib, plantain, tomato, and boiled egg. 6.50

Chileatole Verde con Bolitas
Seasonal vegetable and hoja santa soup with masa dumplings. 5.50

Ensalada de Chayote
Tender chayote squash with tomatoes, onions, and jalapenos in balsamic vinaigrette. 5.50 –add chicken, 2 –add shrimp, 3

Ensalada de Jicama
Crisp jicama, tomato, and cotija cheese. 6.50 –add chicken, 2 –add shrimp, 3

Del Mar

Camarones Enchipotlados
Whole Galveston shrimp sauteed in chipotle sauce. Served with jasmine rice. 14.75

Robalo al Ajillo
Filet of robalo sautéed in olive oil and garlic with dried red chiles. 14.25

Huachingo a la Veracruzana
Filet of Gulf snapper sautéed and topped with stewed onions, capers, green olives, tomato, and carrots. 14.25

Chilpachole de Jaiba y Camaron
Spicy seafood broth with whole blue crab, whole Galveston shrimp and masa dumpling. 16.50

De la Tierra

 Tamal de Frijol y Platanos Rellenos
Black bean and masa tamal wrapped in banana leaf served with sour cream and a side of fried plantains filled with black beans, raisins, and green olives. 11.50

Mole de Mama Cata
Doña Olga’s unique mole with over 20 ingredients. The recipe was passed down from her mother, Catalina. Served with tender duck leg and cilantro rice. 14.75

Estofado de Pollo
Chicken stewed with plantains, olives, capers, fresh herbs, cinnamon, and clove. 13.50

Costillas en Adobo
Pork ribs in red chile and vinegar sauce. 14.25

Rabo de Res al Acuyo
Braised oxtail in hoja santa sauce with masa dumplings, yucca, white rice and corn on the cob.
15.50