Over the past five years, Mesa has quickly become Oak Cliff’s best kept secret. The restaurant, run by Raul and Olga Reyes, a husband and wife duo who learned to cook in Veracruz, Mesa has earned the praise of everyone from persnickety food critics to Beyoncé and Jay-Z – and for good reason.
One of Dallas’ essential restaurants, Mesa serves up some of the city’s best authentic Mexican fare. Forget gloppy yellow cheese and other trappings of Tex-Mex, as you won’t find those on the plates at Mesa. Instead, you’ll find an upscale take on coastal Mexican cuisine that doesn’t dumb down its flavors for bland palates.
The best entree into the world of Mesa is via their Mama Cata Enchilada, a dish inspired by drenched in a rich and complex mole sauce made with more than 20 ingredients, notably raw, unrefined dark chocolate.
Eater photographer Melissa Hennings got a behind-the-scenes look at the making of your new favorite dish.