Xochitl
408 S. Second Street
(215) 238-7280
At Xochitl, chocolate isn't just for dessert... it's the main dish. Xochitl (pronounced so-cheet) is a restaurant specializing in mole - a traditional Mexican sauce prepared with garlic, onions, chilies and sweet Mexican chocolate.
The clientele of this upscale restaurant and bar, located on Headhouse Square in Old City, is somewhat older than the average Penn undergraduate. This is reflected in the prices, which range from $6-$8 for appetizers and salads and $20-$25 for entrées. When you include drinks ($10-$15 for margaritas and specialty cocktails) Xochitl is an expensive indulgence.
But during their ¡Festival de Moles! every January, diners can get a four course mole meal for $40. The meal begins with a salad: either a queso fresco con aderezo de pipian (a salad tossed with a pumpkin sauce and topped with fresh cheese) or the espinaca, jicarma y carnitas con aderezo de adobo (a spinach salad with adobe dressing).
For the antojito (a pre-entrée snack), the chalupas con mole de chipotle y manchego is an excellent option. This dish uses a rich chipotle mole layered with manchego, a premier Spanish cheese made from sheep's milk. Luxurious, eh?
The main dish I tried was codorniz con mole de Michoacan, quail with a red mole sauce. You can also choose shrimp or chicken for the main entrée, the latter with a tart tamarind mole, the former with a heavier black mole. The chef can even prepare a vegetarian entrée if you're so inclined. All of this is served up with a side of freshly made blue corn tortillas.
The meal ended with a dish of Mexican fritters with caramelized plantains and a light, sweet almond sauce. My companion and I left with a new appreciation for the subtleties of mole.
Xochitl, meaning "flower," is named for a Mexican queen who won the heart of a king with her exquisite tequila drinks. Countless cocktails flood their menu, and these tasty concoctions are sure to win your heart as well. The food doesn't disappoint either. From the conscientious wait staff to the freshly prepared guacamole (made at your table with a mortar and pestle) to the dizzying array of moles, Xochitl is a great way to get your money's worth during restaurant week. We could all use a little decadence as the semester begins.
