Jim Urdiales has made it his goal to show Baton Rougeans that Mexican food can be considered respectable cuisine. “I want to show diners that there is more to Mexican food than just burritos and quesadillas,” says the chef and owner of Mestizo Louisiana Mexican Cuisine.
The third-generation restaurateur has been flipping the script and blending Mexican and Louisiana staples since long before his restaurant moved to Acadian Thruway in 2006.
Now, Urdiales is planning to roll out a new menu for 2016 starting this Friday, Jan. 15.
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For the lunch menu, you can try out a pulled pork torta (like a Mexican sandwich) with slaw and sweet potato fries. From the entrees, there’s a chili relleno topped with grilled skirt steak and two versions of mole: a mole verde and spicy peanut mole. Also on the entrees: a sous-vide center-cut pork chop with an ancho chili marinade on a bed of cauliflower mash with chimichurri and fried plantains.
Expect to see that cauliflower mash pop up again in Urdiales’ version of shrimp and grits on the new brunch menu, which he plans to launch in February.
Urdiales is also looking out for his health-conscious diners. Included on the new menu are protein-packed power bowls with brown rice or quinoa, sautéed vegetables, sliced avocado, cotija cheese and your choice of chicken, shrimp, steak or salmon. He’s also removed tilapia from the menu in favor of the more environmentally conscious speckled trout.
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“I still have several staple dishes, but my pleasure comes in creating new dishes with a nod to [the] authentic but blending with a true Louisiana flair,” Urdiales says.
As of press time, Urdiales was still updating the cocktail menu to introduce new craft cocktails in time for the new menu release.
Mestizo Louisiana Mexican Cuisine is at 2323 Acadian Thruway. Find out more at mestizorestaurant.com.