Comedor Alheli - SAN AGUSTÍN ETLA

Un lugar muy recomendable que pasando vimos después de visitar El Centro Nacional de las Artes y que a simple vista nos llamó la atención. La comida deliciosa, la atención excelente y el sabor inigualable. Como lo he relatado en este viaje con niños es una muy buena opción para ellos.

San Augustin is north of Oaxaca city in the Etla area, a collection of villages tucked away in the low hills of the area. We were wandering along Independencia looking to visit the paper factory on New Year Eve day. Things were pretty buttoned up and we just wanted to find SOMEPLACE to lunch.Alheli is just shy of the old textile factory which now showcases art exhibits along with artist studios. Worth a trip as the area is clean and the homes and buildings area well maintained. The Alheli gate was open and they had aparently just unloaded groceries.I asked the owner if they were open and found that they were not until after the New Year, but happened to be hosting a New Year party that night. I asked if he couild recommend any place where we might get lunch, this in my C- level Spanish. After a brief conversation with people in the background he asked my how many of us there were and after I replied two he consulted the two women in the back and invited us in for lunch.What amazing courtesy and hospitality! We have been in the area for two weeks and the Mexicans are uniformally pleasant, courteous, helpful and respectful. There has not been any kind of incident or remark directed to us.A young woman, later we learned that it was Alejandro's wife, set a table with cloth and place settings and we sat down. We were literally guests in their home. Alejandro described what could be put together for our lunch and this wonderful surprise experience unflolded. We had beer along two very traditional Oaxacan meals. My wife had a form of Tlayada,a flat large corn tortilla with a rich, flavorful, but light mole and cheese. She really liked it as the tortilla was not the usually crisp hard version found in the area. And the mole was lighter than the complex and very heavy tasting moles we have experienced. Turns out that Alejandro's mother was making what her mother had made and it was a family secret. And a delicious one for sure.I had another form of corn tortilla layers smothered with a mild, fresh-tasting tomato sauce, certainly not canned and two perfectly cooked over-medium fried eggs.All the while we chatted with Alejandro, who it turns out spoke a solid B-level of English so we were flipping back and forth in Spanish and English. We learned a lot of history about the area and that life would return to normal operating hours the next week. We met his children and wife, but not his mother who remained behind the sceanes.Alheli is a flower common in the area, hence the name. They operate daily for breakfast, lunch and dinner. As we did not have a menu we cannot comment on their selections or prices. We were charged 90 pesos for beer and two dishes, which was certainly far less than we think could have been charged.So...make a point of stopping by when you visit the old factory now art gallery and the paper factory further on. You can park lower on the road to Alheli and walk to both the factory and paper place.A great international travel experience. Nice people, nice place nice meal.

San augustin is located north of oaxaca city in the area etla, a collection of villages located in the low hills of the opposite. we wandered along the independencia to visit the paper factory on the silvesterday. the dings were quite knocked out and we just wanted to find someplace for lunch. alheli is only shy from the old textile factory, which now shows art exhibitions together with artist studios. is worth a trip because the opposite is clean and the living and building area is well maintained. the Alheli gate was open and they had inseparably only unladen food. I asked the owner if they were open and found that they were not until after the new year, but were randomly held a new year celebration in this night. I asked if he would recommend couild to anyone place where we could eat that in my C level Spanish. after a short talk with people in the background he asked how many of us were and after I answered two he consulted the two women in the back and invited us to lunch. what an amazing courtesy and hospitable! we have been in the opposite for two weeks and the mexicans are uniformly pleasant, friendly, helpful and respectful. there was no kind of incident or notice directed at us. a young woman, later we learned that it was alejandros woman, set a table with fabric and place settings and we sat. we were literally guests at home. alejandro has described what could be joined together for our lunch and this wonderful surprise experience unexplained. we had beer on two very traditional oaxacan meals. my wife had a form of tlayada, a flat large mais tortilla with a rich, tasteful, but light mol and cheese. she really liked it, because the tortilla was not the most crunchy hard version found in the opposite. and the maul was lighter than the complex and very heavy tasting milk we have experienced. as it turned out that alejandros made mother what had made her mother and it was a family secret and a delicious safer. I had another shape of mais tortilla layers with a mild, freshly tasting tomato sauce, certainly not skillful and two perfectly cooked over medium fried eggs. While we chat with alejandro, who turned out, a solid B-level spoke of English so that we tilted back and forth in Spanish and English. we have learned a lot of history about the opposite and that would live in the next week to normal working hours. we met his sons and his wife, but not his mother who remained behind the disgusting. alheli is a flower that is common in the opposite, therefore the name. they work daily for breakfast, lunch and dinner. because we don't have a menu, we can't comment on their selection or prices. we were accused of pesos for beer and two dishes, which was certainly much less than we think could have been charged. so, they'll pass a point when they visit the old factory now art gallery and the paper factory. they can park on the road to alheli and to foot both the factory and the paper field. a great international travel experience. beautiful people, nice eating.