
Not the type of "beard" you might be thinking of (unless you know me really well). Yes, I am talking about a James Beard Award-winning chef. In this case, Chef Cristina Martinez, the brilliant Mexican chef from Philadelphia who just took home the James Beard Foundation Award for Best Chef, Mid-Atlantic.
Some of you might know her from her featured appearance on Netflix's "Chef's Table," where her restaurant South Philly Barbacoa was spotlighted, along with her amazing culinary skills, her immigration activism, and her overall bad-assery. She is a force on several fronts.
So, I didn't have to think twice about taking MamaVamp to her second restaurant - Casa Mexico - when I came to town.
Started with some Agua Frescas...

I sprinkled some salt into my Watermelon juice. So delicious. And, then the food started arriving. First up, a superlative version of Chicken Enchiladas...

That was followed by Pork Carnitas and Shrimp Tacos that had my tongue buzzing and my eyes rolling back in my head.

When my eyes settled back, I saw her. Chef Martinez, who was working alongside her staff to keep the front room in order. I shouted out a simple "Congrats!" and "Thank you, your food is amazing!" She nodded back with a smile. She knows her food is good. No. Not good. Great. And, yet you could tell that she appreciated hearing it from a customer nonetheless. I cannot imagine that she doesn't hear it all day long. If she doesn't, she should.
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