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In Oaxaca, capital of the Mexican state with the same name, the main industry is tourism. Without factories or large company offices, the city depends on visitors from other parts of Mexico, as well as foreigners (most from the United States and Europe). This emphasis on tourism makes the restaurant industry vital to the city's economic stability, a business venue in which competition runs high and survival is tough.
The cuisine here is traditional, and the famous seven moles are a point of near-reverential pride among Oaxaca's inhabitants. In this setting, the tremendous success of a restaurant that dares to be different, to offer something besides the regional cuisine expected by locals and tourists alike, is worth looking at for its innovative menus, décor and promotion.
Such a place is Temple (pronounced in Spanish Tém-play), a restaurant that has taken off in the little more than 18 months it has been open — a time span in which other restaurants have opened and closed.
El Restaurante Mexicano talked to the owners of Temple, the creative young brother-sister team of Marco Antonio and Graciela Lopez Robles. When asked what prompted them to open a restaurant in a city struggling to maintain its level of foreign tourism (given that Marco Antonio's background is in graphic design and Graciela's in business administration) they cited their love of fine dining.
"Our family always put a great emphasis on good food," explains Graciela. "We were raised with the best of Oaxacan cooking — the moles, tlayudas and all the traditional regional dishes. When my brother went to the United States, where he lived in Boston, he was impressed by the variety of restaurants — not just the different kinds of food but also the presentations, the atmospheres. Here, everything was alike and we wanted to do something different."
And that is exactly what they did, using the typical local ingredients as the basis for sever- al new and innovative dishes. They hired Chef Sergio Figueroa, assisted by Chef Rodrigo Cárdenas, to create a menu that would showcase Mexico's traditional culinary elements in new presentations.
The Mexican huitlacoche, translated to English as "corn fungus," became the star of a beautiful Lasaña de Tortilla that includes layers of tortillas, cheeses, flor de calabaza (squash blossom), huitlacoche sauce and a salsa de molcajete (a hand-ground fresh salsa). Oaxaca cheese is featured in the Ensalada de Jitomates, a refreshing vegetable salad that is an ensalada compuesta (an "arranged" salad, as opposed to a tossed salad). And the region's small, black beans are the basis for Crema Frijolito adorned with chilaca chile.
The menu is bilingual and easy to navigate, with a good variety of categories but a small number of items under each. Appetizers, salads, soups, pasta, seafood, poultry, meat and desserts are the sections from which diners can choose, and these are apt to change seasonally, a delight for regular customers who enjoy their favorite, dependable restaurants but get bored with the same menu offerings.
Some items are menu mainstays due to their popularity with tourists. And which items specifically draw visitors' attention? "The tomato and Oaxaca cheese salad is popular, and the soups and pastas," Graciela says.
"Americans, especially, like pasta and seem to enjoy trying it prepared with a Mexican touch. The Spaghetti al Ajo, with garlic, chiles, serrano ham and asparagus is a favorite. They also appreciate the fact that many of our offerings contain no meat and are made with organic ingredients."
The fresh, local produce inspires the chef, who often designs dishes around the best items available. For a past holiday dinner, he prepared sautéed lobster tail in a sauce of seasonal Oaxacan ruby red grapefruit and mangos. Local produce is also featured in the desserts like the Natilla de Chicozapote (a pudding made with the tropical Mexican fruit known botanically as manilkara zapota) and a homemade pastry and ice cream dish with fragrant jarabe de guayaba (guava syrup) adorning the plate.
The holiday dinners are among the most successful of Temple's promotions. They feature a four-course, fixed price menu that includes an appetizer, segundo tiempo (second course), main course and dessert. In Mexico, the second course is usually a rice or pasta dish, but at Temple it is often something creative and unexpected. The second course at one holiday dinner was crab with saffron sauce in puff pastry.
Soft jazz played by local and out-of-town musicians adds to the upscale ambiance during these special meals. Holiday dinners, all filled to capacity, have been offered on New Year's Eve, Christmas Eve, Mexico's Independence Day and Mother's Day.
Another promotion that has worked to bring in customers is a weeknight music session, low key and intimate, with a small cover charge that includes wine or a choice of beverages. The kitchen is open until 11 p.m., so even customers who are not ordering a big meal will inevitably go for a soup, salad or dessert. Since weekends are the restaurant's busiest times, this mid-week entertainment is a good way to attract patrons and to sell food and beverages.
An e-mail message announces all of Temple's special meals and musical evenings to customers. The owners instruct waitstaff to ask customers if they are interested in knowing about these events, and well-designed announcements that include the menus and prices are sent out to those who wish to be included on the e-mail list.
Opening for the breakfast crowd also increased business. At first the restaurant was only open for lunch and dinner, but its location on the Andador Turistico — a pedestrian-only stretch of several blocks with museums and regional art and craft shops — makes it a natural for people searching for a good cup of morning coffee and a light breakfast. Customers inevitably look at the lunch and dinner menu (the same for both meals), and sometimes decide to return.
All of this is carried out in a sleek, modern restaurant decorated with deep blue Mexican blown glass light fixtures, and contemporary art on the walls. A different artist's work is exhibited each month. An upstairs loft overlooking the long, elegant bar and dining room is available for private dinners and special events.
The décor, menu design, and promotions for special events, music and art are the responsibility of Marco Antonio, while the management of the restaurant and kitchen is Graciela's department. She is on hand to greet customers and to make sure the kitchen and bar staffs have everything they need to run the business smoothly.
"We pay attention to every little detail, from the napkin on your lap to your dessert," reads Temple's business card, which opens to reveal a sampling of the menu offerings. This attention is reflected in the food and ambiance, ideas brought to fruition by two young entrepreneurs who were not afraid to work hard and take a chance on a modern concept in a traditional town.
More: Choice Cheeses; A Hispanic Cheese Primer; Source Guide
Recipe Reference: Artichoke and Spinach Quesadillas; Lasaña Tortilla; Ensalada de Jitomates; Crema Frijolito
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