Put down that hard shell taco, stop sipping that fish bowl margarita and strap yourself in for the ultimate Mexican culture and foodie adventure.
Host Gerardo Lopez takes a break from his successful Mexican restaurant business, La Torterillia (based in Melbourne) to head back to the country he was born and raised in, taking us along with him for the mouth-watering ride.
In fact, he's kind of a big deal over there - receiving an Outstanding Mexican Abroad Award from the Mexican government for raising the profile and enhancing the image of Mexican culture in Australia. How, you ask? Damn good tortillas (among other things). Eating one of these authentic corn tortillas will make you want to throw your microwave out the window and yell "NEVER AGAIN".
Forget everything you thought you knew about Mexico, Lopez is here to show us the authentic food, rich culture and incredible stories of the people from this amazingly diverse country.
We've broken down the top seven stops Lopez has visited (so far) so get ready to get hungry and cya on the next flight to Mexico!
Stop 1: Mexico City
At the capital of Mexico, you’ll find the streets buzzing with people, food, music and art. In a place where you can have tacos any time of the day, whether it's for breakfast, lunch, dinner or a midnight snack (um, yes please), Lopez shared the best place to get a traditional Mexican taco, Taqueria “Orinoco”.
Stop 2: Tequisquiapan
Tequisquiapan is considered a “magical town of Mexico” - with its colourful flags, beautiful architecture and decades of history behind it. Well known for their cheese and wine, there’s no better place to indulge in one too many. A great place to pick some up is Museo del Queso y el Vino.
Stop 3: Tequila Town
Named after a volcano, Tequila Town is known for, well, their Tequila. Lopez took us to Casa Herradura which is where the Agave plant is grown and it's from this plant that Tequila is made. He shares the long process of how Tequila is created, from harvesting to cooking, all the way to fermentation. And then we got what we were all hoping for: a margarita tutorial.
Stop 4: Guadalajara
Guadalajara is the “most Mexican city of Mexico” and it was there that Lopez visited both a modern and traditional restaurant. Kamilos 333 is an old-style restaurant, where everything from the decor to the food is traditional. Hueso was quite the opposite, with innovative, modern dishes that still respect the traditional ingredients of Mexican cuisine.
Stop 5: Hacienda Del Carmen
Lopez visited the Hacienda Del Carmen which is an apartment complex with stunning architecture from the 16 the century. It showcases the Spanish contribution to Mexican culture and is a prime location for snapping some beautiful Insta shots.
Stop 6: Chocolates La Soledad, Oaxaca City
You can’t go to Mexico without visiting the best chocolate shop there! Lopez was given a tutorial on how chocolate is made the traditional way, before enjoying “the drink of the Gods” - AKA a hot chocolate. Yum!
Stop 7: Local Farmers Market, Zaachila
There’s no better place to sample native produce than the Local Farmers Markets. Here, Lopez revealed how important certain foods are to Indigenous culture, while showcasing some unique things that can’t be found anywhere else in the world.