Viva Mexico! An evening at Flor de Canela

Spend a festive evening in Flor de Canela Restaurant this September to celebrate all things Mexican, its cuisine, music, culture and above all, the warmth, kindness and hospitality of its people.

The Flor de Canela menu showcases traditional dishes from all over the country, from the Pacific coast and Jalisco to the mountainous states of Oaxaca and Puebla and east to Veracruz and the Yucatan. There are platters of antojitos or snacks for sharing with family and friends and classics for savoring solo with a glass of award-winning Mexican wine.

Start with a selection of fabulously tasty finger food. Order the panuchos from the Yucatan filled with cochinita pibil, marinated roast pork, seafood aguachile or a platter of antojitos loaded with sopes, tlacoyos and crispy chicken tacos, all made from corn. Queso fundido with mezcal and longaniza, a sausage from Valladolid, Yucatan, is perfect for making tacos and, speaking of tacos, try the rib-eye crackling, tuna carnitas and glazed octopus, with guacamole of course.

The salads are full of fresh produce picked from the Mexican milpas or fields and huertas or orchards. Try the Mexico City-style mushroom broth, a recipe from mountain villages surrounding the metropolis where mushrooms are still gathered in the pine forest. Other options are the poblano chile soup and tesmolote, a chicken soup with vegetables and dumplings from the state of Veracruz.

Duck and the subtle chocolate-chili, nut and spice flavors of mole sauce make a delicious combination and for your main course you’ll want to try the duck confit mole tasting with white, pink and black mole. The chilies rellenos are filled with shrimp, corn and Mexican goat cheese; the pork belly is slow cooked and served with apple sauce and a touch of vanilla. The grilled lamb fillet in almond sauce is superb and for a taste of the Mexican Caribbean, there’s tikinxic, Maya-style marinated grilled fish.

For even more taco making, order beef, chicken or shrimp fajitas with all the traditional garnishes and start filling your warm tortillas, don’t forget the pico de gallo or a dash of spicy salsa.

Enjoy the live Mexican music and be sure to order a shot of tequila or mezcal or a glass of bubbly for the Viva Mexico toast to honor the nation and its people.