On Mexico’s Pacific coast, pescado zarandeado typically is huachinango (red snapper) continuously basted with chiles and spices while being grilled over mesquite. Pibil comes from the Mayan word pib, meaning “buried,” referring to the method of preparing marinated meat ( cochinita means “piglet”) by wrapping it in banana or plantain leaves and cooking in a pit oven - not feasible in a commercial kitchen, but the principle remains the same, and the meat has a balance of sweetness and spice. Pescado zarandeado is from the Pacific.” Cochinita Pibil “ Mole Poblano is an Aztec dish, and cochinita pibil is Mayan. “I try to do something from all the different parts of Mexico,” he observed. Hernández is proud of everything on Mi Casita’s menu, and he stresses unyielding fidelity to the family recipes and a patriotic commitment to authenticity. We make lots of broth from scratch and use lots of broth in everything.” “We’ve cooked our rice like this since my grandmom’s time, and my mom and sisters also. Hernández beamed when I mentioned how good the rice tasted. The pork was tender, the tortilla fresh, and the humble sides - so often mere afterthoughts, left forlorn on the plate by disinterested diners - were outstanding, especially the rice, which had firm, distinct grains and subdued yet savory seasoning. Prior to my conversation with Hernández, I’d sampled Mi Casita’s fare, choosing a simple, light lunch, burrito carnitas filled with fried pork and served with rice and beans. We cook only homemade, from scratch.” Carne Azada Tacos (steak tacos) And we have all the family recipes, so this is not Tex-Mex. “Then we decided to open a restaurant, and my brother said we’re Mexicans we’ll have a Mexican restaurant. “We came to Kentucky to work for the Claudia Sanders restaurant, me and my brother, and we ran the place for 11 years,” recalled Hernández. “My passion is to cook for the people,” he said with a smile, and it’s a passion that led the youthful Hernández to Shelbyville, Kentucky in 1998. “We cooked lots of seafood on the coast,” Hernández told me, adding that he has always harbored a desire to be in the kitchen, and one thing led to another. Hernández hails from Mexico City, and he studied in Veracruz on the Gulf of Mexico. They tell me all the time, ‘as long as you have the same food, we’ll keep coming, so don’t worry about the name.’” Now we use Mi Casita, but people don’t care about the name. “There is another restaurant in Dallas with the same name, and they sued us,” explained Hernández, “but it’s all okay. Until a few months ago Mi Casita (“my little house”) was called Mi Cocina (“my kitchen”) but unexpectedly, out-of-town lawyers became involved. The establishment has known multiple monikers. With brother Alejandro, he owns and operates Mi Casita, which has a second location at 2060 S. (Originally published in the Winter 2019 issue of Food & Dining)Īmid the bustle Miguel Hernández kept a watchful eye on the proceedings. The Seelbach Hotel is next door, and Fourth Street Live mere steps down the street. Mi Casita has occupied this space for a decade, serving primarily workers at lunch, then catering more to out-of-town visitors in the evening. Staffers were friendly and on task, hoisting platters of tacos, burritos and salads, stacking bagged carry-out orders and refilling drinks. There were women in casual office attire, a half-dozen construction workers, a knot of men in expensive suits, and a police officer seated in the corner. Inside the eatery was warm, colorful and abuzz with activity. On a crisp autumn Thursday at lunchtime there was plenty of foot traffic on Fourth Street in Louisville, and more than a few downtowners were slipping into Mi Casita Parrilla Mexicana for a midday bite.
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