MO-KALLI Restaurante — Restaurant in Oaxaca

Even before reaching Mexico, from the other side of the world, My husband and I somehow read about Mo-Kalli restaurant as an example of how many women are upholding the traditions of Oaxacan traditional cooking. Many months later we find ourselves in this restaurant and very excited to try the food!

In our own foolishness and poor planning, we did not have much cash with us. Understandably, as a small business, this is a cash only. We were really worried that we would not have enough to enjoy the experience, we told the staff and Catalina Chavez Lucas (chef and owner) about our situation. They were sooo warm and understanding, they let my husband and I share ONE degustation menu.

The hospitality all staff and Catalina extended us was above and beyond. We are convinced they were more than generous with our supposedly single portion being shared because we were soo full at the end!

We had chocolate with agua, a bread, a fruit platter, 11 types of moles to try with tacos before picking our 2 favourite moles to be cooked together with 2 different meat as a mains, and then ending off with a sweet mole on a crispy taco.

The moles were out of this world! We have had really good moles at established restaurants. The range of 11 moles, made with love (you can always tell when the chef genuinely cares for their food), and such creativity made it soo difficult to chose only 2 for the mains. The ingredients in the moles include from our limited memory, almonds, chocolate, chilli, pineapple, fruits, tuna (cactus fruit), passionfruit, etc.

We walked aways feeling blessed to have tried such sincere, good and homely food. Thank you for giving us a chance...

This is our first visit to Oaxaca and, in a search for the best moles, I came across MO-KALLI in a food blog. The writer was emphatic that this place was worth the drive outside of the city. So, I convinced my friend, a local who had never heard of it, to take us there one morning. They open at nine and, although that’s an early hour for such rich food, we were on an otherwise tight schedule and decided to arrive then. We were greeted warmly by the owner and head chef, Catalina, who explained that they normally serve up to seven different moles but, due to being wiped clean over the weekend, currently only had two ready. If we could wait until about 11 am there would be a broader selection. Limited on time, we chose to stay and accept the small breakfast we were offered.

From the moment we entered the restaurant, Catalina and her staff were incredibly welcoming, warm, and hospitable. Plates of food started appearing. Bowls of fresh-cut fruit, fried eggs, warm tortillas covered in delicious cheese, a sampler plate of cheese and quesillo, taquitos smothered in both a traditional black mole and mole coloradito. Everything was wonderful, clearly prepared and served with great pride. It was a huge, delicious breakfast. And when the bill arrived we were shocked by the low price.

The restaurant is small and unassuming, with an open kitchen in the rear where guests can watch the magic happen. We hope to do exactly that again soon, and are considering making the journey back for dinner before we return home.

This was the best overall dining experience we’ve had here. If you’re in Oaxaca de Juarez, take the time to visit Catalina...

Four of us went to Mo Kalli and were greeted warmly by Catalina Lucas who is the owner and chef. She is also known in Mexico as a Cocinera Tradicional which is a badge of honor that distinguishes women who know how to cook well and have used recipes for past generations. Catalina prepared 4 moles for us and one had been invented by her that very day. It had maracuya, pineapple and other fine ingredients that melted in your mouth. We had a four course meal and everything was prepared with attention to detail and it was superbly spiced. We were treated like royalty as she explained every dish with mouth watering detail. We were treated at the end of our experience with meeting her mother is responsible for teaching Catalina her wonderful skills. Please include Mo Kalli restaurant in your culinary experience when in Oaxaca. You will need to get a cab and have the cab wait for you as the restaurant is in a...