(Photo by Denisse Rauda/Stripes Korea)
While tacos are arguably the most popular export from Mexican gastronomy, there are plenty of dishes and flavors to discover.
At Ixchel in Seoul, while you’ll still find tacos on the menu, there are also other unexpected entrees for a trip to Mexico in the middle of Korea’s capital.
In Seoul, Ixchel has two locations, its main branch in Hapjeong and a counter at Lotte Department Store’s Food Avenue in Myeongdong. According to their Instagram account, the restaurants are run by an unnamed two-Michelin star chef.
If you’ve visited this food hall in the past, you may recognize that Ixchel is now in the same spot once claimed by Coreanos Kitchen, a Mexican restaurant with a main branch still running in Itaewon District. During a recent visit to Korea with my sister, I was craving Coreanos, but was surprised to find Ixchel there serving some of the standard favorites and other dishes I’d never imagine seeing on a menu outside of Mexico.
My sister and I were hungry after all the shopping we’d done in Myeongdong, so we decided to pivot and give Ixchel a try.
From the small menu, we ordered the Chile Colorado Rice, a beef stew in a spicy red sauce with rice on the side, for 16,000 won (about $11), an order of birria tacos (of course!) for 14,000 won and two soft drinks. Birria is brisket slowly simmered with herbs and spices like bay leaf, chiles, onions and garlic. The two other menu options are the restaurant’s signature, a sweet potato filled with guacamole and yogurt sauce and Birria ramen, which is a fusion dish that is popular stateside, too.
(Photo by Denisse Rauda/Stripes Korea)
(Photo by Denisse Rauda/Stripes Korea)
After placing our order, it was time to get aggressive and look for a place to sit among the community tables. I quickly found a corner table and jumped on a seat as if I was doing a cake walk at a kid’s party.
Soon our buzzer went off and our food was delivered straight to our table.
The Chile Colorado came with a generous portion of beef and rice and a dollop of sour cream. The tortilla chips topping the rice were an interesting addition, but the crunch was nice. The beef was a little chewy for stew, but the sauce had a little kick and a little tanginess that we appreciated. It was far from the Chile Colorado my mom cooks up every time I’m home, but it was not bad for all the Mexican food I’ve had in Asia. And, believe me, I’ve had a lot.
(Photo by Denisse Rauda/Stripes Korea)
Chile Colorado Rice (Photo by Denisse Rauda/Stripes Korea)
The tacos were impressive. Two large crisp tacos with a delicious cheese crust crowning each. The filing was a little light, but it had all the makings of a delicious taco: tender, well-seasoned beef, cilantro and red onions. These did come with a birria broth on the side, but it was not enough to give the messiness expected from standard birria tacos. Being greasy, they definitely required the plastic gloves that the restaurant provided on my tray. I was disappointed that this plate did not come with any salsa or guacamole, which could’ve drastically improved my meal.
Birria tacos (Photo by Denisse Rauda/Stripes Korea)
Birria tacos (Photo by Denisse Rauda/Stripes Korea)
All in all, it was a somewhat expensive meal, but the Chile Colorado was the standout and absolutely a taste of home that would keep me coming back for more.
Next time I’ll try the main branch and really put this Michelin star claim to the test.
Ixchel
Address: 81 Lotte Department Store Main Branch B1 Expon Food Court, Namdaemun-ro, Jung-gu, Seoul
Hours: 10:30 a.m.- 9 p.m.
