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Luckily she often wears a crown for just such an occasion: Dávila's the one with the bright flowers arranged in her braided hair, wearing an embroidered huipil instead of chef's whites.Mi Tocaya loosely translates to "my namesake," and Dávila's intentions here are personal: This is restaurant as scrapbook—each dish on the menu is rooted in memory.

The salsa Veracruzana that Dávila tasted during summer visits to Casitas is reimagined here as gremolata spooned over crisp fried sweetbreads.Briny mussels, popped in their shells and piled with cabbage and radish, are a vibrant iteration of her mother's posole recipe.There's even a standard-bearer steak burrito—all gooey cheese and salty beef griddled in a flour tortilla—a nod to the Mexican restaurants the chef grew up around in suburban Chicago.

Dávila doesn't beat her chest for hyper-regional focus or even rigorous authenticity.Her cooking is authentic to her own experience as a first-generation Mexican-American: It's confident and joyful, and each course lands like the first few lines of a story you're going to want to remember.. 10. of 10.

Brady Williams—Canlis, Seattle.

"So much of my story aligns with this place, starting with the Japanese influence on the service style.Dressing can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to five days.. Cook Mode.

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heirloom tomatoes., cut into wedges (about.