25 Best Restaurants: Momocho

We'd never seen a Mexican-inspired restaurant like Momocho when it opened in a just-blossoming Ohio City in April 2006. It was small, loud, dark, decorated with luchador and Day of the Dead imagery — and had no burritos, enchiladas or quesadillas on the menu. "We didn't want to be a watered down American-style everything for everybody Mexican restaurant," says chef and owner Eric Williams. And while some have imitated Momocho's success, nothing satisfies in the same way as Williams' ability to play with ingredients in items such as the smoked trout, bacon and roasted poblano guacamole ($8.50) served with house-made tortilla chips or the butternut squash and goat cheese empanadas ($6) with Oaxacan red chile and Mexican chocolate mole sauce. Williams' spin on chilaquiles ($16.50) turns a simple Mexican breakfast dish into a crispy, gooey and smoky casserole-style meal layered with corn tostadas, blue crab, smoked trout, black beans, Cotija cheese and fried egg on top. "Egg yolk, black beans, smoked trout, all those flavors really go well together," Williams says. "That's the science of food." Don't miss: Get your hands on the machaca taquitos ($15.50) made with coffee- and ancho chili-braised beef brisket for a rich, earthy and spicy taco treat. Drink up: You'll be tempted by any and all of Momocho's margaritas, but the cucumber version ($8.50) is the fresh blast we crave to balance the spicy food. 1835 Fulton Road, Cleveland, 216-694-2122, momocho.com