Hey did I mention it was hot here? The cumulative days of heat had begun to take a toll on me so being able to grab a sandwich at a small bakery 2 blocks from me sounded good.

While I waited for them to make my lunch, I checked out their wondrous selection of baked goods, choosing what I had been told to was their specialty, almond croissants, along with a carrot/coconut muffin. This great spread was a grand total of $9 and the bacon egg croissant sandwich was exactly what I needed.

My final day of work done along with my requisite siesta, I headed down the hill into a much more boisterous Centro now that the weekend was here. My destination was one of the stations of the cross for foodies – Casa Oaxaca.

I had a pretty spectacular table overlooking the cathedral where a female opera singer was playing the hits. Soon, a server approached me to create a custom salsa from a variety of ingredients. At last I could actually have a salsa without garlic! I picked out my selections, and he proceeded to ground and mix them all together in my very own salsa.

After I placed my order for my starter, I was given a large blue corn tostada with crumbled quesillo for my new salsa. It was a great way to enjoy it and a perfect kickoff to the meal

Soon after, my starter arrived – mushroom quesadilla with radishes and greens. This was definitely the fanciest quesadilla I had ever had and one of the best. The earthy mushrooms were beautifully mixed with the ubiquitous quesillo along with the perfectly crisped tortilla. Superb.

But I was really here for only one thing – the world famous Casa Oaxaca mole negro with turkey, which is the traditional protein pairing. The mole is made of 52 ingredients, including a custom chocolate spice blend created for the chef via a local market.

The aroma of the mole alone was captivating but when I actually tasted it, my mind was blown. The depth and the complexity of the mole made me realize I really had never truly had mole negro. It was sweet, bitter, savory, rich and unlike anything I had ever have. It even made my least favorite protein- white turkey meat – delicious. Now I know why it’s so sought out. Incredible.

I didn’t really want a true dessert but it was finally cool-ish enough to try the famous Oaxacan hot chocolate. A local had told me the other day it’s actually better to do it with water versus milk as it brings out the spices more. The server smiled when I chose that option and soon my steaming hot cup arrived.

Similar to the mole, it was like I had never really had hot chocolate. The spice and complexity was truly something with the water indeed making the flavors stand out more. It was a great way to end one of the best dinners I’ve ever had in Mexico. I will be back someday.

Still buzzed from both that experience and the high octane chocolate, I walked a few blocks away from Centro to the Oaxaca Brewery.

As I entered, it was readily apparent there was no A/C with a fan blowing essentially hot air around the room. With that in mind, I opted for the taster of their hazy IPA since that was definitely not something I was expecting to have. It was a nice thirst quencher.

After I had a few sips and had cooled down a bit, it was time for what had immediately caught my attention as a dark beee lover – the cacao nibs Pilsner. Pilsner was actually a very smart choice for this as it wasn’t as heavy as a porter or stout. This was a home run with the great Oaxacan cacao nibs adding some depth and complexity to the beer.

Chatting with the bartender, he told me that because of the presidential elections on Sunday, as of tomorrow, no alcohol would be served until Monday. That made this beer the perfect way to end my journey with the great variety of alcohol in Oaxaca. I made my way back to mi casa to get some rest for the last hurrah of my final day/night.