The Oaxaca Village located in Artesia is the very first and only restaurant open so far and has only been open for 8 months.
However, despite being new to the game, it seems like they’ve already got it down.
Once you step inside, you are greeted with a flash of vibrant colors from the papel picado and faux hummingbirds that are hung all over and the mural that covers a side of the restaurant and displays some of their main dishes.
The host immediately greeted us and he was even kind enough to give us the option to sit wherever we wanted. Although I had only been there for less than 10 minutes, it already felt very homey.
They have a variety of authentic Oaxacan food, including the ones on the aforementioned mural: barbacoa, mole, tacos, tlayudas and even cater to those who are vegan.
The menu’s real eye-catcher was in the appetizer section, the “chapulines champions.”
The order consists of the chapulines, also known as crickets, served in an avocado over romaine lettuce. Along with the crickets came a side of quesillo, two tortillas, tortilla chips and a little tub of red salsa.
To make the taco all we did was add all the crickets onto the tortilla along with some avocado slices and quesillo.
When you take your first bite, you will immediately get the taste of lemon and salt from the crickets. If you don’t like the lemon flavor or salt seasoning, this may not be for you as it may be overwhelming.
As you keep chewing, it’ll become subtle due to the quesillo and avocado that help neutralize the flavor, making a perfect taco combo.
If you’re not eating with the idea of it being a bug in mind, you may enjoy these tacos as they don’t have any particular flavor or aftertaste.
The tortilla chips with the red salsa were also really good. It wasn’t too spicy, but it had the right amount of kick.
The plate overall was surprisingly really good and didn’t lack any type of flavor.
Alan Cruz, host and waiter at Oaxaca Village, has been working there since their grand opening in February and has been dedicated since.
“It’s a popular dish, I have some people that order that as their full meal and will order more tortillas to make their tacos,” said Cruz.
While talking to Cruz, you can feel the passion he has for his job, seeking to make connections with the customers
“I recommend the chapulines champions to everyone, everyone’s got to try it at least once in their life,” said Cruz, “I have never gotten people who say they don’t like it, they may say it’s not their thing, but they say it’s really good.”
The restaurant is still hoping to expand and have different locations. But in the meantime, they’re going to continue making their current customers happy.
If you’re looking for authentic Oaxacan food with friendly waiters that will make you feel at home, be sure to check out their location.
