Komal Molino Review: Corn Is Infused With Memory at the Mexico City-Inspired Mercado La Paloma Stand | Eater LA

"A counter in the bustling Mercado La Paloma, this husband-and-wife project from chef Fátima Juárez and Conrado Rivera centers everything on heirloom corn nixtamalized on-site and turned into masa by hand, drawing on Indigenous Mexican cuisine and Juárez’s memories of Oaxaca and Mexico City. Cheese-laced quesadillas de huitlacoche and purple-tinged tortillas set the tone, while the plate-sized Taco Sonia — topped with seared beef, housemade pork chorizo, and mashed potatoes or cactus — nods to her favorite childhood taquero and, for first-timers, captures the restaurant’s nostalgia. Tlacoyos, made from a thick layer of purple-tinged masa formed into an oval pocket, come stuffed with ayocote beans and topped with cactus, queso fresco, and salsa verde. For molotes, fried plantain balls stuffed with queso Oaxaca sit in a silky, heavily spiced pool of Oaxacan-style mole — grab a side of tortillas to sop up the leftover sauce. Juárez’s family recipe shines in the pan de calabaza, a dense yet tender slice of slightly sweet squash bread finished with a dollop of sour cream. Best for a group lunch that lets you order widely while keeping spending in check (the most expensive dish is $12), with the food court setup making it easy to mix and match from neighboring stands." - Rebecca Roland