La Jefa nails all-day coffee, cocktails and conchas - Review - Philadelphia - The Infatuation
"Rittenhouse’s La Jefa opened with a lot of anticipation—after all, it’s the sibling of the beautiful (and much-beloved) Tequila’s. By day, this cafe stands out on its own thanks to its fantastic Mexican-inspired breakfast, baked goods, and yes, cocktails (the Green Apple Garibaldi being our favorite). The sit-down menu is full of hits: chilaquiles with pickled ayocote, an oat and fruit bowl punched up by turmeric milk, and a zesty zucchini sandwich topped with cilantro pesto and pepper relish. You’ll want to lounge for an hour or two in the airy, tile-filled dining room, but if you have to take your totomoxtle latte to go, be sure to grab a blackberry concha, too (the pastries here are knockouts). photo credit: Nicole Guglielmo photo credit: Nicole Guglielmo photo credit: Nicole Guglielmo photo credit: Nicole Guglielmo photo credit: Nicole Guglielmo Pause Unmute Come nightfall, the lights go dim and the music borders on clubstaurant volume, especially in Jefa Milpa, the brooding secondary dining room in the back. It's a perfect place for a sexy date—dishes are ideal for sharing with just one other person. Skip the larger plates in the fuertes section of the menu altogether and opt for a snacky dinner of starters: the shrimp aguachile and ceviche blanco are punchy, the carnitas vampiro are served with a silky guacachile, and you'll fight over the last of the caesar slaw with the taco dorado. photo credit: Nicole Guglielmo photo credit: Alison Kessler photo credit: Nicole Guglielmo photo credit: Nicole Guglielmo Pause Unmute Not to be outdone by the food are the cocktails, which are among some of the most interesting—and delicious—in the city. If you don't have time to come here for a full meal, make the effort to at least try the Raspado with fermented guava, the Calabaza with butter-washed paranubes añejo, or the creamy, masa-syrup topped Maiz. It's worth the 15-minute wait time, and then some. But then again, almost everything here is. Food Rundown Cocktails You probably won't recognize about half of the ingredients listed on the cocktail menu. That doesn't matter. You could close your eyes, point, and we can guarantee you'll be happy with what they serve you. photo credit: Nicole Guglielmo Baked Goods These options change daily, but we haven't had a bad one yet. Pictured here is the delicate, perfectly sweet blackberry concha, which is our favorite thus far. But if the chocolate mole cookie is available, you want one of those, too. photo credit: Nicole Guglielmo Chilaquiles La Jefa turns their chilaquiles inside out—the tortillas, pickled ayocote beans, and red onions are all tucked inside a perfect omelet. It's satisfying without being heavy, and the best egg dish here. photo credit: Nicole Guglielmo Pastrami de Lengua We've never had pastrami like this before. The house-cured meat is topped with a spicy chili mayo, but works perfectly thanks to the cool and crunchy coleslaw. photo credit: Nicole Guglielmo Taco Dorado de Barbacoa The consomme is fantastic—smooth, thicker than most, and savory. But the tacos themselves are wrapped in a too-thick shell, totally overpowering the meat inside. Skip these and opt for the Taco Dorado de Rajas instead. photo credit: Nicole Guglielmo" - Alison B. Kessler
