"El Hidalguense exemplifies the rustic cooking style of the mountainous south-central Mexican state of Hidalgo. Here it’s all about the earthy barbacoa lamb served with deep, smoky consommé and a tart nopales salad that cuts through the meat’s richness. A must-have for breakfast is the huastecas: roasted salsa with scrambled eggs over corn tortillas, refried beans, and a side of wafer-thin smoky beef cecina." - chelsea thomas, gianni greene