"Carnal’s tlayuda is a snapshot of everything exciting about this Highland Park Oaxacan spot from the Simón chef. Pounded raw tuna, dollops of tamarind aioli, and chile-dusted grasshoppers come layered on a charred tortilla that crackles with each bite—familiar Mexican ingredients spliced together in ways that get your feet tapping under the restaurant's long communal table. Similar to its seafood predecessor, Carnal is small in size but mighty in ambition. Save for corn cobs dangling overhead, the minimal all-black space isn’t much of a conversation starter, but we haven’t stopped yapping about the stewed chicharron tacos, nuanced molcajete salsas, and banana-cotija custard brûléed in its peel. At the meal’s end, the chef’s cousin offers you café de olla from a big ceramic pot because it’s good for digestion. Take them up on it. " - brant cox, sylvio martins, jess basser sanders
