5 days ago
This Taco Omakase in Stillwater Is Unlike Anything You'll Find in Minnesota
When chef Cristian De Leon came to the United States from Guatemala 23 years ago, he got a job cooking at an iconic restaurant that lives in the hearts and minds of Millennial Midwesterners, the Mall of America's mist-filled, tropical-themed Rainforest Cafe. He worked his way through a handful of other restaurants after that, including other Mall of America locales — one of which is where he met his wife, fellow restaurant veteran and immigrant by way of Mexico City, Karen De Leon. His resume also included a stint at Minneapolis's Icehouse, which is where he discovered the creativity that chef's tables allow.
Years later, the De Leons established their own unassuming yet totally standout taco shop El Sazon Tacos & More in a suburban gas station, followed by a brick-and-mortar restaurant in south Minneapolis El Sazon Cocina & Tragos, all while raising three children. So when their real estate broker asked if they wanted to open yet another restaurant — this time in Stillwater, a small riverside tourist town some 30 minutes from Minneapolis — they didn't hesitate. The opportunity for the creativity of a chef's table had finally arrived.
Despite being fresh off the opening of El Sazon Cocina y Tragos in Minneapolis, 'we took the risk and said let's do it,' Cristian De Leon says. 'I always had in my mind to do something from my roots ... to do something similar to what we're doing in Minneapolis but a little bit more cultural.' The result is Xelas by El Sazon, which opened early this year.
Nestled in yet another unassuming location (a frontage road far from Stillwater's touristy downtown), not only is Xelas a blend of Cristian and Karen's shared Mayan ancestry, but it also offers what's likely the first taco omakase in Minnesota. It's part of a growing trend in taco tasting menus cropping up across the Midwest that speaks to a deeper exploration of Latin American culture and cuisine mirrored in the movement to raise awareness about traditions like nixtamalization. 'All of the dishes are like what we eat at home — food that's a mix of our two cultures,' Cristian says. 'We eat between Guatemala, Mexico, and Minnesota.'
Just a month or so out from Xelas's opening, the restaurant was shiny and fresh in its newness but already busy and buzzing with a mix of patrons, some speaking Spanish, some speaking English. You know when a restaurant makes you forget where you are? Xelas does that despite the irrepressible chaos of what it means to be in the United States today.
The space: What's now Xelas was previously a Thai restaurant until the De Leons and their contractor got a hold of it. They wanted a bright and airy space with plenty of natural light, and that's exactly what they got. From the host stand, diners walk into a wide-open dining room where wooden tabletops flanked with white chairs are warmly illuminated by rattan lighting. To the right lies a bar that sits in front of a cavernous back bar with cutouts that shine under recessed lighting and, to the left, the chef's table where Cristian serves up taco omakase. Throughout the space, the walls display colorful paintings from artists with roots in Latin America from Venezuela to Chile.
The food: Xelas is doing something entirely its own. While the dishes may be Mayan by way of Guatemala and Mexico, they're not exactly the traditional dishes that Latine communities might expect. Minnesotans with an affinity for burritos and ground beef tacos won't find that here either. 'Our challenge right now is to try to educate people and send the right message about what it is we're doing,' the chef says. Luckily, the dishes speak for themselves.
The hilachas are a traditional Guatemalan beef, carrot, and potato stew that Cristian grew up eating and the last dish his mom made for him during her final trip to Minnesota before she died. At Xelas, Cristian and his sous chef, Jose Cortes, have transformed it into short rib with a chile guaque demi-glace served with a root vegetable pavé. 'If you go to my house, my mom's hilachas are going to be different from your mom's hilachas,' Cristian says of the variation. The pepián, too, takes a different route here — rather than making this traditional chicken stew with pepitoria (roasted and ground squash seeds), it's crafted with the pepitas (pumpkin seeds) that are plentiful in Minnesota.
The star of the show, though, is the taco omakase — an eight-course delight for $80 per person — comprising seven savory dishes and one sweet (currently a choco taco made with a cocoa tortilla that encases a chocolate mousse paired with popcorn and a passionfruit gel). As of early this spring, the omakase included an al pastor made with pork belly and grilled pineapple, the quesabirria that made the gas station spot a success, and an infladita carrying poached lobster floating in aguachile sauce, to name a few. 'We're using a lot of dry chiles. We're using quinoa, squash, and grains,' Cristian says of what drives the Mayan flavors home.
The drinks: Dare I say the best part of the taco omakase was the drink pairings? If you're worried about overdoing it, fear not — the eight pairings for $35 a person are just the right size for sampling and feature two nonalcoholic courses. Bar director Zoilo Ruacho-Marquez and bar manager Daniel Torres serve creative cocktails that include white wine blends paired with pink flowers, a take on Mexico City's Batanga with yuzu, and a michelada made with the tomato water that drains off of pico de gallo. The final pairing is the Tal Vez Un Carajillo, a zero-proof version of the popular espresso drink made with rum and cacao bitters.
The vibe: What comes brightly shining through the omakase experience is the glimmering pride the team takes in each and every one of the dishes and drinks they present. Through short and sweet yet nuanced and informative insights into the cultural and culinary traditions that inspire the chef's table offerings, as well as creative and unique flourishes, the taco omakase becomes a true experience. When you dine at a shared table at that price, you might get seated with a coterie of golf-loving, Louis Vuitton-toting landlords unaware of the basic civic discourse taking place in their own communities, which can be horrifying or endlessly entertaining depending on how you see it.
The verdict: De Leon puts it this way: 'Xelas is more than a restaurant — it's an invitation to experience a deeper flavor of Latin America.' In a metro area swimming in James Beard nominations every year and a city teeming with modern takes on traditional foods, the heart, soul, individuality, and originality that Xelas pulls off is no small feat.
It's simply a fact that what you encounter at Xelas just can't be found anywhere else — it's a glimpse into the beautiful Guatemalan and Mexican family that Cristian and Karen have created right here in Minnesota and the dishes that have come from it. And that's what makes Xelas the destination dining spot that it is. When an occasion worthy of a tasting menu comes around or an itch to exit the Twin Cities strikes, the drive to Xelas is a fun adventure. For those local to or visiting Stillwater, Xelas stands far out from and above the largely American dining that otherwise abounds — go omakase if you want a dining experience or stick to the a la carte menu for creative dishes at a range of price points for a more in-and-out affair.
Xelas by El Sazon is located at 1180 W Frontage Rd. in Stillwater; open 4 p.m. to 8 p.m. Sunday through Thursday and 4 p.m. to 9 p.m. on Friday and Saturday; reservations are available on Tock.
