CRUDO

Seated at the oak sushi bar of Chef Richard Arellano’s five-seat, omakase-style restaurant Crudo, I find few cues I’ve secured a spot at the hardest-to-get reservation in Oaxaca. His dishes—things like yuzu clam sashimi and ikura nigiri—don’t conjure typical Oaxacan fare. Nor do the intimate space and wabi-sabi interiors bear any resemblance to the leafy courtyards and cathedral views of the city’s other fine-dining establishments.

Ricardo Arellano is the responsible of the asiatic creationsthat come out of that kitchen. Give Japanese dishes a chance with a completely new experience. It is an omekase bar with Oaxacan flavors.

One of the top-rated restaurants in the city is Origen, helmed by 2016 Top Chef winner Rodolfo Castellanos. For a real treat, try the grilled octopus and chicharrones.

$$$$ · Fusion

Los restaurantes Almoraduz y Atarraya en Puerto Escondido, junto con Ancestral Cocina Tradicional, Asador Bacanora Oaxaca, Casa Oaxaca, Criollo, Crudo, Itanoni Flor del Maiz, Teocintle-Tika’aya y Zandunga Sabor Istmeño en la Ciudad de Oaxaca, son parte de la exclusiva selección de la Guía Michelin 2024. Estos establecimientos representan lo mejor de la cocina oaxaqueña, desde sus raíces tradicionales hasta las interpretaciones más innovadoras, mostrando la diversidad y la excelencia gastronómica que caracteriza a esta región de México. Quedaron en la lista Alfonsina, Cobarde, La Olla, Labo Fermento, Las Quince Letras y Tierra del Sol.

Tamarra says you cannot skip Crudo, a five-seat Japanese-inspired restaurant that uses Oaxacan ingredients to create fusion cuisine – the likes of which you’ve probably never had before. And while in Oaxaca, you may as well head out beyond the city limits to the town of Zimatlán, a 45 minute-long drive south where, says Tamarra, you’ll find the best weekend brunch at Portozuelo, a small restaurant attached to a farm and orchard where many ingredients from their recipes, like water chilis and guava, are grown. “Everything is cooked over fire on a comal.

Dive down the Oaxacan foodie rabbit hole by checking out the following world-class restaurants: Crudo, Restaurant Alfonsina, Criollo, Agua Miel, Levadura de Olla, Origen, Hotel Sin Nombre (vegetarian), Teocintle, and Casa Oaxaca. You’ll need to book in advance for all of these places, at least in the evenings. My personal favourites are Levadura de Olla (beautiful setting and a tier down in pricing) and the seasonal Agua Miel, which is actually out of town, near San Agustin Etla, and be tied in with the Excursiones en Etla route, or a day ride.

Hidden behind an unmarked door is another top spot on Oaxaca’s dining scene, CRUDO. Stepping away from traditional Oaxacan cuisine and diving into an exciting fusion of flavors, this intimate, omakase-style restaurant expertly combines the rich culinary heritage of Oaxaca with Japanese influences, creating a one-of-a-kind dining experience. At CRUDO, you’ll find expertly crafted sushi alongside local ingredients like fresh Oaxacan tasago (steak) herbs and chilies, offering a unique cross-cultural journey.

The Oaxacan-Japanese fusion omakase tasting was so unique — and every dish was perfectly presented and absolutely delicious. While expensive for Oaxaca, it was worth every penny and still only a fraction of what this experience would cost in the U.S. or Canada. We had to make a reservation through WhatsApp well in advance and pay a deposit — which makes total sense because the Chef’s Table style of dinning can accommodate only 8 people.

Crudo is a modern eatery that specializes in raw and lightly cooked dishes, emphasizing fresh, local ingredients and bold flavors. This establishment adds a unique twist to the Oaxaca restaurants scene, catering to those seeking innovative and health-conscious options. The Tuna Tostadas, with avocado and spicy mayo, are a must-try for 190 pesos ($10), while the Beet Carpaccio offers a vegetarian delight for 150 pesos ( $8).

I am always a little apprehensive about Asian fusion restaurants, so when we made a reservation at Crudo, I was curious to see how Japanese and Mexican fusion dishes would be served. When we first tried to find the restaurant, we were confused by the lack of signage, but luckily a worker was standing outside on his break. We were welcomed by a very minimalist and Japanese interior design inside with just bar seating.

The omakase tasting menu at Crudo highlights Oaxacan ingredients while seamlessly blending them with Japanese flavors and techniques. With seating for up to six guests at the chef bar, this is an intimate dining experience. As I watch chef Ricardo Arellano slice pieces of fresh fish and toast sheets of seaweed in front of my eyes, my mind begins to wander and imagine the next course.

I walked by Crudo, the newly popular Japanese fusion restaurant, several times before realizing I had to make a reservation to get in. This very small place seats only four people at a time (at 3, 5, 7 and 9 pm) at a countertop, with Chef Ricardo Arellano, preparing meals right in front of you. We talked extensively about sustainable seafood and local products.

Asimismo, 10 establecimientos oaxaqueños más entraron en la lista de los 97 restaurantes recomendados por los inspectores de la Guía Michelín, ubicándose así entre los mejores de la región, estos son: Almoraduz, Ancestral Cocina Tradicional, Asador Bacanora Oaxaca, Atarraya, Casa Oaxaca El Restaurante, Criollo, Crudo, Itanoní, Teocintle-Tika´aya y Zandunga

Crudo – Mention – A huge caveat… I am a huge Japanese food snob and went into Crudo with great uncertainty 2 years ago. Chef Ricardo Arellano uses Oaxacan ingredients to deliver his interpretation of Japanese flavours, but was also quick to tell me he’d never been to Japan. The ingredients are incredible and the preparations are very creative.

This is the place to go if you want to have a bougie date night out, but the food is honestly some of the best that we’ve tried. The best way to describe the food at Crudo is that it serves Oaxacan food in a Japanese style. This omakase is a super fun fusion experience that will leave you with a better understanding of Oaxacan cuisine.

Phil meets up with Alex Roa, his fixer from Mexico city, at Crudo: a Oaxacan-influenced Japanese sushi bar. They enjoy an Omakase meal featuring flavors unique to Oaxaca: raw clam in tepache (fermented pineapple), Tuna sashimi paired with grasshoppers, and an adobo-marinated seabass “taco” with a seaweed tortilla.

Like Alfonsina, Crudo was featured in the Oaxaca episode of Somebody Feed Phil. Not only is it one of the best restaurants in Oaxaca, but it’s also one of the most unique and interesting. Crudo is a tiny 6-seater bar restaurant that serves Japanese-Oaxacan tasting menus.

This is a one-of-a-kind culinary experience not to miss while visiting Oaxaca. This eight-course meal was a presentation of edible art. With an intimate counter and creative omakase that takes Japanese inspiration using Oaxacan ingredients and flavors.

Fusing Japanese flavors with local ingredients, Crudo is simply the best of both worlds. Chef Ricardo Arellano lets creativity flow with his carefully curated menu that changes depending on the seasonal ingredients available.

The reservation-only restaurant is the first oaxaqueño omakase in the city and delivers a stunning Japanese-influenced tasting experience for six lucky diners at a time (yep, it’s that tiny!).