Although many cookbooks from famous restaurants are banal and include only a few recipes that anyone would actually want to make (and recipes that don’t even resemble the dishes served at the restaurants they represent), Nopalito: A Mexican Kitchen, is a beautiful exception. Written by the head chef at the San Francisco restaurant, Nopalito, in collaboration with a journalist and test kitchen guru, this cookbook is incredible. None of the dishes are even close to those served at Taco Bell, Del Taco, Qdoba, Baja Fresh or other chain restaurants claiming to serve Mexican food. The dishes are mouthwatering, the photography is exceptional, and the vignettes and explanations that precede each recipe, as well as the history and facts about the areas from which the recipes come are fascinating.

Although some of the recipes take time and a bit of effort, there are also quick and easy recipes such as Ensalada de Frutas (Fruit Salad with Chile and Lime), Ensalada de Pepinos y Verdolagas (Cucumber and Purslane Salad), and Tostadas de Picadillo (Ground Beef Tostadas). Also included are recipes for homemade tortillas, as well as step-by-step instructions for making tamales (with beautiful pictures). Guzmán has included how-to on making homemade tortilla chips, tostada shells, and Mexican sandwich rolls at home. There also recipes for basics such as Mexican rice and a few versions of Mexican beans. The instructions are easy to understand and cook-friendly, whether for a beginning cook or someone with more experience.

No one will be able to resist Carne Asada con Chorizo (Grilled Steak with Chorizo), Tortas de Chilorio (Adobo-Braised Pork Sandwiches), Cemita Poblana de Milanesa (Breaded Chicken Sandwiches with Sesame Rolls), or Enchiladas Rojas de Camarón (Red Shrimp Enchiladas), which are delicious. There are also fabulous chicken enchiladas made with one of the many recipes for Mole. Since there were banana leaves in the freezer, Trucha Adobada en Hoja de Plátano (Adobo-Rubbed Trout in Banana Leaves) was a fairly quick dish I prepared for my family; there were no leftovers.

Yes, there are recipes for tacos, tostadas, enchiladas, and other ubiquitous Mexican dishes in this excellent cookbook, but absolutely nothing that resembles those 20-minute weeknight Americanized versions. In fact, the dishes are so dissimilar, you’ll think you are eating a new and exotic cuisine while sitting on a Mexican beach.

Wow! Anyone who loves real Mexican food will immediately want to pick up this cookbook and start cooking. It will occupy a hallowed place on the cookbook shelf and be used until the pages are dog-eared and worn.

Special thanks to NetGalley for supplying a review copy of this book.

Serious food in this one! What a reference for anyone interested in making Mexican food at home. The salsa section alone makes this a worthy cookbook to own. I was fascinated by the section on tortillas and using masa, and I evidently had little to no idea what traditional Mexican recipes include or entail. I am happy to say that I feel so much more informed now! As I read, I was daunted, but also inspired to learn and try. And just look at that cover... you, too, can make beautiful food with the guidance of this cookbook.

Thank you to Netgalley for giving me the opportunity to see into the heart of Nopalito a restaurant I have heard so much about over the years.
Nopalito by Gonzalo Guzman and Stack Adimando, gives us an actual glimpse into all the things that make Nopalito it's self such a well loved place to eat. Into the dishes, that we can actually and easily with a but of effort produce at home to enjoy at our own tables,
Everything is simple and easy to follow and understand, the depth and flavors that accompany each recipes is clearly stated. The pictures make everything look even more wonderful than it already sounds.
It's an uncomplicated way straight into the heart of authentic Mexican cooking. And I cannot wait to try everything.

Absolutely delicious photos and recipes!
Nopalito definitely proved Mexican cuisine to be extremely appetizing - there are dozens of recipes for salsa, tacos and even the perfect tortilla.
A delightful cookbook that is highly recommended!

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for a review.

This Mexican cookbook was not quite what I expected – it was much more. It opened up a new world of tastes, ingredients and food preparation styles, with a wonderful array of recipes.
The first thing that strikes you about these recipes is the quantity and variety of chillies called for. In our local shops and supermarkets, chillies just come in red, green and (for something really exotic) Scotch Bonnet. So, it was quite clear that if I wanted to make any of these recipes properly, then I would have to go to the internet. Luckily, I was able to order a variety pack of Mexican dried chillies that seemed to cover most bases.
The second thing was that most of the meats were boiled, and then added to the sauces. Most recipes that I was used to, would fry or roast the meats first, then add any liquid. Despite my initial doubts, the results were very tasty and tender, so I have learned some good new techniques.
The third thing you notice is, that there is no recipe for “chilli con carne” – not anywhere! For non-Mexicans, “chilli con carne” IS Mexican food. This cookbook begs to differ.
Chillies in hand, meat on the boil, I began to cook. I stuck mainly to the “small plates” and discovered some mouth-watering, and for me, quite exotic, recipes. My favourites were the “Tacos de Cochinitas”, the “Tamales de Birria con Pollo” and the “Tostadas de Picadillo”. The recipes tend to be quite involved, but most are achievable with a bit of effort. We didn’t always do the full recipe as listed. Quite often we would substitute bought tortillas, tacos etc. rather than making them from scratch. We also had some of the sauces on baked potatoes or pasta, or used left-over roasted fowl instead of fresh meat – all of which worked very well.
I have only tried one of the fish recipes so far: “Tacos de Pescado al Pastor” with whole sea bass, which was very good, and I am very keen to try the Ceviche recipes.
There is so much in this book that is new to me, and so much more that I want to try. I would recommend it to any adventurous cook, who wants to spice up their life a bit.

I needed some new recipes to give myself some variation in what I am eating. Nopalito gives a nice wide variety of Mexican dishes and also gives some useful information on how to prepare ingredients.

Whilst I have not been able to try any of the recipes yet, I do have a few that I shall be trying in the next few weeks like Paletas de Fresas (Strawberry Popsicles), Machaca De Camarón Con Huevos (Smashed Shrimp with Eggs and Salsa), and Tamales De Birria Con Pollo (Tamales with Stewed Chicken).

The layout was very clean. Ideally I would have liked more photos of each dish as I always like to see what it is that I can make, but apart from that the contest of the whole page photographs with the corresponding recipe on the opposite page as well as photo instructions on some of the more complicated techniques made Nopalito a very handy and easy to use cookbook.

My main gripe with Noplito is that their wasn’t enough options for people who did not like hot and spicy food (aka me). I know, what a stupid statement, what should I expect from a Mexican cookbook. They are known for hot and spicy dishes.

If you want a cookbook with different recipes than you normally have that are easy to make, then give Nopalito a try.