The more I reflect, the more I find it funny how hard we try to spend as many hours as possible in restaurants; at least, I’ll assume you are like me, and this is true. But for every hour we spend hosted by someone else, our biggest desire is to leave. We desire to be brought to another place, somewhere across the world, to be transported to the desert landscape someone else calls home, their childhood playground, their family’s dinner table.
We walked into the dark, moody, and warm dining room of Alteño—and there it was, that familiar feeling of desire to be taken to those beautiful places. I put on my seatbelt, ready to be transported.
The Place
Alteño, is the Spanish word for highlander, referring directly to the name given to the people who call the high mountains of Jalisco their home. We were told of a place full of sensory-rich experiences deeply rooted in tradition and family life, especially around food. Meals are more than just nourishment—they're moments of connection.
The ‘campestre’ style is the soul of Chef Curiel's menu at Alteño, ‘campestre’ meaning the “countryside” cuisine often found in Jalisco and implies a focus on quality ingredients straight from the land as well as a communal layer to eating, reflective of Jalisco’s food culture. Campestre meals are often cooked outdoors over wood fires, using simple, traditional ingredients—think handmade tortillas and or fire-roasted meats like the Barbacoa Tatemada, a Colorado lamb shank with a garbanzo consomme, served with a silky guacachile and escabeche found on the Alteño menu. These meals usually take place in open spaces with long tables, live music, and lots of laughter. It's a style that celebrates land, family, and the joy of slow, shared living.
The People
When we arrived, we hosted—and I don’t mean asked our names to trail to a table. I mean hosted. We were introduced to the faces of the founding team, chit-chatted with the in-house sommelier and beverage director, who opened our eyes to a bar program of wildly crafted and exquisite Mexican spirits. The star spirit of their Mezcal negroni, a small-batch and complex Mezcal distilled with the bright botanicals of gin, oh and the Mexican style fernet, an herbal and warm digestif unlike any I’ve tried. We laughed all night with our server, who compassionately educated us on the proper use of the cutlery. The Camote Asado, an agave roasted sweet potato with fennel whipped requesón, was served with a large spoon, and no, it’s not to shovel the whole thing in your mouth all at once because it was so dang good.
We laughed all night. This is it, I would think to myself; this is the ‘campestre’ spirit, the joy of slow shared living- the story of Alteño.
The Food
Chef Curiel and team have set the bar high for themselves, after their first Michelin recognition with Alma Fonda Fina, and acclaimed and beloved two other sister restaurants, we couldn’t help but walk in with a tall order. It didn’t take long for our hearts and bellies to be melted. On a recommendation from the house, we ate the ‘Pan De Elote,’ a jalapeno cornbread with huitlacoche butter, smoked honey, and black truffle, and a baked Hokkaido scallop served with a beautiful citrusy salsa negra (and served on a clamshell to our delight) while we waited for the main courses; a classic carne asada, and fire-roasted chicken. While we gushed over the meal, the best surprise of them all was the seafood. We were served a deliciously bright bluefin tuna with a green apple aguachile and a lemon oil fennel after a familiar but unique kanpachi tostada.
Chef Curiel shared with us: "While Alteño is rooted in campestre-style cooking, the raw bar is a really important part of the restaurant to me. Seafood plays a big role on the menu because, growing up, my dad and I would take trips along Mexico’s coast, visiting different cevicherías. We’d eat oysters, scallops, and all kinds of fish—those moments really stuck with me. Including a raw bar at Alteño felt like a natural way to bring those memories in and honor my dad."
End
We ended our evening, bellies stuffed, with our laughter still lingering. We hugged our waiter goodbye and waved to the bar staff. But you know what I realized in those last few minutes of a wonderful evening with friends and food?
I realized we never left.
We didn’t need to be transported to another place because where we were was already where we needed to be—right here. What Chef Curiel and his team have done so beautifully is share his incredible history, food, culture and family with his neighbors and friends. Melding new cultures together and creating new stories, eating delicious local food, and learning to celebrate land, family, and the joy of the spirit of the Alteño. Sitting for a meal at Ateño becomes a reminder that sometimes, the best places to be are the ones we are already in.
To learn more or make a reservation, visit AltenoRestaurant.com.