Zengo DC: Virtual Travel to Los Cabos

On September 14th, Los Cabos, Mexico was struck by Hurricane Odile. At that time I was on the other side of Mexico in sunny Tulum but it was inevitable to feel saddened by the destruction the it left in the Pacific side of Mexico.  Homes were destroyed, people were left homeless, and the main economic source of the region, tourism was stalled. Richard Sandoval, the famous chef and owner of Zengo DC wanted to help. He collaborated with the chefs of the most popular resorts in Los Cabos from properties such as the iconic One and Only Palmilla To Esperanza Auberge Resort to deliver a special menu at Zengo DC in which 10% of the proceeds go to the Los Cabos Children Foundation. Recently, I had the opportunity to try this delicious and creative menu and be virtually transported to the beauty and culinary diversity of Los Cabos.  Here are some snapshots of the menu:

Started the dinner with a pomegranate and serrano margarita. I must say, it seems like every restaurant has a spicy margarita option and I love it! The fusion of tart and spicy went really well. The jalapeno margarita was also a nice opening cocktail.

This clam ceviche is from Chef Larbi Dahrouch from the One and Only Palmilla. The clams were fresh and really enjoyed biting into sweet ripe mangoes. Easily my favorite dish of the evening.

The sea bass tiradito is from Chef Gonzalo Cerda from Esperanza Auberge Resort. Having the raw sea bass literally transported me to a tropical beach. The combination of the crispy shallots and salsa negra soy sauce paired well with the cuts of fish.

The pan seared scallops was the most interesting dish of the evening. Created by Chef Raul Che of the Hilton Los Cabos Beach and Golf Resort, had a sauce made of ground chapulines (grasshoppers) imported from Mexico. It gave the the scallops an interesting salty taste. The short rib tamale was made of a sweet masa, great combination of flavors. Like many dishes at Zengo, the Octopus Carnitas Bibimap is a merge between Latin American and Asian flavors. This dish comes from Chef Fabrice FG Guisset from Las Ventanas al Paraiso Resort. It was an interesting fusion of flavors. The items separately were fresh and well made but for my personal taste they did not merge together. However, our vibrant waiter, Justin raved that it was his favorite dish.  We concluded our meal with a sampler of desserts from a vanilla mousse topped with cherries to churros. The one shown above is  a sweet empanada with dulce de leche ice cream. I've been to Zengo DC many times to grab and drink and a bite before the Wizards games but it was my first time having a proper dinner. The remains lively way past happy hour and the staff was passionate about their food. The Los Cabos Menu will be offered until December 31st.