Aperi, Open Kitchen

Published July 24th, 2021

Alfredo Sinencio and Omar Enríquez are the perfect team at Aperi, located on Quebrada near Umarán. One is a mixologist, the other a chef. Alfredo arrived in San Miguel five years ago and has dedicated most of that time to the Aperi bar, where he puts his secret touches and love into its signature drinks. Meanwhile, Omar leads in the kitchen, which produces his personalized chef’s table dishes, requested in advance. Omar has lived on the coast, where he managed the kitchens of various restaurants, as well as in northern, southern, and central Mexico. He wanted to learn French cooking, but now prepares dishes with regional ingredients in what they call an “open kitchen.” In a conversation with the chef and the mixologist, we got recommendations on what to eat and what to pair the dishes with.

For starters, they recommend burrata cheese from San Miguel; the flavor is unique. This should be accompanied by a sparkling wine cocktail. The list is extensive, but Sinencio will recommend the one that fits best. Follow this with chamorro de cerdo (pork shank) ravioli starter. The chamorro is cooked for two days with avocado leaves and chile de arbol. The taste is somewhere between sweet and spicy. The sauce is an emulsion of beef juices. This dish can be accompanied by a boulevardier—a bourbon-based cocktail with a sweet, sour, and spicy note, flavored with an orange twist. For the main course, the recommendation is vacio—flank steak. The beef is from Querétaro, and the dish is served with charred eggplant puree and endives with a fennel-based dressing. This is the most requested dish. The flavor is of the countryside because of the vegetables, the smoky flavor, and the meat. To cleanse the palate, a Martini. If you have room for dessert, the strawberries are organic.