Don Day: Bacalao is back From Chef Maria

Published December 9, 2022

by Don Day

I’d lost touch with Maria. I’m not sure who was the most to blame. Maria for moving so often. Or me for not hunting her down. She’d always been one of my favorite San Miguel chefs. And, when it came to putting value on a plate, there may have never been anyone better in this town.

My love affair with her food began at Las Cazuelas where she served a buffet with a staggering 32 different dishes. It continued with a menu del dia at Sabores y Salsas, first at a little hostel on Calzada de la Luz, then at a bigger and better location (and menu) on Salida a Celaya. Next came a stint running the kitchen at the family-owned hotel, El Mirador. And then, poof, the hotel had an “En Venta” sign on it and Maria had flown.

I’d heard that my chef, full name Maria Auxilio Trujillo Rodriguez, was at a hotel on the road to Dolores Hidalgo. As much as I appreciated her 99 peso lunches, the cab there and back killed the value equation. Not to mention about an hour of my time. We lost touch.

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