A Taste of Mexico City In Memphis

In “A Taste of Mexico City In Memphis,” Gravy reporter Mackenzie Martin visits Las Tortugas Deli Mexicana, a Memphis restaurant run by a father and son duo: Jonathan and José “Pepe”Magallanes.   Every day at Las Tortugas starts the same way: at the markets. According to Pepe, he and Jonathan go daily to source the produce and proteins they need for the two locations. The idea is to replicate the kind of hyper-fresh cuisine that Pepe grew up eating in Mexico City taquerias and torterias as a kid in the 1940s and ‘50s.    Another nod to Mexico City is the turtle-themed artwork on the walls. In Pepe’s neighborhood, El Pedregal, the bread was hollowed out more than usual for its torta sandwiches, so that it resembled the shell of a turtle. Pepe grew up calling sandwiches in Pedregal “tortugas,” which translates to turtle in Spanish.    Today, you can taste the attention to flavor in the salsa, agua frescas, and delicious tacos and torta sandwiches chock-full of ripe avocado, fresh jalapeños, beans, queso fresco, al pastor, jumbo sea scallops, Gulf shrimp, filet mignon, and more.   Because of the premium ingredients, it’s hard to get out of Las Tortugas without spending at least $25, which is pricier than other Mexican restaurants in the area. But chef Pati Jinich says there’s a movement to redefine casual Mexican cuisine, which is often expected to be cheaper than casual Italian food, even if the dishes are made with similar high-quality ingredients.    Be warned, though, alongside every sandwich come strong opinions.    “Attention to our guests that come from California, Texas, and border states with Mexico. Please spare us where you are coming from, indicating that you know about Mexican food,” reads a sternly worded sign near the cash register. “Our restaurant is a special place that is setting the record straight about what is truly upscale, fresh, classic Mexican cuisine with absolutely no influence of the American way of cooking. So do not try and teach us any lessons, but rather sit down and enjoy.”   What this means in practice is that Las Tortugas doesn’t sell heavy enchiladas, burritos, fajitas, nachos, flour tortillas, sour cream, taco salads, cheese dip, or other dishes associated with “Tex-Mex” or “Cal Mex”.   “It's tongue-in-cheek,” admits Jonathan. “It just sort of, I think, speaks to the passion that we have for doing something different.”   Jinich, who also grew up in Mexico City, says it’s hard to pinpoint what “authentic” Mexico City cuisine is because it’s a melting point of all different styles of regional Mexican cuisine. (Her new cookbook, “Foods of La Frontera: Recipes and New Taste Frontiers from Both Sides of the Border,” digs into the nuance of these.) But Jinich appreciates what the family is trying to do.   “There’s this tug and pull between traditional and modern. And I think it's all a win-win because then that means that there's all different kinds of regional variations,” she says. “There's something really beautiful in passing on something that has that taste that you recognize.”  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices