Our family, around 20 of us, gathered at Don Aremio's to celebrate the life of my brother-in-law…read morewho had passed away early in the week. This was his favorite restaurant. He loved Don Artemio's. Being a 5-star restaurant, service is always impeccable from the time you enter until the time you depart.
Our server today was Ulises. He politely introduced himself and asked if there were any questions about the restaurant, or the cuisine. After answering several questions, he proceeded to take our drink orders. I ordered one of their speciality tequila cocktails. Each one is an experience in it's self.
My sister ordered several Nopalitos Fritos, the restaurant's signature fried cactus appetizer, plus the restaurant's incredible guacamole. The appetizer was accompanied by their in-house made blue corn tortillas. Oh yummy, my favorite part of the dining experience, the cactus. It is SO good.
The restaurant is such a beautiful creation. If you're ever dining there, ask the servers to give you a history of the furnishing, stones, etc. It is so interesting to learn about the care that went into the restaurant. In fact, much of the ingredients used in the preparation of their incredible entrees is sourced from a certain area of Mexico. Even their incredible coffees use imported coffee beans from Mexico.
When dining at Don Artemio there is never a rush to get you in and out. This is a restaurant to immerse yourself in the surrounds and the food. Don Artmio's is a destination restaurant to be savored while you are there. Ulises check-in with my sister if she felt it was time to order. There is such a delectable selection of entrees to choose from, it'll be a hard choice For many of us.
My wife, who wasn't too hungry, decided just to enjoy more of the Nopalitos Fritos with the blue corn tortillas, this is her favorite item on the menu. I opted for the prime 8 ounce filet. He is served on ancho -pasilla herb black bean pureé, chipotle sauce, ancho-pasilla, grilled calabacita and baby carrots.
I'm and "rare" steak individual and usually restaurants disappoint me because my steaks are almost always overcooked. I'm taking a chance on Don Artmio's, but I have a funny feeling, my steak is going to come out of the kitchen perfectly prepared. Others in our party ordered their entrees as well. Ulises handled our group with military precision. His attention was on each guest as he took their order like they were the only customer in the restaurnat.
After a reasonable wait, a barrage of servers, surrounded our table, with Ulises' assistance, each entree was placed in front of each of our party with a certain flair. Everything looked so delicious. The presentation of each platter was a feast for the eyes. As I learned in the food business, presentation is everything! Several members of the management team stopped by our table many times to check on us to see if we had everything we needed. The service staff demonstrates a true "team" effort. Everyone helps everyone.
Ulises, for those who had ordered cuts of meat, he asked all of us to cut into our steaks to check the doneness and see if it was prepared to our satisfaction. Here's the test, was I going to get a perfectly prepared "rare" steak? I cut into my prime 8-ounce filet and it was grilled to a perfect "rare." There was a beautiful crust on the outside. Oh my goodness, I couldn't wait until the first bite. Perfection!! Seasoned perfectly. One thing you'll notice, there are no salt and pepper shakers on the tables. There is no need for them. My tummy was so happy.
As our meal wound down, conversation wound up. We shared so many wonderful memories of Ron, my brother-in-law. He had been a part of my life for 62 years. He passing left a void in all of our lives.
To wind our meal experience up, my sister ordered several orders of the restaurant's signature dessert, Tres Leches del Desierto
Deconstructed tres leches with ammonite-shaped ice cream and berries, basically a deconstructed Tres Leches. words can't express how delicious and decadent it is. It is so rich, it begs for a cup of Mexican coffee, which is what I ordered. We all enjoyed the wrap of of our gathering at Don Artmio's to honor and remember a family member that had been such a presence in our lives for over six decades.
Thank you Ulises, the staff of the restaurant and especially all those who work behind the scenes to ensure each and every visit to Don Artmio's is a memorable experience. We'll be back again soon.