Keimani and I were sitting at our table and I was getting impatient. Not because they were taking long with our food, but because each second that I didn’t have my food was bringing on some sort of foodie separation anxiety. I saw myself slowly becoming a wreck when I moved our “number 14” sign closer to the front of the table.

“Do you think by putting the number there the food will come faster?” Kemani said sarcastically.

I pouted and whimpered, “Maybe.” My niece Keimani and I were sitting at Chichen Itza at Mercado La Paloma after working a booth at Street Food Cinema at Exposition Park. We had a fun time talking to people and handing out giveaways, but after a few hours our guts were growling. Coming to the conclusion to eat at this restaurant was easy because of two reasons: it was close by and the food is impeccable. Once the movie started and we packed up our booth, we hoped in the car and drove less than a mile to devour the best Yucatan food DTLA has to offer. Once we arrived, there was already a long line of people who wanted to get their fix before the restaurant closed. That was fine, because it gave us time to decide exactly what to order. Keimani got the Bistec a la Yucateca ($12.99) and I ordered the Pollo Asada ($10.25).

I’ve had Keimani’s dish before so I knew it would be delicious. It was a New York steak served with fried potatoes on top of plantains and it came with rice and a black bean puree. Keimani didn’t let me dive deep into her plate past two bites, but what I got was perfection. The steak was tender, but it all became wonderful when she poured the black bean puree over the steak and rice then gave me a forkful of it all. Each bite was like a harmonious melody in my mouth. I was tempted to beg for more, but then my dish started to call my name.

My plate had wood grilled boneless chicken served with rice, black beans, and plantains. This is the type of dish that you devour from start to finish with few breaths of air in between. The reason you inhale it so quickly is because the chicken is wood grilled where parts of the exterior are crispy while the white meat is succulent and juicy. The seasoning is mild and the spicy level is low. The black beans sit in a smooth puree that are of a moderate thickness. That makes them perfect as a sauce should you make a soft taco out of the dish, or to just maneuver a scoop method with a fork. But it’s the plantains that bring it all together. The plantains were very sweet as if they were dipped in a honey glaze. They blended so well with all the components of the dish that each moment I took a breath, was wasted time that I could use to shove more food in my mouth. That was until I finished it all.

   I really enjoyed Chichen Itza and Keimani did as well, it was pretty obvious since our table was so quiet while we cleared our plates. I would highly recommend this restaurant if you love Yucatan food and even if you appreciate well-orchestrated dishes. As well, if you can hold your breath for long periods of time while eating, then this spot is definitely for you.

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Address: 3655 S Grand Ave, Los Angeles, CA 90007
Phone: (213) 741-1075
Hours: Sunday through Thursday – 8:00am to 9:00pm, Friday and Saturday – 8:00am to 10:00pm
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