In this process, there is a rediscovery — with creativity and respect — of the depth of Mexican cuisine. The choriostión — with chorizo, quesillo, and verdolaga — finally confirms that here creativity is not a decorative resource, but the central axis of the cuisine. The aguachile with black recado takes this idea even further. Inspired by its border origin, Valdivieso transforms it into a substantial and deeply flavorful dish: smoked lettuce hearts, anchovy dressing, pickled mustard seeds, and Yucatecan bola cheese. The classic spectacle of its preparation at the table is not seen; everything happens in the kitchen. It is not the classic hit of acidity that one expects, but a more complex construction: blue shrimp, cucumber pearls with mint, green apple, chicharrón powder, and a recado made from scratch that provides depth and a light smoky note. In many ways, it is a clear example of how dishes elevate the flavors and ingredients of Mexico by reinterpreting them without losing their essence, so it would be unforgivable not to treat your palate to it by ordering it. Something similar happens with the tiradito of scallop with chiltepín and macha sauce, or with the sopes of pressed chicharrón with octopus and ash guacamole, where the sea and land dialogue without stridency. It is a serious proposal, built from research, technique, and memory, where each dish tells a story and each flavor has an origin. Those who come, we can assure, will live an authentic experience through the senses, not only for its cuisine, but for the impeccable execution of the service, the decoration of the place, the sommelier's advice for pairing, the waiter's recommendations to choose according to craving... even the tableware used to serve the different dishes plays an important role. At Testal, Cocina de Mar, you don't just go to eat seafood, you go to understand them from another perspective. And in this same proposal is the change of menu from time to time, according to the season of the ingredients. Gastronomic Experience. Our visit begins with a quartet of mollusks: farmed oyster on the grill, simply with a green herb oil, to more complex versions like the oyster with quesillo and quelites, of delicate flavor because the herb is sautéed with olive oil; or the oyster a la talla with gratinated bola cheese. Each preparation shows the chef's hand: there is technique, but also a contemporary reading of the Mexican flavor. The creamy rice with squid ink, squid, truffle oil, and Yucatecan bola cheese is comforting and precise, while the day's catch Tikin Xic connects directly with the deepest root of Mexican cuisine. The preparation, inherited from the Mayan tradition — 'over the fire, over the embers' — is presented in two halves: one with achiote and another with black recado, remembering that these techniques have existed for thousands of years and remain current not out of nostalgia, but out of their potency. The closing with a Baked Alaska flambéed with brandy provides that final touch between the classic and the theatrical, without breaking the coherence of the journey. Our Opinion. In the end, the feeling is potent: the restaurant does not seek to replicate what already exists. For those of us who consider ourselves seafood lovers, finding a place like Testal Cocina del mar makes one feel fortunate to taste a proposal that breaks with the schemes of what is marine cuisine. It is not the typical seafood restaurant of a long sit-down between beers, aguachiles, and tostadas, with banda or corridos tumbados music playing incessantly, where a simple formula predominates: bottled sauces, spicy, and lime. Here, it adopts the philosophy of the Testal restaurant, whose cuisine of origin is recognized for respecting traditional flavors, but with the precision of contemporary haute cuisine, and applies it to seafood to offer an innovative menu, in which when trying one of its dishes, it moves the heart and exceeds the expectation in flavor. Behind it is the young chef Alex Valdivieso, who has built a proposal that he himself defines as evolutionary cuisine: a way of understanding Mexican gastronomy as a living organism, in constant transformation. His starting point is the sea — Pacific, Gulf, and Caribbean — but also memory, travel, the milpa, the chinampas, and the kitchens that have shaped the country. The result is a menu that does not seek to impress from pretension, but from respect for the product and the reinterpretation of its roots. Sincerely, it moves us and excites us, this creation you must not fail to try on your visit. In the main courses, not only Valdivieso's creativity is confirmed, but also his enthusiasm and passion for creating new sensations in diners. Each dish seems built from a very clear idea: to take recognizable references and take them to another place, without breaking the emotional bond that holds them. But if there is a moment that justifies the visit by itself, in our humble opinion, it is the grilled Caesar salad. The result is a version that surprises for its balance and character, and that confirms that even classics can be rewritten with meaning. It is not just another seafood restaurant and does not pretend to be.
