Restaurants can be known and become famous for many things. Great food, atmosphere, incredible service, innovation among many others. But one local restaurant has taken a Midwest staple, the humble corn, to an entirely new level.
But this is not Minnesota corn. It's not even U.S. corn. But it is their incredible use of corn used in their dishes that makes Oro by Nixta different. The owners put countless hours into preserving Mexico’s heirloom corn varieties, and they're doing it beyond just tortillas with an array of of "masa" based dishes. Many of those are vegetarian too.
Co-owner Gustavo Romero says heirloom corn is special because those growing techniques have been passed down through generations.
"It varies on the size, and color, texture and most important flavor," says Romero.
Corn, or maize, was domesticated by indigenous peoples in southern Mexico about 9,000 years ago. It was a staple food for native peoples and after Spanish exploration of North and South America in the 16th century, it started to make its way across the world.
The corn grown in the U.S. and across much of the planet today is very different however. Sweet corn and feed varieties are the most grown crop in Minnesota and the U.S.
But in Mexico, there are still many of those ancient varieties of corn still grown. The Romeros are on a mission to preserve Mexico’s 59 heirloom varieties from being lost.
Oro by Nixta did start their business on the heels of its tortilla business, simply made from that heirloom corn, limestone, and water. That's it. Oro, by the way, means "gold" which is what corn is in Mexico - it's "gold" because it is such a staple of how they feed their families.
But that simplicity, and heirloom corn, is what is drawing people to Oro. Kate Romero says there's dozens of ways that corn gets incorporated into the menu, and that their one of a kind dishes keep their guests coming back for more.
"We have these amazing dumplings where we mix my corn masa, mix it with roasted plantain and make these dumplings called chayotes," she explains. "So, yeah, it's just about putting that corn on people's plates and, you know, also surprising them with what it is."
Gustavo Romero says they will also be adding fall time flavors to their corn centric dishes in the coming months.
"Squash is going to be coming into the menu and then definitely get into the soup season," he says. "Pozole, we have a seafood stew that we're working on."
The unique food at Oro by Nixta comes from quite a combination between Gustavo's Mexican background, and the Polish by way of Chicago heritage of Kate. The pair say blending their cultures through food has been the most rewarding as Mexican-Polish fusion dishes become more of a mainstay on their menu.
The restaurant is one hot ticket right now too. Reservations, especially for dinner, are very difficult to come by. But they do feature a take-out menu plus you can buy their (nationally) famous tortillas, both at the restaurant in Northeast Minneapolis or at several grocery stores around the metro area.
For once, Minnesota-based corn has made the state more than just flyover country too. Just this week, the New York Times named the spot one of the top 50 restaurants in the country. It was also named one of Bon Appetit's "Best New Restaurants of 2024" in this month's issue.
