Have you ever experienced Yucatan cuisine? Do you know what Yucatan is?

I hadn't explored Yucatan food before visiting CHAAK in Tustin, and I noticed that many Mexican restaurants offer a watered-down version of Yucatan dishes on their menus. While I've tried variations of this cuisine, such as cochinita pibil, I had never tasted it authentically made, especially at a restaurant exclusively dedicated to this fare.

CHAAK is the brainchild of the acclaimed chef Gabbi Patrick, known for her first successful venture, GABBI’s. Being advertised as an authentic Yucatan establishment, it raised my expectations, given Gabbi's roots in Yucatan and her previous experience working at her parents' restaurant.

Upon entering CHAAK, the aesthetics immediately caught my attention. The combination of cement, dark wood, greenery, and natural light streaming through the open ceiling created a visually pleasing ambiance. The restaurant's spacious and open layout added to the positive first impression.

However, the menu proved a bit perplexing, featuring uncommon ingredients and being entirely in Spanish.

We kicked off our culinary journey with the empanadas – Oaxaca cheese, epazote, habanero-romesco salsa. These were a delight. The empanada dough was outstanding, achieving a perfect balance of crispiness on the outside and softness on the inside. Abundant gooey cheese and flavorful salsa complemented the dish.

For our main course, we opted for Cochinita Pibil, featuring achiote-smoked pork shoulder, au jus, and avocado puree. This turned out to be one of the best Pibils I've ever tasted. The seasoning and flavors were impeccable – a delightful blend of smokiness, spiciness, tanginess, and a hint of sweetness. The Pibil was expertly cooked, almost melting in the mouth, and served with homemade purple corn tortillas.

We also sampled Balam / La Luna Cupreata Mezcal, a concoction of saffron, carrot, lemon, ancho chile, and pink peppercorn salt. This unique blend offered a smoky, sweet, and earthy flavor profile, adding an extra layer of enjoyment to the experience.

For dessert, we indulged in Bengiets with caramel and chocolate sauce. While these were okay, they fell a bit short, lacking the excitement and flavor complexity found in the earlier courses.