What: Harvested from Oaxaca’s forests, the herb poleo tastes like mint when stewed in a tea (te) and makes a refreshing, palate-cleansing finish to a meal. Or, as some say, a good and hydrating hangover cure.
Where: We found this at La Olla (Reforma 402, map). Given the midday heat, we took it to go with a cup of ice to make a minty iced version of it.
When: Mon-Sat, 8am-10pm
Order: Te de poleo (20p). If you’re eating at this café, there’s lots of good regional food to tempt you: tostadas de salchicha, sopa de frijol santanero, quesillo en salsa verde, mole negro de fandango. Or you might be interested in its botana de olla sampler, which offers a few Oaxacan specialties like cecina, tasajo, quesillo, chapulines, and memelitas on one plate.