When looking for a good meal in the State of Veracruz, don’t fail to try the huevos tirados (literally, thrown eggs), which are eggs cooked with beans and served with cheese, tortilla chips, soft tortillas, fried plantain, and rice. After dinner, discover some traditional Xalapan desserts such as corn cake and buñuelos (fritters made with beer, anise, and molasses). If you're a fan of the occasional tipple, try the local drink, Torito de La Chata, made of fruit, condensed milk and cane liquor. The drink comes in several flavors such as guava, mango, peanut, coconut, strawberry and, of course, coffee.
Veracruzan cuisine consists of a range of exquisite dishes made from fish and shellfish, usually accompanied by a spicy salsa. A good example, and well worth trying, is shrimp a la diabla (devilled shrimps); another option is crab in chilpachole, a traditional stew made with Serrano chilli, or red snapper a la Veracruzana. Many delicious dishes here are labelled “a la Veracruzana”, which means you can expect a tomato-based sauce with onions, garlic, olives, chillies and spices. Other cuisine options in Veracruz include fresh oysters, mojarra al mojo de ajo (sea bream in garlic), Veracruz-style tripe, Veracruz-style duck, gorditas (corn cakes), picadas (corn patties topped with cheese, beans and a hot salsa), and molcajete de cecina (cured beef served in a Mexican stone mortar with cheese and mushrooms).
Eating out in Xalapa, you're sure to find something from among the local delicacies to delight your palate. Typical dishes from around the state include chicken chileatole (a hot soup made with chilli, corn dough, and spices); molotes (snacks made from corn dough and mashed potato); and tamal de cazuela (stewed, local-style corn tamales). There's literally something for everyone in Xalapa. If you're shy in the face of traditional Mexican food, you can try local dishes with a modern twist at the elegant Casa de Mama (Mother's House). For the daring, on the other hand, there are jalapeño chillies stuffed with ground beef or seafood. Sunset brings with it the irresistible flavors of traditional Xalapan desserts, usually enjoyed with a coffee. You can choose from jamoncillo, a dessert based on milk, unrefined sugar and pumpkin seeds, and candied fruit with piloncillo (molasses). Locals traditionally end their evenings with torito, a milk and sugar cane-based liquor flavored with cajeta (a toffee sauce made from goat's milk), caramel, coconut, coffee or nuts.
