A molcajete can be two things. In a museum it is a grinding bowl made of volcanic stone, often decorated with head, tail, and feet to assume the aspect of a pig or ram or goat. In olden days it was used by the Aztecs to grind corn.
At Cocodrilo's Restaurant a molcajete is all this and more. We went to dinner there the other night and ordered molcajetes. The server made a dramatic entrance, wheeling them on a cart--two huge stone bowls filled with a sauce still bubbling, in which a large slice of cheese was melted. Hanging over the edges of the bowl were shrimp (for me) or strips of beef (for John), a nopal (young prickly pear cactus pad), and fronds of fresh cilantro.
The bowls were so heavy and hot that the server had to enlist another one to help him carry them to the table. They retained their heat throughout the meal. It was a delicious and unusual experience. We recommend this spectacular dish to anyone who wants to try something different.
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