Mi Tierra Caliente

After years spent working for other people in the hospitality industry, Ayax Silva and his longtime friends, sisters Sandra and Fernanda Calderon, made the jump to becoming restaurant owners when they opened Mi Tierra Caliente in 2023. The menu pays homage to food from the Mexican state of Michoacán, from where all three hail, and the carnitas are the highlight. They're made the traditional way that Silva learned growing up, which includes taking large cuts of the pig and submerging them in massive copper or stainless-steel pots filled with lard, then letting the meat slowly cook overnight. The tacos come with strips of pickled carrots and jicama on top, which expertly balance the richness of the meat.