The complex flavors of Oaxaca are on full display at this hotel hotspot from chef Huge Ortega and restaurateur Tracy Vaught. Set in Downtown’s gorgeous Marriott Marquis (yes, the one with the Texas-shaped lazy river), you don’t have to book a room to experience Ortega’s sensational landscape of moles—Tamal de Pollo con Mole Negro (chicken tamales in an earthy black elixir), Camarones en Mole Verde (a zippy green number engulfing head-on shrimp), and Costillas De Puerco en Mole Chicatana (pork ribs with ant mole), plus traditional dishes from Tlayudas (Oaxacan-style pizza) to Moletes (a kind of open-faced sandwich).How to book: Reserve via SevenRooms.

For dinner, I went to Xochi, where James Beard Award–winning chef Hugo Ortega displays his Oaxacan heritage in dishes like fried grasshoppers with flying ants and tlayudas — crisp, gently fried tortillas topped with chicken, steak, or mushrooms. Ortega and his wife also operate Hugo’s, which features traditional dishes from across Mexico, in the Montrose neighborhood.

Caracol, 2200 Post Oak, Hugo’s, 1600 Westheimer and Xochi, 1700 Walker: Lunchtime diners located near the Galleria, Montrose or downtown can all have a two-course lunch created by James Beard Award-winning chef Hugo Ortega for $24. Guests choose their own two courses from over a dozen items. Using Caracol as an example, start with Tostadas de Atún Crudo, or tuna on black tostadas dressed with sour orange mayonnaise, leeks and soy-citrus dressing then wrap up (so to speak) with Taquitos Tronadores de Carnitas, or crispy rolled pork tacos topped with avocado-tomatillo salsa, crema fresca and queso fresco.

Chef Hugo Ortega turns his focus to Oaxacan fare at this stunner on the bottom floor of downtown's Marriott Marquis, its name a nod to Xochitl (the Goddess of the Flowers). At Xochi, the region's indigenous flavors bloom via an array of moles and masa. Dine on head-on shrimp in green mole or braised beef cheeks in mole pasilla, chorizo- and potato-stuffed molotes (masa pancakes) with a don't-knock-it-'til-you-try-it chapulin garnish (yep, that's grasshopper), and desserts from corn custard ice cream to Oaxacan hot chocolate, foamed tableside and served with churros for dipping.

Boldly different from anything else in Houston, Xochi is Hugo Ortega’s chef d’oeuvre, the Oaxacan restaurant inside the downtown Marriott that finally clinched his coveted James Beard Foundation Best Chef Southwest title. Indigenous Mexican flavors and techniques are front-and-center at Xochi, which continues to set the bar with the most exciting and creative cuisine in the Bayou City. The vibrant dishes and distinctive flavors here play into the restaurant’s mission to celebrate the Mexican region of Oaxaca and its endemic cuisine.

Semi-Finalish winning restaurant comes from the known word “Xochilt” meaning Xochi (so-chee), a Goddess of the Flowers, meaning to bloom or catch fire. Xochi celebrates the flavors of Oaxaca, Mexico with a creative edge as seen through the lens of Chef Hugo, Chef Ruben, and their Beverage Director Sean Beck. Xochi’s menu features a wide variety of housemade masas (dough) incorporating many types and colors of corn, an endless variety of moles, housemade chocolate, tequilas, and ribbons of cheese (called quesillo) wrapped into balls.

Award-winning chef Hugo Ortega’s Xochi is well-known for its moles, tacos de cabrito (braised goat so tender it dissolves in your mouth), salsa verde, and avocado purée encased in blue corn tortillas, all of which embody the perfect intersection of simple ingredients and sophisticated preparation. Head over to Ortega’s original restaurant, Hugo’s, for the dainty, delicious taquita de langosta, a mignon house-made tortilla stack with buttery tail-and-claw meat, a refreshing chunky tomato salsa, and sliced avocado.

Chef Hugo Ortega’s (Hugo’s, Backstreet, Caracol) latest concept, Xochi, is a prime destination standout for traditional Oaxacan cuisine paired with an extensive roster of mezcals, tequilas and Mexican craft beers. Indulge on the 775 square-foot veranda located on a prime corner of the new Marriott Marquis Hotel near Discovery Green. The patio has 60 seats, complete with large ceiling fans and a roof outfitted with slats that open and close, so it’s a sure thing no matter the weather.

For an unforgettable journey to Mexico, visit Xochi, located downtown on the 1 st floor of the Marriott Marquis Houston, across from Discovery Green. Xochi (pronounced ‘so-chee’), from Xochitl, ‘Goddess of the Flowers’, is a creative endeavor of award-winning chef Hugo Ortega and the H Town Restaurant Group. Xochi celebrates the culinary and indigenous richness of Oaxaca, Mexico, and its varied geographic regions with an unrivaled menu of Oaxaca-inspired food and drink.

LUDC Associate Designer Megan Thomson recommends Xochi—a Oaxacan restaurant by James Beard Award-winning Chef Hugo Ortega in Downtown Houston. Xochi is lauded by critics and foodies for its authentic cuisine inspired by the flavors and traditions of the Oaxaca region in southern Mexico. As previously noted, the restaurant is led by Chef Hugo Ortega, who is celebrated for his expertise in Mexican cuisine and has received numerous accolades for his culinary skills.

Overview: Located in the heart of downtown, Xochi (pronounced so-chee) celebrates Oaxaca’s rich culinary and cultural traditions. Chef Hugo Ortega’s innovative menu is a foodie’s dream.Specialties: The restaurant is famous for its mole, a complex and flavorful sauce staple in Oaxacan cuisine. Their tlayudas (Oaxacan pizzas) are also a crowd-pleaser.Ambiance: The interior is elegant and sophisticated, making it an ideal spot for a special night out.

Xochi, which opened in 2017, offers chef Hugo Ortega’s fine-dining expression of his upbringing in Oaxaca. The downtown restaurant adjacent to the Houston Convention Center serves infladitas de conejo, the puffed tortilla a murky black from the squid ink–infused masa. The pork ribs served in a mole made with Oaxacan flying chicatana ants offer tender meat in a well-balanced sauce and accompanying fragrant nixtamal tortillas, for customizable tacos.

Chef Hugo Ortega’s downtown Oaxacan project radiates powerful cocktail and antojito mojo, which is exactly the way many Houstonians like to eat. Well, like to graze, perhaps: on a seasonal squash-blossom quesadilla honed to its highest form, its earthy house-made blue tortilla emblazoned with a flower outside to match the one inside. Or on shatteringly crisp little tacos dorados; their fluffy green salsa albañil is the stuff of life itself.

Candlelight dances off hand-painted Oaxacan tiles, illuminating murals of mythical creatures and casting a warm glow on intimate tables. Expect mole sauces in a kaleidoscope of colors, melting over tender proteins, and delicate ceviches bursting with the freshness of the coastal Oaxacan bounty. It’s a feast for both eyes and palate, designed to ignite hearts and linger in memories long after the last bite.

Xochi, from Chef Hugo Ortega, honors Oaxacan traditions with a thoughtful mezcal program and a menu rich in moles and regional flavors. Happy hour runs Monday through Friday from 4 to 6 PM, with Astros game-day specials starting two hours before every home game. Guests can enjoy discounted cocktails like the Hugo Rita, mojitos, mezcal-based creations, and house red wine sangria.

For something more south-of-the-border, look to the Tatemó, serving a new-school tasting menu centered entirely on nixtamalized corn, or chef Hugo Ortega’s Xochi, turning out Oaxacan staples like mole flights and tlayudas. On the fusion front, there’s Jūn, the gorgeous Mexico-meets-Southeast Asia restaurant in the Heights, overseen by Top Chef: Houston finalist Evelyn Garcia.

Chef Hugo Ortega’s homage to Oaxacan cuisine is a love letter to Mexico’s most soulful region. From the tlayudas (giant crispy tortillas) to the mole negro draped over roasted duck, each dish at Xochi tells a story. The colorful space inside the Marriott Marquis is elevated but unfussy—perfect for digging into an order of wood-roasted oysters topped with mole amarillo.

Xochi is a Oaxacan-inspired fine-dining restaurant with pork barrel abdomen chicharron taco and cabrito taco that have people raving. The ingredients are fresh, the display is appealing, and the menu is trendy–tacos are served on bluing corn tortillas, for example. The food is reasonably costly, but the lunch menu can be more low-cost.

Editor's Note: Photo taken from the establishment's official social account. A post shared by Xochi Houston (@xochihou). Helmed by award-winning chef and restaurateur, Chef Hugo Ortega, Xochi (pronounced “so-chee”) is another popular restaurant in downtown Houston that highlights traditional dishes from Oaxaca, Mexico.

The food is amazing--the Mexican dishes, like the Huaraches de Tinga and Molotes Oaxaqueños, are unlike any I've ever had!. The traditional Caribbean flavors of their Pescado Frito and Yucatecan Paella, though, were truly memorable. But what really sets Xochi apart from other Houston patio restaurants is their service.

For something a little more refined, we stop at Xochi downtown. This is a restaurant that takes you straight to the heart of Oaxaca with its rich, earthy flavors and stunning presentation. It’s the kind of place that attracts a discerning crowd, including the occasional star seeking something a little adventurous.

I love how smoky, multidimensional Mezcal, tequila’s agave-based cousin, works in a margarita. And I love how the skilled bartenders at Hugo Ortega’s various restaurants respond to my personal requirements, as in “hold the simple syrup,” so that the lime leap of the finished cocktail still makes my heart jump.

Xochi is a renowned Mexican theme restaurant located in Downtown Houston. The Xochi is opened by Houston’s famous and award-winning chef Hugo Ortega. The Xochi Houston offers Mexican cuisines with Oaxacan herbs and ingredients used in the dishes to provide an authentic Mexican culinary experience.

1777 Walker St Ste AHouston, TX 77010(713) 400-3330 Visit Website See Menu Open in Google Maps. Xochi (so-chee), from Xochitl, Goddess of the Flowers, meaning to bloom or catch fire, is the newest creative endeavor of award-winning Chef Hugo Ortega and the H Town Restaurant Group culinary team.

Located in Downtown Houston, Xochi is a new Mexican restaurant run by the award-winning Chef Hugo Ortega. All of the dishes and drinks at Xochi honor the rich culinary history of Oaxaca, Mexico. Brunch, Happy Hour, and Dinner services are all available at this popular Mexican restaurant.

Xochi is an upscale Mexican restaurant that primarily serves Oaxacan food. They are particularly well known for their wide selection of moles, most of which are gluten free. Xochi is a seriously popular spot that is located in a central location right in the heart of downtown Houston.

Xochi's Molotes de Xoxocotlan, oval masa cakes stuffed with potato and chorizo with mole coloradito, crema and queso fresco, garnished with fried grasshoppers. In 2017, Ortega opened a Oaxacan-focused concept in downtown Houston. It is named after the goddess of flowers, Xochitl.

1777 Walker St, Houston, TX 77010Phone: 713-400-3330 Visit Website. A post shared by Xochi Houston (@xochihou). I visited Xochi in downtown Houston on the first floor of the Marriot Marquis across from Discovery Green looking for a proper Tex-Mex meal, and I wasn’t disappointed.

Who knew that downtown’s Marriott Marquis houses one of the city’s finest, particularly when it comes to Oaxacan cuisine?. It’s yet another win for dynamic duo Chef Hugo Ortega and restaurateur Tracy Vaught. The author’s rave over “Ortega’s sensational landscape of moles.

- Rating: 4.5 / 5 (366 reviews)- Detailed ratings: Food (4.5/5), Service (4.5/5), Value (4.0/5)- Price: $$ - $$$- Address: 1777 Walker St Suite A, Houston, TX 77010-5023- Read more on Tripadvisor. You may also like:Highest-ranked pizza restaurants in Houston by diners

Visit award-winning Chef Hugo Ortega’s Xochi to experience delectable indigenous dishes from Oaxaca like housemade masas, moles, tlayudas and more. Pair your meal with their mezcals, tequilas and Mexican craft beers from the Oaxacan region for the perfect dinner.

One of Downtown Houston’s best restaurants, Xochi offers regional Oaxaca cuisine led by award-winning chef Hugo Ortega. Named after the goddess of flowers, this affordable but elevated spot offers up unique items like house-made chocolates and homemade masas.

Xochi is perfect for an elegant family dinner or a date night with your partner. The ambiance is posh, the interiors are classy, and the amiable staff. In addition, the restaurant celebrates the variety and beauty of Oaxaca and Mexico.

Around 44 per cent of Houston’s population is Hispanic, resulting in some first-rate Latin American food, such as Oaxacan restaurant Xochi with its endless fiesta of moles, including a try-it-if-you-dare chicatana (ants) version.

If you’re into Mexican food, you’ve got to give Xochi a try. With a small outdoor patio, you can enjoy a happy hour here with cocktails and some amazing food, or you can eat indoors and enjoy a full meal. The food is incredible.

A post shared by Gourmet Panda (@gourmetpanda) on Jun 25, 2019 at 5:30pm PDT. Giving us a trip to Mexico is Xochi. With food resembling fine art, this high-end kitchen is the perfect place to impress your brunch date.

For dinner, the new hot spot is supposed to be Xochi at the Marriott. But if you’re feeling traditional, the energy executives love pumping money over steaks at Pappa Brothers, Morton’s, and McCormick and Schmick’s.

Xochi, derived from Xochiti, means goddess of flowers and celebrates Oaxaca cuisine from Mexico. Award-winning chef Hugo Ortega has carefully selected each dish. The menu is full of Oaxca-inspired food and drinks.

– Rating: 4.5 / 5 (366 reviews)– Detailed ratings: Food (4.5/5), Service (4.5/5), Value (4.0/5)– Price: $$ – $$$– Address: 1777 Walker St Suite A, Houston, TX 77010-5023– Read more on Tripadvisor

Xochi (so-chee), from Xochitl, Goddess of the Flowers, meaning to bloom or catch fire, is the newest creative endeavor of award-winning Chef Hugo Ortega...