5 /5 K Danny (DSKO): I had Acopio bookmarked for months and nearly forgot about it until I started thinking hard about where to take a guest from out of town. Acopio looked very appealing, but I didnt expect that a Mexican-fusion restaurant on the east side of San Jose would be Michelin-worthy. Acopios space is very well-kept and designed both festively and elegant. The service was attentive and clearly a point of pride, a stark contrast from my inexplicable experience at True Laurel in SF last weekend where I waited for 30 minutes before a server came back to check on me.
Each dish was artful, despite the simplicity of a dish such as Tacos Al Pastor, which consisted of pork confit, charred pineapple and fresh tortillas. The pork belly was marinated and seared to perfection. Together with a bit of tomatillo salsa, it was a unique elevated interpretation of Tacos Al Pastor that Im already craving again. Each ingredient was meticulously marinated, charred and presented. The Tacos de Cachete was an interestingly textured dish, with pickled white onion pedals and beef cheek. A bit mushy but flavorful.
On a second subsequent trip, I tried the Molé Poblano con Pierna de Pato & Chile Relleno. The duck was tender and perfectly seasoned. The molé was tangy and brighter than other molés that I have tried but it went well with the other components of the dish. The most impressive part was the Chile Relleno, which was made with a dried Pasilla chile that had a great chewy texture which was a pleasant surprise. It seemed more artfully crafted, would love to find out how they achieved that texture.
The Coctel de Camarones had an unexpectedly familiar taste. Thai-style Tom Kha coconut and tomatillo broth with jicama and freshly peeled and de-veined prawns. Fantastic fusion dish.
Finally, the chocolate churros and house-made Mexican chocolate ice cream also had a chili sauce on the ice cream with a nice kick to it.
Acopio is one of the finest restaurants in San Jose. It is a real gem that is doing Mexican fusion at the next level. Wholeheartedly recommended.