The Sandoval brothers have brought their contemporary Philadelphia restaurant experience to a small Upper Darby BYOB with their traditional Poblano flavors, writes Craig LaBan for The Philadelphia Inquirer.
When you taste the Sandoval family’s mole, a blend of dried chiles, fruits, and bittersweet Mexican chocolate, you’re tasting the mole remembered by Alberto Sandoval when he was 10 that was made by his mother for his father’s birthday in San Mateo Ozolco.
Now, decades later, Alberto and his brother, Elfrain, are drawing on those home memories for their menu at Tlali, a restaurant at 7219 West Chester Pike that opened in August.
“These recipes represent who we are and where we came from,” says Alberto.
The 18-seat BYOB is a tribute to their birthplace in San Mateo Ozolco, located on the side of an active volcano in Puebla.
The brothers have meticulously crafted the Mexican flavors and textures of their food, and have created a comforting warmth to their restaurant décor.
They are also drawing on their careers working at some of Philadelphia’s most highly-praised restaurants, including Striped Bass, Lacroix at the Rittenhouse, Le Bec Fin 2.0, Volver, Suraya, and Condesa.
Read more about the menu offerings at Tlali in The Philadelphia Inquirer.
