Mexican cultural heritage, faithful to traditional recipes
Messika is located about a 15-minute walk from JR Wakayama Station. Its eye-catching light blue door in the residential area is its landmark. It was renovated from a former coffee shop.
Located in a residential area of Wakayama City, Messika is a pop-style shop with a striking appearance, likely due to the lack of other stores in the area. 
The interior of the shop was originally a coffee shop. There are about 20 seats and local goods scattered around. Yamaguchi says, "Most of our customers come from outside the prefecture."
Owner Kyoko Yamaguchi was previously involved in developing recipes for catering in Tokyo when she discovered Mexican cuisine at the age of 30. She says she was drawn to its "charm that doesn't fit into any of the worlds of Italian, Spanish, or Japanese cuisine." She then trained at the long-established restaurant Salsita in Hiroo, and in 2017 returned to Wakayama, where "there wasn't a single Mexican restaurant," and opened Mesika.
Tacos are a highly versatile dish, and there are many variations on them in Japan. However, this restaurant is fundamental. It's not fusion modern Mexican, nor is it street-style. It's an old-school, pure Mexican home-cooking restaurant. Not only are they faithful to traditional Mexican recipes, a UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity, but they also received training in good old-fashioned home cooking from local housekeepers and grandmothers.
Carnitas, shrimp and cactus, and spicy chorizo and potato tacos are all 400 yen each. Wrapped in a simple tortilla, this is the golden ratio of umami, acidity, and texture. There are six types of tacos available, and they are also available for takeout. 
Roast chicken with cacao sauce and rice cooked with mole poblano and tomatoes (1,800 yen). "It's a time-consuming dish that's no longer made at home in Mexico," he says. The mellow sauce is not just sweet, but also contains cacao, bananas, raisins, cinnamon, cloves, and five types of chili peppers.
We also practice the good old custom of "cute ideas"
Yamaguchi says, "Mexican food, including tacos, is really time-consuming. We have to pick each kernel of young corn one by one. It takes a lot of effort. But I want to imagine the cultural background and cherish it."
It's interesting because they not only prepare traditional dishes that take time to prepare, but also practice cooking methods based on folklore that are "uniquely Mexican and have cute ideas" every day.
For example, tortillas have a front and a back, and they are cooked at different temperatures and brown differently. "The side with the nice brown color is the face," and when placing the fillings in tacos, "the fillings are placed on the front side so that they make eye contact with the person eating." In addition, Mexican rice dumplings and tamales are said to taste better when "singing," and corn is treated as if it "is a god with a will of its own." Such good old local customs are also cherished.
They are faithful to traditional, authentic cooking methods, which basically means using ingredients without additives. They make their own lard, and the jalapenos and habaneros are grown in their parents' garden. They are also currently growing banana leaves to wrap the tamales in. They also bake only the tortillas they need that day, and they "never cut corners" when it comes to carefully extracting the stock, showing their unique enthusiasm.
The cooking utensils, iron plate comal, enamel pot, and other dishes are all locally produced and "carried over." As for the wooden tortilla press, Yamaguchi's father handmade it, saying, "I looked for it locally, but it was hard to find a good one."
He still frequently travels to these places, and recently traveled alone to the state of Sinaloa (also known as the site of Mexico's drug wars) to learn about the real food culture. He once again realized that mastering a country's cuisine is like becoming a cultural researcher of that country.
Pursuing "Mexican Auntie (lol)" style cooking
Speaking of which, Yamaguchi once said, "I love Mexico so much that I want to become corn myself." Is he making good on his words? The other day, he finally completed a huge tattoo of corn that stretches from his ankle to his neck. His overflowing love for Mexico and his determination are truly impressive. If you ever visit Wakayama... well, it's worth heading to Wakayama just for one taco.
"After seven years since opening, I feel like I've finally become a Mexican auntie (laughs). I've gained the confidence to proudly serve tacos to Mexicans and tell them they're my own. Even if the same dish is served locally, the ingredients and flavors can vary greatly depending on the region and the cook. I think I've finally solidified the foundations of my recipes, so from now on I'd like to not only follow the recipes I've been taught, but also make my own adjustments and pursue my own style of Mexican cuisine."
