Fajitas, a special at Mijita s. Photographs by Evy Mages
Naomi Gallego has long been one of DC’s top pastry chefs. In the last two decades, she’s created desserts at Blue Duck Tavern, Le Diplomate, the late PS7’s and Vidalia, and the entire Neighborhood Restaurant Group. Now, she is turning her attention from Valrhona chocolate and panna cotta to queso and tacos. Tomorrow, May 5th, she’s opening Mijita’s Tex Mex inside Glover Park’s Social Beast , the mini-food-hall formerly known as Ghostline.
Mijita’s chef Naomi Gallego.
It’s not as left-field as it sounds. Gallego grew up in San Antonio, and once led the pastry team at the Four Seasons in Austin. Besides, she says, “this isn’t a far stretch from any educated cook’s background. I’m not doing French fine dining.” She’s spent the last year roaming Tex Mex spots around the country, seeking out brisket at Valentina’s in Austin, or sampling the award-winning flour tortillas at HomeState in LA.