Uptown's Xiquita is true to Mexico and itself

• Bon Appetit named it one of the seven must-visit new restaurants in the nation back in March.

Dig in: Chef Erasmo Casiano, a James Beard semifinalist and the force behind Lucina Eatery & Bar, builds bold Indigenous flavors with traditional ingredients and layered sauces.

• The star of the show is the masa, made by hand at a station on one end of the bar, while the tamal is elevated in presentation.

What they're saying: "We want to open up expectations of what Mexican food can be," Casiano told the Denver Post.

Best bites: Start with a spicy cocktail, like the cantarito with smoky mezcal and rich Fernet, or try the balanced tomatillo margarita.

• Then nibble on the Sikil Pak plato, the unassuming beet, shaved thin on a tostada, which comes alive with salsa macha and goat cheese.