Philadelphia - January 15, 2007

The Name Game

Xochitl Restaurant Opens

There are plenty of words — umlaut, niçoise, nuclear — that you (and the president) have trouble pronouncing, no matter how hard you try.

Today’s humdinger is “Xochitl.”

Luckily, you don’t have to say it in order to taste the Puebla region menu at Philly’s latest Mexican joint. Pronounced “so cheet” (it’s the Aztec word for “flower”), the restaurant has a mahogany bar, maize-colored walls, and cobalt accents. Cozy red leather booths line the walls, and hand-painted talavera tiling hangs behind the bar. Downstairs you’ll find a candle-lit lounge with plush banquettes and dark blue walls.

Once you’re there, you can let the food do the talking: fava bean soup with chorizo and cactus; shrimp, octopus, and Spanish mackerel ceviche; salt-cooked shrimp with citrus salad. Xochitl also offers a full lounge menu, various wines, and top-shelf tequila.

Now that’s something you should be able to keep on the tip of your tongue.

Xochitl, 408 South Second Street (215-238-7280 or xochitlphilly.com).