It's pronounced "Shee-koe's," short for Xicohtencatl, the name of the guardian warrior of owner Angel Espinoza's home province in Mexico. Espinoza grew up in Tlaxcala, a place whose name literally translates to "The place of the corn tortillas." And so perhaps it is appropriate that Espinoza has gone on to become a chef and open two Mexican restaurants in the Berkshires.
"Guys in Mexico think if you work in a kitchen, something's wrong with you," Espinoza said. "Here, if you have some talent, you can put it on a plate and gain a reputation."
Espinoza has a long background in cooking, stretching back to his childhood in Mexico. As the youngest of several siblings, Espinoza spent many of his early years in the kitchen.
"When everyone else was at school or working, I was at the household with my mother, cooking every day until I started going to school. Then I came back after school to help her," he explained. "Whatever she was doing, it didn't matter, only that it was made with love and care, to give love through the food."
Espinoza attempts to
"Everything I taste has got to taste the way I remember from growing up," he said. "You have to cook from the beginning, have fun in the kitchen, peel chiles, add this, wash this, and enjoy the process of all cooking from scratch. I didn't realize that until now. In Mexico, nobody pays attention to those details."
While Espinoza may have come to America with lots of cooking experience and inspiration, he did not arrive with a bankroll to open a restaurant of his own. He worked at a number of restaurants, from Italian to Mexican to a Mediterranean Cafe in Northhampton, until finally he formed a partnership with his wife, Toni, and wrote up a business plan for a loan.
"They approved us, saw my skills and long history of work," he said. "We started for the first years working 24/7, and as soon as I got chefs I tried to teach them all that I know. It took a really long time, and I still supervise the kitchen every day, especially in busy season. It's the only way to keep business running."
After he opened his first restaurant, Xicohtencatl, in Great Barrington a few years ago, Pittsfield locals kept asking Espinoza to open something in Pittsfield. Due to the differences in the cities, it was hard to open a big place in Pittsfield, so Espinoza decided to open a small takeout place instead with a similar name.
"We're still working on getting everything similar," he said, "But it's complicated because it is small. We are keeping the quality up and trying to give people a taste of everything, but some items are the same, and some not. Great Barrington is more upscale, while in Pittsfield people want something more affordable, with traditional tastes of Mexico like Burritos and Quesadillas. It's not about the area, it's all about giving a good product to the people. My reputation is on the line, so I tell the cooks, everything has to be perfect. We use many of the same ingredients, just make different dishes."
The Xicoh's Express menu is indeed affordably priced. More than half of the items cost less than $10. For those arriving especially hungry, large entrees are available that range from Enchiladas ($10) with feta, crema fresca, and red or green salsa, to the Especial Mole Poblano ($14), with Angel Espinoza's famed mole sauce made from almonds, chocolate, and slow-roasted chiles. The family recipe mole sauce (and the Espinozas) have appeared on Emeril Live.
More inexpensive traditional options include Quesadillas ($8), Nachos ($7), and Ceviche ($8). The Carnitas Burrito ($9) featured slow cooked pork in a very generously-sized burrito. The pork had an understated flavor without too much heavy saucing. The Tacos de Pescado ($9) were fairly light, with the avacado nicely complimenting the tender fried tilapia.
Diners looking for a fancy gourmet plate may be better served to visit the main location in Great Barrington, but Xicoh's Express provides tasty food at reasonable prices.
"People come and say the cooking is like they had in Mexico, but better," said Espinoza. "We provide the freshest items and deliver anywhere in Pittsfield."
If you go ...
What: Xicoh's Express
Where: 97 Dalton Ave., Pittsfield
Hours: 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. daily
Accessibility: The take-out space is not accessible, but they deliver around Pittsfield.
Credit cards: Major
Reservations: Call ahead for take-out and delivery
Information: (413) 236-5990
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