Mexico City: The Food

Let's talk about food, baby.*

AT and I first talked about coming to Mexico City a little over a month ago and, like two travelers who hadn't been anywhere lately**, we booked the trip immediately. We vaguely knew three things: we had never been and wanted to go***, we knew there was a lot of art to see, and we'd heard there was good food.

As of 10 days ago, we had no plans for when we arrived.

As of 9 days ago, I had researched food things and booked almost every meal we could feasibly eat on the trip.****

As of our arrival in the city, the meals remained the only thing we had planned.

Note: The following contains entirely too many food pictures*****, website links that no one is paying me for, and unnecessary details that I am really only listing here so I can remember them later when I come back to Mexico City to eat more food.******

Planning: AT had a lovely friend who sent us restaurant recommendations and I used that and straight up internet searching to plan meals. My very favorite find was Latin America's 50 Best Restaurants******* and I ultimately just went through the Mexico City options. Most places took a reservation, some required it, all had options through their websites and a few were on OpenTable.******** I paid very little attention to locations because everything seemed equally far away from everything else because the city is ginormous and divided into neighborhoods that could essentially be their own city.*********

And now, in the order it was eaten:

Sud 777

We landed, went to the hotel for a bit, and went out to eat. We both actually gasped when we walked into the restaurant because it was stunning. You walk in on the second floor of a semi-open air courtyard that could be a Japanese Tea Garden.

We both ordered a starter and when I was told the poblano risotto would take a while to come out**********, I ordered a third to keep pace. We both also had an entree. In hindsight, I would have just ordered the starters because those looked the best on the menu. Our entrees were very good, but nothing compared to the rest.

From top left and going clockwise (as will all photo collections in this blog):

Tuna tostada- the raw tuna is underneath in a delicious delicious broth and the red and green dots on the tostada are two different sauces that blend perfectly into creamy avocado magic.

Asparagus with cotija cheese sauce- I don't even like asparagus and it tasted like crisp beautiful broccoli stems and also everything is better with a cheese sauce.

Poblano risotto with squash blossoms and a poached egg- I might move to Mexico for this dish. It tasted like nothing I had ever tasted before and the egg on top made everything creamy and delicious. If I could live inside a bowl, it would be this one.

Trout with bok choy- this was my main course and it was lovely. The fish was cooked perfectly and I do love polka dots.

Not pictured- AT had a french onion soup that they prepared tableside. As in: they brought out a whole roasted onion with the crouton inside, covered with cheese, they cut it up at the table, and then they poured the broth over. It was a ballet of soup.

And finally:

AT got chocolate ice cream that was, obviously, delicious, and fantastically, served in a cone in a wooden stand.

Will we go back? Definitely. Will I order three bowls of the risotto? Totally. Should you book a trip now? Trick question, you should have done that a paragraph ago.

Azul Historico

The next day we had to sight-see at pyramids in the afternoon, so we packed in a delicious lunch pre-trip. Azul Historico was recommended to us and was conveniently in the historic district where I was going to force AT to walk around anyway.*********** They're only open for breakfast and lunch and close for an hour in between. The timing was such that we ate the tail end of breakfast because waiting for lunch would have made us late for the pyramids. Fortunately, I consider this to be brunch.************

It was, again, a beautiful courtyard, this time surrounded by boutique shops and other restaurants that, honestly, are probably also good but seemed to only get this restaurant's excess patronage. We got in right before they stopped seating breakfast, so the timing was perfect.

We immediately loved the atmosphere but also the plates and the stained glass lamps that were at each table!

To fit the breakfast brunch theme, I ordered hot chocolate. It was, of course, prepared table-side so you could choose your specific type of chocolate and spice level. Being an amateur, I went with the chef recommendation.

For our meals, AT had chicken enchiladas and I had chilaquiles. If you've never had chilquiles before, it's last night's leftover tortilla chips covered in red or green enchilada sauce, covered with cheese and chicken, and baked until melty. If you want to be real breakfast about it, you can put an egg on there. If you, like me, like to avoid egg-breakfast foods at all costs, it is just nachos. It's beautiful.

Will we go back? Yes. Would I go at actual lunch time to see what that's like? Probably. Are you on a plane right now? I hope so.
Fifty Mils
Quintonil
Nicos
Rosetta

Ah yes, the hotel bar. But not just the hotel bar—also one of the finest bars in the city.^ They specialize in elaborate cocktails that go outside any box you were thinking of putting a cocktail in. We went twice, possibly just to see what could be crazier than the first time.

The first time I had a drink called the “360-Degree Experience.” It came served in an ice ball suspended over a mint plant. That’s right, they brought an entire potted plant to the table. The idea is that the drink is environmentally sustainable and as you drink it, the ice from the cup will melt and water the plant.^^ Since the ice holding your drink is melting, your options are to pound the drink or you can relocate the ice cup to a highball glass they conveniently have brought along.^^^

The second time, I scaled it back with a margarita but AT got the “Billy the Kid.” I have no idea why it was called that or what was in it. That’s not the point, really. The point is it came served on a wooden plank that you were supposed to let burn while drinking so you could enjoy the smell of the wood to accompany the drink. I’m certain Billy the Kid had something to do with it but I would have gone with “Smell-o-vision” myself.

 

Oh and we had chicken flautas because we hadn’t eaten anything in HOURS.

Pujol

Pujol is on all the lists- #1 in Mexico City, #4 in Latin America, #20 in the world. It was full for dinner reservations for the time we were in town so I booked lunch. When it gave me the option of the a la carte menu or the eight-course taco tasting menu, it was laughable. I clicked on the taco tasting before they could change their mind. I can pretty much say I’ve never looked forward to anything as much in my entire life^^^^ and it did not disappoint.

When we arrived we were escorted to seats at the bar along with one other couple that would be tasting with us. We had a bartender whose only job was to serve the four of us the courses, along with drink pairings, and provide explanations throughout. She was awesome and super cool. As the ambassador to the greatest meal of my life, I feel like we shared a real bond.^^^^^

The first course was a sampling of bar snacks, served diagonally and we were told to eat from right to left. I love specific directions and was happy to oblige. The first was tofu that had the consistency of pudding but tasted like corn and chives in a magical way that I didn’t know tofu could taste. The second was a corn puff with escamoles^^^^^^ and some kind of delicious cream. The third was fancy Mexican baby corn with a chili sauce coating. All of this was paired with a margarita. All of it foreshadowed the amazing two and a half hours that was to follow.

From there we got down to the business of tacos. There was a progression of veggie to fish to meat that I only appreciated afterward. The first was a tortilla filled with black beans and cheese, then an eggplant taco with herbs with some kind of fancy tortilla that looked like a straight up lily pad and maybe tasted like one, too. Following that was sea bass on a charred avocado served with a charred pepper. We were encouraged to eat a bite of the taco, a bite of the pepper, and so on. We did as instructed, por supuesto.

Tacos continued with a scallop tostada covered in cilantro where the scallop had been flattened down to match the size and shape of the tostada. This was maybe my favorite?^^^^^^^ Next was soft shell crab with a different kind of cilantro that only confirmed cilantro as my favorite herb.^^^^^^^^ Next came a carnitas taco with grilled pineapple. I was told later this was duck. I believe it but also don’t even care what it was when it was so incredibly tasty. By this point, they could have been feeding me beautifully prepared dirt with cilantro on top and I was so in it I wouldn’t have even cared.

Our final taco^^^^^^^^^ was a preparation of two moles over a folded tortilla. The lighter mole in the center was what we were encouraged to taste first. We then were told to taste the darker mole on the bottom called the “Mother Mole.” Why, you ask? Because it’s been cooking for FOUR YEARS to achieve the aged rich taste.^^^^^^^^^^We then were allowed to eat the whole thing at once.*^

At this point we had come to the end of our 8 taco courses, along with the margarita, a white wine, a red wine, a Mexican sake, two beers—one of which was fermented twice,*^* a mezcal shot, and a gin and tonic.*^*^ I felt like I had been on the greatest journey of my life and was so grateful for the experience. And THEN we were escorted to the patio to continue our experience and partake in the dessert courses.*^*^*

Once on the patio, we were brought coffee flavored with so many things it didn’t taste like coffee so much as a delicate hot chocolate. I hate coffee. It was delicious. I think I like coffee now?

Dessert arrived and it was a trio to mirror the first course we ate.*^*^*^ We again ate from right to left, a ginger ice cream, some kind of Mexican cannoli, and a frozen flower from a cactus plant. The winner for me was the cactus flower- crisp and refreshing and just ridiculous enough.

We were then left to contemplate our very existence and the amazingness of all the food we had consumed. AND THEN THEY BROUGHT A HOMEMADE CHURRO THAT WAS LIGHT AND DELICIOUS AND PERFECT.

And then we died.

Actually, that’s not true. That would have been the more sensible option. Instead, we had two hours before we had to eat another meal. I can explain.*^*^*^*

Quintonil is the #6 restaurant in Mexico City and when I was making reservations, it was completely booked for our entire trip. But they had a wait list, so I signed up. The night we arrived in Mexico City, I got an email saying we were off the waitlist for a 6pm dinner reservation on the same day as Pujol. I knew we would be having the taco tasting for lunch but I thought, how filling can 8 lil’ tacos be? I did not realize the sheer extravagance that would be heading our way, or that it would be a complete three-hour experience of mind-blowing food, or that we would also get off the wait list the following two days. As far as I knew at the time, we had to take it.

So we did. After Pujol, only a few blocks away, we walked around a bit but mostly sat in a park questioning all our life choices. When it was time, we headed into Quintonil.

Quintonil, we owe you another chance. We were too full. We couldn’t handle you. We ordered beautiful appetizers to be polite and our waiter was very confused but kind, nonetheless. Look at how beautiful the things were!

But we could not appreciate them because we are monsters. Nevertheless, we sampled:

A crab tostada where once again the green dots you see are actually a delicious sauce

Fried squash blossoms with cotija cheese and come kind of heart-melting red sauce. I have no idea what the green stuff is and although I could probably look it up I refuse to do that and also I typed this portion on a plane with no internet connection.

Charred avocado with escamoles and corn and some kind of beautiful dust. Dust at my house does not taste like this.

I’m sure it was also mind-blowing but we were just so so full.

I think the lesson here*^*^*^*^ is that sometimes you try to live too hard. You push yourself to the very limits of human existence thinking you can do anything, be anything, achieve anything. But the truth is—eight tacos is never just eight tacos and even if it was, that should have been all you dared to ask for in this life anyway. Who are you to think you can have your tacos and eat another meal, too? What made you so special? WHO DO YOU THINK YOU ARE?

Ah well, another day. Another chance to do it all again.

It took about 19 hours, solid sleep, and a museum tour, but we reached a point where we thought, yes, maybe, we could try to eat/love again. And so we did.

Nicos was refreshingly more casual than the previous day’s experience. The chef is known for his adherence to traditional Mexican cooking. This meal was my second favorite of the trip.*^*^*^*^* We had appetizers of guacamole with several homemade salsas, chips, and tortillas, and chicken flautas that would make you abandon your entire existence and move to Mexico.*^*^*^*^*^

We both had the same main course that I thought would be chicken enchiladas but, even better, it was cheese enchiladas served with fried chicken. Because, of course. And carrots and potatoes. Because WHAT DO YOU MEAN I GAINED 15 POUNDS OVER TWO DAYS?

We didn’t have dessert because we’re not complete monsters but we did get gummy candies served on their own beautifully tiny cake plate.

And, finally. Italian food!! This restaurant was also on the best lists and had an added bonus of being run by the country’s top female chef.*^*^*^*^*^* It was located in a beautiful brownstone and was super charming inside with stucco walls and greenery.*^*^*^*^*^*^ 

We started with a cauliflower and endive salad and porcini mushrooms over polenta. We then moved to sea bass over potatoes and squash blossoms*^*^*^*^*^*^* and lemon ricotta ravioli. We ended with the promise to never eat anything ever again.

This meal was super lovely but I was at max food glamour capacity.  The insanity of Mexico City is that there are so many restaurants AND amazing street food everywhere you go. You could eat constantly all day and still not get to everything the city has to offer. At one point walking into a restaurant, I almost bought a taco on the street because it looked so good.

So, I’ll go back. Hopefully lots and lots of times. Hopefully with only one meal planned a day so that the other meals can be street food or just some water and a walk. Or, I’ll take some professional eating classes and then move to Mexico to really hone my skills. Is there a taco eating competition? Can I enter it? Can I go now?

Gracias, Mexico City, and ¡Buen Provecho!

-KT

*Sure. Let's go all in on the ridiculousness of this blog post.

**It had been at least two months.

***This is true of most places.

****Always and forever excluding breakfast. You're right, Oscar Wilde, only dull people are brilliant at breakfast.

*****That I looked like an idiot while taking because everyone looks like an idiot when they take a food picture but we'll all keep doing it again until the end of time because food is so so beautiful.

******Which will be soon.

*******I am coming for you, Lima, Peru, and all of your amazing restaurants.

********#points

*********In the continued theme of too much information, we uber-ed almost everywhere and it was absurdly cheap. One 40-minute ride from a far-away museum to a far-away restaurant cost $12. Our average ride was $2-3.

**********IT WAS WORTH THE WAIT.

***********I like to pretend I force her to do things and she likes to pretend I forced her so this works out great for everyone.

************Crisis averted.

*^Yes, we are transitioning footnote symbols because there are a frightening number and I'm going crosseyed.

^Pro-tip from Matt who can handle all of your luxury hotel PR needs!

^^It’s okay if you just groaned while reading that. I definitely did.

^^^Maybe they have seen me eat an ice cream cone ever and knew this wouldn’t end well. For me, at least. I think the mint plant would have been psyched.

^^^^And advance apologies to any future husbands/children. I don’t think I’ll look forward to our wedding days or your births as much as I looked forward to those tacos.

^^^^^Though I never learned her name, she is way too cool to ever be my friend, and it was obviously the drink pairings talking.

^^^^^^Yes, I did know going in that escamoles was ant larvae. Yes, it was scrumptious. Kind of like rice krispies but then flavored with whatever the sauce was?

^^^^^^^But who can pick their favorite child, right?

^^^^^^^^Did you KNOW there were different types of cilantro? Because I didn’t. And I am ashamed now that I have lived my life in this stupidity. What has it all been for? WHAT ELSE DO I NOT KNOW???

^^^^^^^^^And the only course served with utensils

^^^^^^^^^^Shut the f@$k up, amirite?

*^Real talk, I don’t even like mole sauce but had read that this was the extra special specialty of the chef so I was still ALL IN.

*^*Once is never enough?

*^*^That was the winner.

*^*^*SHUT. IT. DOWN. And yes, that word was plural.

*^*^*^In case you haven’t figured it out by now, more thought and preparation went into this meal than my entire life thus far.

*^*^*^*But it doesn’t make it right.

*^*^*^*^If there is one… and even that is asking a lot

*^*^*^*^*Or my first favorite if you don’t count Pujol as a meal and instead consider it to be a transcendent experience.

*^*^*^*^*^Or at least casually look up to see if any of the international schools are in need of a music teacher.  They aren’t. Yet.

*^*^*^*^*^*Or as I like to call them, chefs. #imeatingwithher

*^*^*^*^*^*^It was raining, so don't think the rando umbrella is always there. Also, you’re not going crazy. This picture is super blurry but we are powering through this together. 

*^*^*^*^*^*^*This meal officially put me at peak squash blossom.