A FOOD-FOCUSED REPORT: MEXICO CITY, PUEBLA, OAXACA
Jan 20th, 2015, 05:30 PM
#21
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One additional Polanco restaurant report; this restaurant is just across the street from Las Alcobas:
DULCINEA, Oscar Wilde, 29, just off Ave. Pres. Masaryk. We were looking for a light meal very close to the hotel and this popular, casual eatery with modern Mexican food and a few “international” dishes (they call themselves “cocina urbana”) was suggested by the concierge.
Trio of Angus sliders at neighboring table looked very good.
We ordered two soups: Flor de Calabaza very good but paled beside version at Dulce Patria, across the street. My chicken-based soup (forget the name, but shards of chicharron gave it heft and enormous flavor), was superb. Another dish that I thought about for days after eating. Good spot if staying in the area, but I would not make a detour. Friendly; full bar.
http://www.dulcinea.mx
DULCINEA, Oscar Wilde, 29, just off Ave. Pres. Masaryk. We were looking for a light meal very close to the hotel and this popular, casual eatery with modern Mexican food and a few “international” dishes (they call themselves “cocina urbana”) was suggested by the concierge.
Trio of Angus sliders at neighboring table looked very good.
We ordered two soups: Flor de Calabaza very good but paled beside version at Dulce Patria, across the street. My chicken-based soup (forget the name, but shards of chicharron gave it heft and enormous flavor), was superb. Another dish that I thought about for days after eating. Good spot if staying in the area, but I would not make a detour. Friendly; full bar.
http://www.dulcinea.mx
Jan 21st, 2015, 04:27 AM
#23
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Your upcoming trip was a spark for me to get this going. I've tended to slack off on trip reports lately and I'm glad I've got this up and running. Stay tuned for more and ask any questions you might have!
Jan 22nd, 2015, 02:57 PM
#29
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Wednesday morning we set aside for a visit to the Museo Nacional de Antropologia, one of the great museums of the world.
The walk from our hotel took us almost half an hour, and we spent a couple of hours inside marveling at the collections of pre-Colombian artifacts and the displays dedicated to the various indigenous groups of Mexico.
Emerging into the light after our visit, we walked over the the greensward that was the stage for the Voladores de Papantla. This legendary troup of beribboned Totonac acrobats from the state of Veracruz launch themselves off the top of a 25-meter-high pole and twirl around and around, descending lower and lower with each circuit of the pole. The total number of revolutions performed by the dancers equals 52, for the number of years in the Mesoamerican calendar cycle.
Just as much fun as watching the dancers was watching the little chamacos on a school trip who were supposed to be watching the dancers, but who seemed much more interested in watching the ambulatory snack sellers and gorging on their achingly sweet offerings.
The Museum is closed on Mondays.
http://www.mna.inah.gob.mx/tu-visita...our-visit.html
We walked back along Reforma and past Lincoln Park, back to Las Alcobas, where we made ourselves presentable enough to appear for our 3pm reservations at one of the capitals most acclaimed eateries, Pujol.
Because we had some time beforehand, we dipped inside the Superama not far from the restaurant. Here I wandered the aisles marveling at all the exotic products. Mindful of weight concerns, I held myself back and bought only a few items including a few cans of San Marcos brand Chipotle in Adobo, a few bottles of various salsa picante, vacu-paks of Spanish olives at bargain prices, and some tamarind candies encrusted with chili powder. (This would be the first of a number of supermarket sprees).
http://www.superama.com.mx/superama/...e-tiendas.aspx
I will take a moment here to thank Las Alcobas for their policy of free Mexican candies in the minibar. Those sacs of sugar-coated gumdrops alone probably accounted for two of the three pounds I gained during the 19-day trip, not to mention all of those chocolate skulls and the other Dia de los Muertos treats that were deposited in the room each night on a silvery tray. And yes, the mexican coke made with cane sugar really is better than the stuff sold in the US.
(This is not the place to mention the addiction that I developed a few days later after my first tastes of that irrististible, grainy, cinammony marvel that is Oaxacan chocolate!)
The walk from our hotel took us almost half an hour, and we spent a couple of hours inside marveling at the collections of pre-Colombian artifacts and the displays dedicated to the various indigenous groups of Mexico.
Emerging into the light after our visit, we walked over the the greensward that was the stage for the Voladores de Papantla. This legendary troup of beribboned Totonac acrobats from the state of Veracruz launch themselves off the top of a 25-meter-high pole and twirl around and around, descending lower and lower with each circuit of the pole. The total number of revolutions performed by the dancers equals 52, for the number of years in the Mesoamerican calendar cycle.
Just as much fun as watching the dancers was watching the little chamacos on a school trip who were supposed to be watching the dancers, but who seemed much more interested in watching the ambulatory snack sellers and gorging on their achingly sweet offerings.
The Museum is closed on Mondays.
http://www.mna.inah.gob.mx/tu-visita...our-visit.html
We walked back along Reforma and past Lincoln Park, back to Las Alcobas, where we made ourselves presentable enough to appear for our 3pm reservations at one of the capitals most acclaimed eateries, Pujol.
Because we had some time beforehand, we dipped inside the Superama not far from the restaurant. Here I wandered the aisles marveling at all the exotic products. Mindful of weight concerns, I held myself back and bought only a few items including a few cans of San Marcos brand Chipotle in Adobo, a few bottles of various salsa picante, vacu-paks of Spanish olives at bargain prices, and some tamarind candies encrusted with chili powder. (This would be the first of a number of supermarket sprees).
http://www.superama.com.mx/superama/...e-tiendas.aspx
I will take a moment here to thank Las Alcobas for their policy of free Mexican candies in the minibar. Those sacs of sugar-coated gumdrops alone probably accounted for two of the three pounds I gained during the 19-day trip, not to mention all of those chocolate skulls and the other Dia de los Muertos treats that were deposited in the room each night on a silvery tray. And yes, the mexican coke made with cane sugar really is better than the stuff sold in the US.
(This is not the place to mention the addiction that I developed a few days later after my first tastes of that irrististible, grainy, cinammony marvel that is Oaxacan chocolate!)
Jan 28th, 2015, 11:33 AM
#32
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Never mind; I can put up the comments on Pujol now and will try to get a move on the remaining time in the DF, at least:
PUJOL
This was probably our most anticipated meal, and the only one I booked well before our arrival in Mexico. I even brought along a “dressy” pair of shoes (black leather flats) that I wore only a couple of times during the trip after this meal.
We were greeted graciously by the female staff member who would attend to us throughout comida. As has been noted many times before, the dark room is sober, and mostly unadorned. The dining room was about three-quarters full during our comida, for which we had a 3pm reservation, which must be guaranteed by a credit card. Tables are well spaced and the noise level is low. There were a few tables of males in dark suits, but we did not feel at all out of place in (me) black jeans and a “nice” blouse and (male companion) a dress shirt, dark trousers, and dark leather shoes. (I also saw at least one table of casually dressed diners, including one person wearing jeans; I would not stress out over what to wear here, or anywhere else, for that matter!)
Chef Olvera happened to be in my home town, New York City, during our meal; his new and highly lauded restaurant, Cosme, opened the week were in Mexico City. The only aesthetic blip that I noticed at Pujol were that the white tablecloths were a bit rumpled, and unevenly laid on the tables. More important, although we enjoyed the meal (me, more than my companion), I came away feeling a tad disappointed.
There were certainly some “wow” moments on the fixed price menu: The elote with ant mayonnaise emerged in a whoosh of smoke from the mottled gourd holding it--smashing both visually and flavor wise. (see photo on first page of website, linked below)
The whole wheat esquites were an interesting variation on risotto, if a tad bland, and the taco de barbacoa was beautiful, resting on its green tortilla, but was the flavor all that much better than its market-level cousin?
The cube of pork belly was just that--nothing unusual and far less scrumptious than versions I've had elsewhere. I certainly would have liked an edge of crispness to contrast with the fat of the meat.
The much discussed pair of moles--one aged and one just prepared, were gorgeous, indeed and the presentation, presented a true photo op moment. But since I am far from a mole connoisseur, the comparisons between the age of one and the age of the other were really lost on me.
Service is graceful and explanations were offered with ample patience. There is an English menu.
Perhaps I had succumbed to the tremendous hype, and lacked the depth of knowledge of local flavors to appreciate the creativity involved in many of the dishes and, more important, to distinguish (apart from the gorgeous presentation) what elevated the dishes at Pujol so far above the less exalted renditions that one could find elsewhere in this marvelous food country.
.
The 6-course menu was priced at MP$928 including tax; together with one beer and one fruit agua, two of us paid $1938, or about US$140, before tip. Booking can be done on OpenTable or by phone.
http://www.pujol.com.mx/
PUJOL
This was probably our most anticipated meal, and the only one I booked well before our arrival in Mexico. I even brought along a “dressy” pair of shoes (black leather flats) that I wore only a couple of times during the trip after this meal.
We were greeted graciously by the female staff member who would attend to us throughout comida. As has been noted many times before, the dark room is sober, and mostly unadorned. The dining room was about three-quarters full during our comida, for which we had a 3pm reservation, which must be guaranteed by a credit card. Tables are well spaced and the noise level is low. There were a few tables of males in dark suits, but we did not feel at all out of place in (me) black jeans and a “nice” blouse and (male companion) a dress shirt, dark trousers, and dark leather shoes. (I also saw at least one table of casually dressed diners, including one person wearing jeans; I would not stress out over what to wear here, or anywhere else, for that matter!)
Chef Olvera happened to be in my home town, New York City, during our meal; his new and highly lauded restaurant, Cosme, opened the week were in Mexico City. The only aesthetic blip that I noticed at Pujol were that the white tablecloths were a bit rumpled, and unevenly laid on the tables. More important, although we enjoyed the meal (me, more than my companion), I came away feeling a tad disappointed.
There were certainly some “wow” moments on the fixed price menu: The elote with ant mayonnaise emerged in a whoosh of smoke from the mottled gourd holding it--smashing both visually and flavor wise. (see photo on first page of website, linked below)
The whole wheat esquites were an interesting variation on risotto, if a tad bland, and the taco de barbacoa was beautiful, resting on its green tortilla, but was the flavor all that much better than its market-level cousin?
The cube of pork belly was just that--nothing unusual and far less scrumptious than versions I've had elsewhere. I certainly would have liked an edge of crispness to contrast with the fat of the meat.
The much discussed pair of moles--one aged and one just prepared, were gorgeous, indeed and the presentation, presented a true photo op moment. But since I am far from a mole connoisseur, the comparisons between the age of one and the age of the other were really lost on me.
Service is graceful and explanations were offered with ample patience. There is an English menu.
Perhaps I had succumbed to the tremendous hype, and lacked the depth of knowledge of local flavors to appreciate the creativity involved in many of the dishes and, more important, to distinguish (apart from the gorgeous presentation) what elevated the dishes at Pujol so far above the less exalted renditions that one could find elsewhere in this marvelous food country.
.
The 6-course menu was priced at MP$928 including tax; together with one beer and one fruit agua, two of us paid $1938, or about US$140, before tip. Booking can be done on OpenTable or by phone.
http://www.pujol.com.mx/
Jan 28th, 2015, 03:19 PM
#33
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Pujol sounds way over-hyped for the price, atmosphere, and food. thanks for the honest review.
I have generally found that it is best to stay away from the hype restaurants in MX. The ones that serve good fresh seafood ( on and near the coasts) and good regional MX foods or a good solid comida are generally the best, IMHO.
I have generally found that it is best to stay away from the hype restaurants in MX. The ones that serve good fresh seafood ( on and near the coasts) and good regional MX foods or a good solid comida are generally the best, IMHO.
Jan 30th, 2015, 11:52 AM
#35
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Never mind that Pujol was a bit of a disappointment as far as the price/value ratio goes. The next day, Friday, would bring excitement, much of it related to food.
I’ve been to Mexico more times than I can count, and have traveled widely within this vast country. These travels have encompassed many visits to many markets, from Chiapas to Chihuahua and beyond. So although I might not have been a novice as far as Mexican markets goes, I was very pleased that I had arranged a market tour in the DF with Cristina Potters. Cristina writes a colorful and informative blog, MEXICO COOKS, and it was through her postings there, and on Chowhound, that I became acquainted with her vast knowledge, gleaned from many decades of living in the country, first in Baja and later in Michocan and now, the Distrito Federal, where she shares a gorgeous apartment in the Condesa district with her wife, Judy.
http://www.mexicocooks.typepad.com/
Cristina and I made plans to meet for comida at Nico’s, discussed above, and to tour a market of her choosing on the Friday which happened to be the day before the Dia de los Muertos holiday. She chose the Mercado de Jamaica, the city’s largest flower market, also a repository of hundreds of food stalls selling any and every item that might make it into one of the city’s kitchens. The market has its own Metro stop, and the activity during the leadup to the holiday was at a fever pitch.
We tasted mole, Day of the Dead candies, and chicharron, learned about various chilis and the different varieties of piloncillo, the pure Mexican sugar. Took photos of everything from gladioli to guava paste, chayote to chia seeds, including a stack of rodent poison appropriately named “La Ultima Cena.” All this, with roving musicians, too! Cristina was a font of information and a most charming and enthusiastic guide.
I do not often take guided tours of any stripe, but these were some of the most fascinating and enjoyable hours we spent in the capital.
e-mail: [email protected]
We departed on our market tour from the Chilpancingo Metro stop near Cristina's apartment. The area around this station buzzes with food stalls numbering in the dozens upon dozens. A great place to wander and sample. From there, the direct train to the Mercado is only a few quick stops away along Line #9. Best to arrive hungry, so you can appreciate the wonders of Mariscos El Paisa, within the Jamaica Market, on an empty stomach.
MARISCOS EL PAISA
The question of whether or not Chef Roberto Silva concocted the best shrimp cocktail I’ve ever eaten will never be answered, but suffice to say that the version I sampled at his spotless stand inside the Mercado de Jamaica was beyond fantastic. Counter seating, Pacific and Gulf fish and shellfish are offered (no farmed Asian shrimp here!!) fried or grilled, and find their way into soups, tacos, cocteles, and platters.
Here, and at other market stalls, we ate and drank, including drinks made with ice, with no ill effects.
A vast array of fruit aguas awaits at a neighboring stall; a worker will take your order at El Paisa and tote them over. During our meal we were treated to a set of ranchera music by a young woman who brought me to tears by the beauty of her voice while her infant girl crawled around on the market floor nearby. This woman took the bus from a town two hours distant every day, to sing for tips at the market.
We would have sampled much more, but the long-awaited barbacoa of lamb at El Hidalguense, probably my most anticipated meal in the capital, was scheduled for early afternoon.
http://mariscoselpaisa.com.mx/menu.html
I’ve been to Mexico more times than I can count, and have traveled widely within this vast country. These travels have encompassed many visits to many markets, from Chiapas to Chihuahua and beyond. So although I might not have been a novice as far as Mexican markets goes, I was very pleased that I had arranged a market tour in the DF with Cristina Potters. Cristina writes a colorful and informative blog, MEXICO COOKS, and it was through her postings there, and on Chowhound, that I became acquainted with her vast knowledge, gleaned from many decades of living in the country, first in Baja and later in Michocan and now, the Distrito Federal, where she shares a gorgeous apartment in the Condesa district with her wife, Judy.
http://www.mexicocooks.typepad.com/
Cristina and I made plans to meet for comida at Nico’s, discussed above, and to tour a market of her choosing on the Friday which happened to be the day before the Dia de los Muertos holiday. She chose the Mercado de Jamaica, the city’s largest flower market, also a repository of hundreds of food stalls selling any and every item that might make it into one of the city’s kitchens. The market has its own Metro stop, and the activity during the leadup to the holiday was at a fever pitch.
We tasted mole, Day of the Dead candies, and chicharron, learned about various chilis and the different varieties of piloncillo, the pure Mexican sugar. Took photos of everything from gladioli to guava paste, chayote to chia seeds, including a stack of rodent poison appropriately named “La Ultima Cena.” All this, with roving musicians, too! Cristina was a font of information and a most charming and enthusiastic guide.
I do not often take guided tours of any stripe, but these were some of the most fascinating and enjoyable hours we spent in the capital.
e-mail: [email protected]
We departed on our market tour from the Chilpancingo Metro stop near Cristina's apartment. The area around this station buzzes with food stalls numbering in the dozens upon dozens. A great place to wander and sample. From there, the direct train to the Mercado is only a few quick stops away along Line #9. Best to arrive hungry, so you can appreciate the wonders of Mariscos El Paisa, within the Jamaica Market, on an empty stomach.
MARISCOS EL PAISA
The question of whether or not Chef Roberto Silva concocted the best shrimp cocktail I’ve ever eaten will never be answered, but suffice to say that the version I sampled at his spotless stand inside the Mercado de Jamaica was beyond fantastic. Counter seating, Pacific and Gulf fish and shellfish are offered (no farmed Asian shrimp here!!) fried or grilled, and find their way into soups, tacos, cocteles, and platters.
Here, and at other market stalls, we ate and drank, including drinks made with ice, with no ill effects.
A vast array of fruit aguas awaits at a neighboring stall; a worker will take your order at El Paisa and tote them over. During our meal we were treated to a set of ranchera music by a young woman who brought me to tears by the beauty of her voice while her infant girl crawled around on the market floor nearby. This woman took the bus from a town two hours distant every day, to sing for tips at the market.
We would have sampled much more, but the long-awaited barbacoa of lamb at El Hidalguense, probably my most anticipated meal in the capital, was scheduled for early afternoon.
http://mariscoselpaisa.com.mx/menu.html
Jan 31st, 2015, 04:09 AM
#37
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EL HIDALGUENSE
Lamb and sheep destined for the table fall into three categories in Mexico: Cordero is the youngest and lightest animal (with cordero lechal the animal still in the suckling stage, the legendary lechazo of Castille) carnero is next, and borrego designated the oldest and heaviest.
These categories were related to me by Sr. Moises Rodriguez Vargas, proprietor of what was probably my most anticipated meal in Mexico City, El Hidalguense, a meat temple in Colonia Roma. I obsessed about where to eat barbacoa during our week in the city, as the lamb barbacoa of Mexico ranks up there in my personal pantheon with the lechazo of Castille and the m’choui of Morocco. These would form part of the menu at my last banquet on earth and I think of them often.
As at most of the D.F. restaurants specializing in barbacoa, the meat is cooked over oak logs after being wrapped in the leaves of the maguey plant. The actual cooking is done a few hours away in neighboring Hidalgo state, considered the mecca of Mexican barbecue, and brought to the restaurant to be served only from Fridays through Sundays, when the restaurant is open.
The lamb meat served at El Hidalguense is carnero; we ordered a quarter kilo of the boneless maciza (MP$420 per kilo) which made a good-sized appetizer for four not-so-hungry diners. If the meat had the slightest touch of dryness, this was remedied by the addition of one of the three excellent salsas offered at table. Wrapped in a tortilla and dampened with the sauce, it was pretty close to barbecue heaven.
The lamb consomme, the traditional accompaniment, can be ordered with or without the lamb foot; even without the addition of the appendage, this was one excellent soup.
Queso asado estilo Huasteco was a decadent disc of melted cheese blanketed with a heavy dose of sesame seeds and chili piquin, served on a blue corn tortilla.
Rounding out the meal was one order of mixed quesadillas, and an order of tender mixiote de chamorro, a pulled pork shank baked in parchment and served meltingly tender.
The restaurant has a full bar with several varieties of pulque, including guanabana, which I sampled. Verdict: Interesting.
The meal for four of us totalled $600 including tip. This is a restaurant that I would return to again and again if I lived nearby. Worth a long detour! No reservations; open Fridays through Sundays only.
Article, in Spanish; restaurant has no website:
http://eleconomista.com.mx/notas-imp...mejor-barbacoa
Lamb and sheep destined for the table fall into three categories in Mexico: Cordero is the youngest and lightest animal (with cordero lechal the animal still in the suckling stage, the legendary lechazo of Castille) carnero is next, and borrego designated the oldest and heaviest.
These categories were related to me by Sr. Moises Rodriguez Vargas, proprietor of what was probably my most anticipated meal in Mexico City, El Hidalguense, a meat temple in Colonia Roma. I obsessed about where to eat barbacoa during our week in the city, as the lamb barbacoa of Mexico ranks up there in my personal pantheon with the lechazo of Castille and the m’choui of Morocco. These would form part of the menu at my last banquet on earth and I think of them often.
As at most of the D.F. restaurants specializing in barbacoa, the meat is cooked over oak logs after being wrapped in the leaves of the maguey plant. The actual cooking is done a few hours away in neighboring Hidalgo state, considered the mecca of Mexican barbecue, and brought to the restaurant to be served only from Fridays through Sundays, when the restaurant is open.
The lamb meat served at El Hidalguense is carnero; we ordered a quarter kilo of the boneless maciza (MP$420 per kilo) which made a good-sized appetizer for four not-so-hungry diners. If the meat had the slightest touch of dryness, this was remedied by the addition of one of the three excellent salsas offered at table. Wrapped in a tortilla and dampened with the sauce, it was pretty close to barbecue heaven.
The lamb consomme, the traditional accompaniment, can be ordered with or without the lamb foot; even without the addition of the appendage, this was one excellent soup.
Queso asado estilo Huasteco was a decadent disc of melted cheese blanketed with a heavy dose of sesame seeds and chili piquin, served on a blue corn tortilla.
Rounding out the meal was one order of mixed quesadillas, and an order of tender mixiote de chamorro, a pulled pork shank baked in parchment and served meltingly tender.
The restaurant has a full bar with several varieties of pulque, including guanabana, which I sampled. Verdict: Interesting.
The meal for four of us totalled $600 including tip. This is a restaurant that I would return to again and again if I lived nearby. Worth a long detour! No reservations; open Fridays through Sundays only.
Article, in Spanish; restaurant has no website:
http://eleconomista.com.mx/notas-imp...mejor-barbacoa
Jan 31st, 2015, 09:41 AM
#39
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Oh, so sorry! Mexican pesos! If you like lamb, go there. Even if one of you likes it, there is a large menu including many non-meat dishes. Friendly place, open to the street. Spanking clean. No wait when we were there on Friday afternoon. Believe it or not, barbacoa is a popular breakfast item, so maybe it is more crowded earlier, and on the two weekend days.
I have a few other names in the city for lamb barbecue, and you will also find it at the Tlacolula market in Oaxaca. In case El Hidalguense does not work for some reason.
I have a few other names in the city for lamb barbecue, and you will also find it at the Tlacolula market in Oaxaca. In case El Hidalguense does not work for some reason.
