I will be spending a week in the DF this fall, prior to traveling to Puebla (2 nights) and Oaxaca (7 nights).

Needless to say, I am focused on finding great food. I've received what I believe is good advice from various food blogs, and from Chowhound. I now have a fluctuating list of where to eat during our 7 days in the capital, ranging from simple street stalls to restaurants on the San Pellegrino Best Restaurant list.

Before I go into detail, I wonder if there is anyone on this forum who would be interested in sharing dining tips based on either recent visits to, or residence in, the DF. I will be happy to post my list of eating places, and would welcome comments...but because this board gets very little traffic on Mexico City, I am asking first if anyone would be interested in a discussion...(??)

Our base will be in Polanco.

Curious, also, if anyone has been recently to Plaza Garibaldi, famous for roving street musicians. What is that area like these days? Is the legendary El Tenampa still a welcoming place for tourists? What is the procedure for hiring the ranchera bands?

Muchas gracias to anyone who cares to offer comments!!

Ek, you might want to take a look at this really good blog of Lesley Tellez, a food person who lived and wrote in the Df for yrs. she is back in the U.s. In NYC now but still runs food tours of the DF and Puebla.

She profiles some great DF restaurants in her blog.

http://www.themijachronicles.com

I usually eat where my nose and sight and smells take me in the DF. But I do love El Cardenal! It is always good, and leaves me dreaming about it til I return. I have been to all 4 locations, and the one at Palma 23 is really special. Chiles en Nogada will be served while you are there.

http://www.restauranteelcardenal.com/eng/

Gracias, EMD3!! I will take a good look at her blog. And will also check out El Cardenal. I am torn between wanting to try a few of the upscale places I've read about (Pujol, Dulce Patria, Quintonil) and wanting to try some of the more down-to-earth places like El Huequito, El Hidalguense, El Bajio, and on and on. I wish I had planned more than a week in the city, just for food alone! A small complicating factor is that my regular travel partner, who has never been to Mexico south of the border, has what I would call a "sensitive" stomach. I am leery of presenting market stalls or small fondas.

From what I am reading, Mexico City is one of the greatest eating cities on the planet, not to mention all the great sightseeing on hand....

I do not usually eat in the newer trendy places. I like the places that have a good 3 course traditional comida for cheap, lol. There is a place I go to like that, it is actually 10 tables set up in a lady's home in the centro historico, and her son plays piano at lunch time, and she serves excellent homemade dishes for comida from noon til 4 p.m. I like the more traditional foods and vibe.

Please do a report on where you go and where you eat! I love the DF.

We've enjoyed Cafe Tacuba each time we've eaten there. !Old style Mexico! Mariachi sometimes! !Que gusto!

Buenos días ekscrunchy,

I have really enjoyed your posts and travel reports on this board, particularly those related to Spain, a favorite destination of ours. I have been going to the DF since 2006 for both business and pleasure trips - I really think that it is one of the world's great cities and am sure you will enjoy it immensely.

I do not know if you have this blog in your roster (I suspect you might already), but it is one which its recommendations I have often successfully followed: http://www.goodfoodmexicocity.com/#/offtopic/

I also usually stay in Polanco which I think is a great barrio/area to be based. I am a little short on time at this very moment, but noticing that you mentioned El Huequito (small sidewalk place in the Centro Historico - easy to miss but really worth it), I thought I would also add Tizoncito in Col. Condesa which is also famous for its tacos al pastor. At the other end of the $ scale (read going form cheap to expensive), I would also recommend the Beef Bar which is a restaurant located in the Camino Real Polanco hotel on Mariano Escobedo (do not let the thought of a hotel restaurant put you off, it is not related to the hotel, they just lease the space). We had an unforgettable Valentine's day dinner there in 2013, and everything was top notch from the moment we walked in, and as it's name suggests, heavily slanted towards carnivores! For authentic Mexican fare, I would suggest Limosneros in the Centro historico, another great find and would sooner go there than cafe Tacuba which for me was a little touristy, although both are fine in their own way.

You may already know of the above, but hope this helps nonetheless.
Hasta luego!

kanadajin
PS Si no me equivoco creo que ya manejes bien el castellano, lo que por supuesto te facilitara la vida.

Contramar is my favorite! Great seafood. It's in Roma Norte, not far from Condesa. http://www.contramar.com.mx/

Also, Maque La Condesa is wonderful for brunch. Good food, nice patio, a lot of Condesa locals. Don't be in a hurry, though. Service can be slow.

El Bajio is also really good. I've eaten at the one at 222 Reforma and also the one in Polanco. Yummy!

So many good places in Mexico City.

Well now I really want to try some of the recommended places!

PLEASE post a trip report!!

Kanadajin: Ojala! I can manage with speaking, but not as good with writing. (You can see tht, since I am answering in English!) I have been told by many Spanish speakers in New York (my home city) that my accent is Mexican, and indeed, I learned much of the language in that country, so hopefully that will serve me ok on my return, although I know I will be pathetically out of date on the slang words!

Another question: I admitted above to having a passion for ranchera music. Anyone been lately to Garibaldi? Or to the bar at the Sheraton, which used to book traditional musicians?

I will surely post a report after my return, to thank you all for the help here!

Looking forward to all the recs. We'll be in MC for 6 nights
this winter.

Re spanish language - Good for you/enhorabuena ekscrunchy!

From what I can cross read in your response, I am sure you will be capitalizing on the opportunity of your stay to re-immerse yourself in the idiom, and I personally find this to always be an important part of any trip, regardless of destination. It usually makes a huge difference in the enjoyment of your trip.

Re trip reports - I am very much afraid that I don't seem to always have the right inclination or inspiration for writing such (also english is not my first language), although I do admit that I often find fantastic info or recommendations/insight in what others do write in their trip reports. Instead I do try to give back in the form of more pointed responses to specific enquiries whenever I can.

Sorry, I know very little about ranchera music. FWIW, I could not help but feel a little uneasy in the area around Plaza Garibaldi; this perhaps was simply due to my state of mind/circumstances at the time, but I did not linger much there as a result.

To close off on your initial request for restaurants, I wanted to also mention in Col. Roma a place called Maximo Bistrot Local which is very very nice (lots of trendy places in this Col. by the way)

I got a good email newsletter on MExico City restaurants in my inbox today. here it is, English version.

and btw, the ZonaTouristica newsletter is very good for all kinds of MX travel topics, and they have good hotel discounts in their newsletters also.

http://www.zonaturistica.com/en/rest...b7ba-114705825

Mil gracias to both of you.

I will be in the DF in late October. So far, I have booked table at Pujol, even though Chef Olivera will likely be in NYC for the opening of his new spot there).

Kanadajin: Ojala que los musicos en Garibaldi conocen "Te Solte La Rienda'" o "Alma de Acera" O La Barca de Guaymas!!

Soy aficionada de Jose Alfredo y una vez fue a Madison Square Garden para ver Vicente F. Te doy permiso para llamarme una anciana porque mis gustos son un poquitin antigua!!!

Sorry for my terrible Spanish!!

ekscrunchy, I am planning a trip to Mexico city, staying in Roma Norte/Condesa neighborhood next month. I am mainly going for food and art/architecture. I am so excited to see you have recently visited and your trip report on the food will be up hopefully before I leave on xmas eve.

Can't wait to see what places you visited. I am just starting my restaurant list and sad to find out that Pujol will be closed for remodeling while I am there, it was at the top of my list. My tastes are similar to yours in that I like to do a mix of high and low. Taco stalls, market tours, fancy restaurants.. a bit of everything.

Thanks and looking forward to your write up.
Jen

Jen:

I will write up my notes before your trip. And I would not be too upset about missing Pujol. I did eat there and was not totally "wowed."