Food picks by Angelenos for Mexico City

Sounds ideal.

What are your other favorite spots in Mexico City besides Quintonil?

Just booked a res for next Saturday night at Maximo Bistrot for group of six :slight_smile:

might have to check that place out. Are they known for anything special?

I couldnt get a reservation for Pujol so looking for some fall backs.

@hungryhungryhippos I’ve heard some people have had success showing up first thing to Pujol and getting a walk-in. I might do that myself.

re: Maximo…it’s supposed to be very very good, it’s from a chef that trained at Pujol. Just standard kind of French-Mexican fusion. Since we’re going with a party of 6 they are requiring a tasting menu for everyone (they said like $45-50 each).

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Thanks for the tip maybe we’ll try that!

I second (or quite possibly 14th) the Quintonil recommendation. For me it was a 3 Star Michelin meal that really kind of explains “modern Mexican”. I had a bad experience at Pujol but it was probably over ten years ago. Would be interested to hear about current menu as they recently changed almost everything.

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Is it easier to make reservations for large groups there? When I look online, Maximo is always the hardest place to get into in the entire city. They book out at least a month in advance it seems like, even harder to get into than Quintonil/Pujol/etc…

It’s truly excellent food, even though it’s more “homey”. Some unforgettable huitlacoche soup and pasta there among other things.

Have you been to Rosetta, Dulce Patria, Raíz, Biko, Merotoro, Yuban, Azul Condesa, or Pehüa?

Nope haven’t been to any of those will check them out. On the high end side only quintonil.

Of those on your list which one do you recommend most?

Tough to pick just one, I would probably pick Dulce Patria just because it’s such a strange experience, and they make perhaps my favorite habanero salsa. However, what I find interesting, others have said is too kitschy/gimmicky/80’s gaudy, etc… so it’s probably not for everyone, but I find it great fun to eat there.

Otherwise, Rosetta is more casual, but consistently produces some of the best things I’ve ever tasted. They also have a pretty authentic New York style corned beef sandwich on the menu randomly, which is kind of oddly endearing.

Merotoro may have the best overall food out of all of them, though.

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@FoodDreams I got an email for an employee there and he helped me get the res, not sure if it worked out since it’s a larger party or not (or because I name dropped some Hollywood stuff…) If you would like it, PM me.

re: Rosetta…didn’t love the meal I had there, honestly. Compared to Italian in LA even, it was pretty whatever. Really nice setting in the old house though.

I hit Azul HIstorico and their Mole and Tortilla Soup was god tier…

Have Dulce Patria, Pehua, and Merotoro on my radar for next week… I’m getting pumped for my trip!

Interesting. haha

Are you sure you ate at Rosetta and not Lardo (same chef)? Lardo is the same chef’s Italian spot where Rosetta is more French, but it seems to be somewhat worse than Rosetta perhaps simply because Italian cuisine isn’t spectacularly well understood in Mexico City from what I have eaten there, though I don’t go much out of my way to eat it. Besides the corned beef sandwich, I vividly recall eating a sea cockroach, zucchini, and lemon pasta that was amongst the best pasta dishes I’ve ever tried, and there was a dish of tuna, figs, and roasted grains that was perhaps the single best tasting tuna dish I have ever had anywhere in the world there.

On the other hand, I did have some dishes I thought were awful, like the pork in pink mole.

Perhaps the hits I had were just random flukes.

At Azul, if you go again, try the black mole enchiladas, and the guacamole with chapulines. Just wildly addictive stuff. Those enchiladas will sort of ruin other enchiladas for you for a while haha

Also, not really important, but I can’t help chuckling a little at your “compared to Italian in LA even” note, as, for my palette, LA is home to the best Italian restaurant in the USA. :stuck_out_tongue:

I probably wouldn’t call Maximo Bistro “just standard kind of French-Mexican fusion” It’s quite a bit more than that. You might find this article about Eddie Garcia the che/owner of some interest. There’s a reason it’s one of the hardest tables to get in the city :upside_down_face:

Ya definitely went to Rosetta… I think I had the Pork in Mole as well…a burrata dish…and a pasta. Can’t remember exactly, but had an excellent bottle of a Mexican Red…the food didn’t impress me (like I was impressed at Quintonil or even La Docena). Maybe I ordered the wrong things or had an off night? I remember the service not being the best either.

I actually had the black mole enchiladas!! they were insane, the mole is next level…I believe I got the guacamole as well.

and re: Italian in LA…I agree with you, i was inferring that Italian in LA is amazing, sorry if I was confusing. I’m just saying people always said Rosetta is the best Italian blah blah blah.

@DiningDiva Didn’t mean standard french/mexican…but it’s kind of the high end elevated french/mexican pujol-esque thing in Mexico City…that’s what i’m saying, not that it isn’t great!

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If you have the email and would be willing to share please pm me. Thx!

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@skramzlife @FoodDreams @palmdoc1 @CiaoBob

Any of you been to Oaxaca City have any recommendations there? Thanks!

Yes. For Day of the Dead a few years ago.
Loved it.
Here some info

need to refresh my memory where we actually ate
La olla cooking class was great

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Thanks!

La Biznaga was great
Casa Oaxaca also terrific.

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HHH, I am in Oaxaca anywhere from 2-4 times a year. I’m going down in a few weeks for Noche de los Rabanos. There are a ton of great places to try.

I’ll 2nd the rec upthread for La Biznaga. It’s been around a long time and is reliable. Their soups and salads are very good.

Upstairs at Casa Oaxaca (across from Santo Domingo) is wonderful. Their Maracuya (passion fruit) Mezcalinis are outstanding, as is the octopus and fish. Cafe Casa Oaxaca, not in the same building, is a good breakfast spot.

Los Danzantes is also quite good. We liked the short rib entree, and the fideo app, which was almost big enough to be an entree. It’s not a large restaurant and they used to take reservations, but friends who just got back from Oaxaca said Los Danzantes is now telling people to show up when they open in order to be seated. Getting into the restaurant is w-a-y harder than it needs to be.

Origen does quite good modern Mexican. I’ve eaten there multiple times and have never had a bad dish. The chef/owner was the first winner of Master Chef Mexico and there have been reports that the Origen has been a little uneven since then as the chef has been out of the kitchen. That was not my experience earlier this year.

Catadral has been around a long time and was getting pretty stale in it’s reliance on “Continental” cuisine. The owner’s son and his German wife moved back to Oaxaca from Germany several years ago and took over the operation. What a massive change. They’ve totally changed the menu and it is now one of the best restaurants in the city. Hands down, one of my favorites. I had a Chichilo mole there in June that was ethereal. You want to be seated in the patio area, not the dining room. The inner courtyard patio at night is magical and romantic. It also has a retractable roof in case of rain.

Some people love Pitiona which was one of the first modern Mexican restaurants in Oaxaca City. I went once and have never been back. The food was a disaster and the service even worse. I’ve never been treated so poorly in a restaurant as I was in Pitiona. The food I can forgive and chalk it up to the kitchen having a bad night. Service? not so much.

Quince Letras does traditional Oaxacan food and is a member of Slow Food. The food is usually quite good and a nice spot for comida.

A lot of locals will recommend Los Pacos for mole. They have a mole sampler on the app menu that allows you to try all of them and then decide which one you like best. They also make good margaritas and mezcalinis here.

Itononi is dedicated to preserving heritage corn. Everything is masa based. I’ve found it to be somewhat uneven over the course of many visits, but when it’s firing on all pistons it’s hard to beat. Their memelas are delicious.

El Distillado is a mezcal bar/restaurant co-owned by an ex-pat from San Francisco. They do an 8-course tasting menu. Hipster vibe. I’ve been in for mezcal but haven’t eaten there. I’ve heard mixed reviews of the tasting menu. One friend was put off when she ordered carnitas and it turned out to be all buche, which are innards. The American homage to offal?

Sabina Sabe is a couple blocks down the street from El Distillado and would be my choice for a mezcal bar. Nice relaxed vibe, wide selection of mezcales, other spirits, cocktails and beer. I’ve eaten there twice and liked the food very much both times. Nothing fancy, but well executed. What I particularly liked about Sabina Sabe is that it’s comfortable enough for a solo drinker or diner

In the La Merced market there is a fonda that does great chilaquiles. I think it’s Fonda Florecita. For breakfast I also like the courtyard cafe in the Hotel Vetriz, which is right next to the Bugambillas B&B. Vetriz has an in house bakery. Restaurante SP is also good for breakfast. Sit upstairs. Delicious hot chocolate and fresh juices.

The Quinta Real does a great breakfast buffet featuring all kinds of traditional dishes. I’m not a fan of buffet, but this one is well done. The setting is beautiful and the food is usually very good. This is also a nice place for evening drinks by the pool. The Quinta Real is an old 16th century convent.

The 20 de Noviembre and Benito Juarez markets are side by side and should not be missed, especially the Juarez market as there are all kinds of places to eat in it include the pasillo de humo, where you can buy raw meat and tortillas and have the meat grilled on the spot. It gets smokey in there.

The Abastos market is huge and sprawling and you can spend hours in it. There are tons of fondas, but if you chose to eat there select one that is very busy and well maintained.

The Zocalo is ringed by sidewalk cafes. I think I’ve been to all of them and don’t really have a preference. They’re a great place to sit, have a beer or limonada, tacos dorados (what we would call taquitos or rolled tacos, but better) or chips and guac, and watch the world go by. There are ice cream stores, coffee shops, bakeries and full service restaurants, just take your pick.

If you’re in Oaxaca on a Friday, head up to Parque Llano where there is a weekly market with a lot of prepared food vendors selling everything from carnitas and barbacoa to exotic juices and tamales

There is an evening street stand called Lechon de Oro that sells lechon tacos that are inexpensive and delicious. It’s open from 8 pm to 5 am. It’s at the intersection of Murgia and Los Libres

Okay, this is just the tip of the iceberg…

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