Finally reporting back on my two trips to CDMX, a month apart. First time with my sister, the second with four friends. Both trips were fantastic in their own right, but my sister and I had the misfortune of eating a bad taco (we new better but did it anyway) near the end of the trip that made us both quite ill, and left me sick and on meds until 3 days before my 2nd trip. I will never not eat street tacos, but I will be much more careful next time!
Since it’s been so long, a lot of the details aren’t what they could be, but I did my best. Each trip was 5 days long, and we ate 99% seafood on both, sharing everything with either my sister or my friends (two couples.) The order of things is a little out of whack too; on the first leg, the pics are in reverse order.
First Trip in September
Street taco carnitas
Chile en nogada – a specialty that is in season here in September – October, as that is when the walnuts are fresh. First time trying this, and it was delightful. Slightly sweet (there’s dried fruit in the filling) and rich, yet delicate.
Fish tacos at an outdoor bar we loved, Traspatio:
Campechano tacos (street food again) (and I did not post the pic of the taco that did us in! oh yes, we know exactly which one it was.)
At El Tigre Silencioso, a fun bar/restaurant with campy, whimsical, but delicious dishes:
Ramen noodles with shrimp, bacon, and parmesan.
Smoked trout over herbed cream cheese on brioche toast. TO. DIE. FOR.
Patè of smoked marlin and Ritz crackers
Tuna, hazelnut butter, avocado, and wakame
Another street campechano
Lamb birria street tacos with consome. Heaven.
At Merotoro, a restaurant recommended by friends who live there. Very good!
Ceviche de pescado, jaiba, aguacate y cilantro. Sooo good and fresh! The jaiba was crispy and fatty yumminess!
Beef and beef marrow risotto… Maybe the best risotto of my life. Rich and red winey. One of the best bites of the trip.
Grilled fish of the day wrapped in fennel (or so said the menu – I think it was kale or something similar), with charred onions, fresh favas and peas, carrots, in a green sauteed veggie broth.
Pink peppercorn ice cream, with a warm macadamia tart.
At Café Tacobar, an upscale taqueria:
Chilorio de cerdo medieval zacatecano. Fricken delish.
Costilla chingona de res que no sufrió tanto. Ay mami.
Taco de atun from a restaurant whose name I can’t remember…
Scallop ceviche
At Contramar! My sister and I ate here in 2017, had to come back.
Taco de atun (we should have ordered more of these here! they are the best.)
Scallops and fish tostada
Jaiba (crab) with eggs and potatoes (so good, so very rich!)
Pulpo a la Gallega
Aguachile de camarones
I think I’m missing a couple meals, but we ate a lot less than I did with my friends, just because of the numbers…
SECOND TRIP IN OCTOBER
Took my friends back to Traspatio for cocktails and snacks:
At Contramar’s sister restaurant, Entremar:
Clams
Fish tacos
Pulpo ala brasa
Crab taquitos
Shrimp in a spicy sauce tacos (I don’t even know anymore)
Huevos y papas
At Mi Compa Chava in Coyoacan, after the Frida Kahlo Museum.
I can’t remember what kind of tacos they were, but seafood of some sort:
Oysters
Clams and pulpo ceviche
The most obscenely fat scallops I’ve ever had. super meaty and delicious. but obscene.
Coctel de mariscos con soya
Another tostada de atun, of course
Smoked fish birria taco. Amazing and memorable!
And of course, cocteles, everywhere we went. We went to a lot of high-end bars, as my friend had recommendations from her Barcelona bartender buddies.
We did a private mezcal tasting one night…
Fun, super informative, delicious. Five bottles came home with us. As did this:
Back to the food.
Carnitas taco at Mercado Medellin
Tasting menu at Esquina Comun, without a doubt the best meal of both trips.
I can’t remember what this was but it was fantastic. Some kind of braised beef thing.
Fish guisado tostada, olives, capers, chile güero mayo, avo powder
Lentils, paprika, calamari chicharrón, carrot, radish. So seemingly rustic, but SOFA KING GOOD.
Mole manchamanteles, pork and plantain molotes, sweet potato
Creamy rice dish fresh hominy, other beans and beef stew. Another seemingly just homey kind of dish, but outstanding.
Heirloom tomatoes, cherry tomatoes with a fantastic kefir and cilantro dressing and cashew and pumpkin puree. So fricken good!
At El Hidalguense, a famed, primarily breakfast/lunch place known for their barbacoa (lamb)
Tacos de barbacoa – scrumptious!
Chilaquiles
Queso asado a la Milpa (like an incredibly creamy, grilled quesadilla with corn but amaaaayzing)
Escamoles (ant larvae)! Buttery, a little funky, very tasty. Like very soft, sweet buttery corn kernels.
Pulque tasting:
Azul Historico – my second visit here – had to do it. Swoonily beautiful restaurant in the courtyard of a hotel in the Centro Historico.
Pan de Muerte to start:
Tortillas hecho a mano, tres colores. We had two orders.
Guac
Camarón enchipotlado. Deliciously garlicky with a dried pepper seasoning.
Salad – lettuce, heirloom tomatoes, cheese
I’d dreamed about having these again one day… Buñuelos de pato con mole negro.
Mezcal (which, by the way, we drank throughout. I don’t think tequila ever touched my lips.)
Last dinner, at Huset – another stunningly gorgeous place we stumbled upon, and 2nd best meal of the trip.
Phenomenally good flatbread with avocado, cilantro, and a jalapeño emulsión. It may not look like much,but OMG OMG OMG.
Salmon tartare on crispy rice cake with roe. HOLY CRAP, SOFA KING GOOD.
Very parmigian-y focaccia with herby something. So light!
Peaches, tomato, basil salad. Very good, tho the peaches were under-ripe. The only slight disappointment of the meal.
Gnocchi in a lemony cream sauce. Lovely.
Succulent, perfectly cooked bacon-wrapped shrimp
Salmon tartar mixto with totopes
Robala (seabass) and camote puree. Good but probably the least interesting dish.
Toasted brioche pudding with miel and ashy goat cheese. TO DIE FOR.
Plantain whisky toffee crumble mushy yum.
Our last meal, morning of our flight. El Pez Azul, another random spot, with maybe the best mezcalitas of the entire trip.
Made with mezcal tobalá – more delicious than the ubiquitous espadin.
Cóctel de pescado mixto
Pulpo
Guac
“Empanada” de camarón
Taco “Gober” - tortilla de harina, frijoles, camarones ala plancha, chile poblano, queso gouda, aguacate y cebolla
Taco atún a la plancha. My favorite!
If you’ve stuck with me this far, bravo, and thank you!
We did more than eat and drink of course, but this city is so rich with delicious food everywhere you turn. We’ll all be back.
If anyone has questions about anything specific, hit me up!
