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5 great places to eat in Mexico City

August 3, 2013 10 Comments Filed Under: Uncategorized

Street food: blue corn tortillas with rajas, tomatillos, cheese.

A heads up: you don’t say Mexico City, you say ‘DF’ pronounced ‘Day effe’, meaning Federal District.
It’s one of the most populated cities in the world. The streets are full of smog, dirt, poverty and noise. The trains are like a parliament of hawkers and beggars, singing their way up the crowded carriages. But I love it. To the point that I’d live there.
Mexican food has been underrated until recently, but it is one of the world’s great cuisines. There is so much variety in genuine Mexican food, it’s so much more than the Tex-Mex version, heavy on the beans and cheese, that we tend to get over here.

Giant molcajete
Flauta, rolled tortilla
Potato chips with salsas and pickles. Like you do.
The food everywhere is fairground bright
Pepitos, coloured wafers with pumpkin seeds
Tripe tacos

While waiting for the toilet, why not buy a cool drink from an impromptu stall?

1. Street food: possibly Mexico has the best street food in the world, on a par with Thailand and India. There isn’t a corner of Mexico where people aren’t eating. Mexicans really love to eat. You might even say, ahem, that they are greedy. Every doorway, every street corner, every cranny, every park, every metro station, every bus stop, every canal, every road, has a stall or a booth or a counter or a cart or a guy with a drinks maker on his back, selling the most delicious food. From a narrow bar hacking up tripe for tacos to grandmas crouching over a hot burner toasting blue corn tortilla with rajas, to intricately carved bright fruit on a stick, or pepitos hanging like bunting on a line, Mexico City is crammed with food experiences. Even the humble packet of cheezy wotsits becomes a gourmet feast, with salsa, chilli and lime. I’m not going to recommend particular places but suggest you go on a voyage of discovery, it’s rarer to have bad food than good.

The Courtyard at Azul Historico. Fantastic food.
Padrinos at 30 Isabel la Catolica. Note the bicycle on the wall. 

2. Posh food: in the Centro Historico (historic centre), I discovered a tree filled shady colonial courtyard which housed several restaurants, boutiques, galleries and food shops. Two main restaurants Padrinos and Azul Historico, the latter run by Chef Ricardo Munoz Zurita (who spent 12 years writing the weighty Mexican food anthology ‘Gastronomia Mexicana’ of which I bought a copy. This book is a must for anyone seriously into Mexican food). I ate at Azul Historico, which celebrates the Munoz Zuritas interest in regional Mexican cuisine by hosting monthly guest chef spots, this time for a female chef Pilar Cabrera who runs La Olla in Oaxaca.  You could order dishes such as guacamole with grasshoppers, but I tasted the enchiladas de jamaica orgánica which were very original, blue corn wraps stuffed with pickled hibiscus flowers. I also ordered a drink from a section called ‘bleedings’. What’s that? I asked the waiter. It’s white wine or port, say, with a flavoured syrup. I had a white wine and mint. Not to my taste.
Above the courtyard you can also visit ‘Culinaria Mexicana’, a great resource for Mexican foods and kitchenware.

The barges
Guitarists lurking on the banks
Corn on the cob with chili and salt
Dressing the cob ‘elote’

3. Xochimilco: Mexico’s Little Venice is known for its extended series of canals, all that remains of the ancient Lake Xochimilco. People travel in colorful trajineras (boats) covered with flowers. I spent three relaxing hours on my own in a boat, for it was the off-season. The canal is almost comical, with drifting barges of different kinds of musicians, from mariachi to classical, nudging up alongside your boat, urging you to hire them. You pay per song. Idling on the reedy banks are vendors for crafts. Restaurant boats and food barges cruise past, give them a wave and they park next to you, preparing your food. It’s as crowded and lively as the street but on the cool breezy water.

Frida’s bed (I got in trouble for taking this)

4. Coyoacan the market: near the house of Frida Kahlo. Eat there before or after visiting Frida’s house. This compact market has rows of stalls with rainbow-hued salsas and ceviches, sold in heaped pyramids.

5. The market at San Juan: known as the chef’s market, go to eat at market counters, have a wander and buy from the food stalls. The lunch stall of Dona Juana is very good. There are ornate religious shrines within the market.

Juice and pickles

Oil cloth

Other resources: check out Good Food in Mexico City by Nicholas Hillman. He’s a snotty bugger on Twitter (what is it with American men once they leave America?) but his blog and possibly his books are well worth reading.

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Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Rebecca Subbiah

    August 3, 2013 at 5:37 pm

    great post I want to take a flight and eat

    Reply
    • Kerstin Rodgers

      August 4, 2013 at 9:28 am

      Thanks Rebecca, I reckon the perfect holiday would be: a flight to Puerto Vallarte for a bit of beach then back to Mexico City for some culture and excitement.

      Reply
  2. Karen (Back Road Journal)

    August 3, 2013 at 11:58 pm

    Loved your post! My husband would have to try the tripe tacos if he saw one of those stands.

    Reply
    • Kerstin Rodgers

      August 4, 2013 at 9:29 am

      I did have a closeup of the tripe taco but felt so repulsed I didn't publish it. My friend Les Wong would have loved those tripe tacos, ugh. The stall was packed though

      Reply
  3. Magnolia Verandah

    August 4, 2013 at 5:34 am

    Most certainly colourful. Loved that restaurant with the wall garden (and Bike).

    Reply
    • Kerstin Rodgers

      August 4, 2013 at 9:30 am

      That whole complex is worth visiting, so many beautiful shops and great food.

      Reply
  4. The Little Dinner Lady

    August 4, 2013 at 5:15 pm

    Wooow! So much colour and deliciousness and excitement. Now firmly on my wish list, great post, thank you!

    Reply
    • Kerstin Rodgers

      August 5, 2013 at 12:15 pm

      Yes it's brilliant TLDL!

      Reply
  5. Lizzie Mabbott

    August 6, 2013 at 10:46 am

    I loved DF so much when I visited last year – I would also love to live there. Wasn't Frida's house amazing? Lovely pics.

    Reply
    • Kerstin Rodgers

      August 6, 2013 at 5:29 pm

      Frida's house was so beautiful. Apparently you aren't allowed to take a picture of her bed with the mirror above, where she did many of her amazing paintings. I didn't know.
      Thanks, I have so many pix, I could have filled a whole blog with them…Mexico is so photogenic.

      Reply

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MsMarmiteLover aka Kerstin Rodgers.

Chef, photographer, author, journalist, blogger. Pioneer of the supperclub movement.

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Instagram post 2186581155877038874_28574231 Made a torta de Santiago today, inspired by doing the Camino de Santiago. It’s gluten-free, made with almonds rather than flour. I ate this as part of the ‘pilgrims menu’ all along the trail. They were vastly different in quality- often rather dry and dull. The best I had in actual Santiago de compostella, made ‘casera’ Spanish for home-made. It was sticky and rich. Equal proportions eggs, almond meal and caster sugar, with a pinch of salt, cinnamon and orange zest. I bought the traditional metal crosses at a hardware store in Santiago, one of my favourite lurking places when travelling. I will place one on top of the tart and powder the top with icing sugar, leaving an imprint of the cross. I bought this yellow bowl, a Galician craft, at a shop in Santiago.
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Instagram post 2181973256383167209_28574231 Follow the yellow arrow and the shell. Arrival at #santiagodecompostela ‘st James of the field of stars’ 💫 after doing the pilgrims Camino - 130 kms walking. It’s taken me several days to get over it physically but I feel immersed in autumn and ‘forest bathed’. All my thoughts, photos and adventures coming up on the blog soon. I definitely recommend doing this. But my advice is: even if it’s raining and you aren’t thirsty, drink water. First rule of catering is, if you’re feet are sore, you aren’t drinking enough- I ignored this. Buy waterproof lightweight boots for cold weather but keep them loose as your feet expand as you walk. Buy anti blister socks- yes that’s a thing. Wear 2 pairs of socks: one thin merino wool or anti blister and one thick merino wool. Buy a rain cape which will cover your bag and camera. Train before you go- not just on flat but on hills- much of the Camino is hilly. Take toilet paper or wet wipes. Take a spare pair knickers. Take a walking stick or buy one there . Most things you need you can buy on the Camino. Take a strong bag on a string or a fanny pack for easy access to pilgrims passport for stamps; water; phone/camera. Stretch before and after. Keep to your own pace- sometimes it feels like a competition but it isn’t- we all have our own rythym and pace- when you arrive at the cathedral it doesn’t matter how long it took you to get there- you did it. Don’t rush- if you get injured your Camino is finished. #walkthisway #followtheshell #caminodesantiago #msmarmitelover #msmarmite #hiking #Spain #pilgrimage #santiagodecompostella #theway #fitness #pace #selfcare #travel #blogger #igtravel
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Instagram post 2177561799364984754_28574231 Not gonna lie, this has been physically very tough. As my sister says ‘ we are from an indoors family from an indoors country’. Yesterday I did the longest day yet- officially 18km- but I did 35,000 steps! I’m small so I have a small step. So I converted steps into km and I did 27 km. that’s what it felt like. My legs throbbed all night, I had to take paracetamol to get to sleep. Have I had any life changing thoughts? Or spiritual revelations? Not a one. Well, maybe one which is I must get fitter. I mustn’t stop after this pilgrimage. I must get my health in order. Being freelance and working mostly on my own, it’s had to give myself time to look after myself. To assign time for fitness. Being freelance means never ending guilt about not searching for work. Never having stress free time off, as you don’t get paid holidays, sick pay or paid during national holidays such as Christmas. There is always a certain level of low key stress. Of keeping your self esteem up when you aren’t earning. The envy of others getting lauded for work you have pioneered. But I love my freedom! My opportunities to be creative. #thoughts #freelance #caminodesantiago #hiking #fitness #pilgrimage #spain #galicia #supperclub #rain
Instagram post 2175408625380307897_28574231 I was going to blog every day but the truth is I’m too knackered. I’m doing insta stories and my diary. Day 6. We are only doing about 14 km a day but it’s hard. I’m hobbling by the end. It’s the whole consecutiveness that is so punishing to the body. Oh to be young again. The youngsters are pounding through 30-40 km a day. We get up have coffee and don’t rest for 6 hours. We arrive around 3pm and have a massive drunken menu del dia with jugs of vino tinto. Then I fall asleep. Then I wake up for a bit and charge everything up, make notes, edit pix and sort out outfit for tomorrow. Which is basically the same everyday. I did wash a lot of knickers in the shower today as I was running low. So weather: raining all day. Puts the grim into pilgrim. But I am loving this. Thanks @caminoways #pushingyourself #msmarmitelover #msmarmite #caminodesantiago #caminofrances #camino #walking #pilgrimage #spain #galicia #greedypilgrim #stjames #followtheshell
Instagram post 2173661800793301108_28574231 Persimon and pumpkin soup, recipe up on the blog now. Msmarmitelover.com the great thing about doing the #caminodesantiago in #November is that the trail isn’t crowded, the weather is cool, and you see #pumpkinpatches everywhere which are always like something out of a #fairytale. Here they serve sopa de Galicia which is always prepared with meat stock, usually chicken. I so want soup on the Camino. When I get home I’m going to devise a #vegetarian #galiciansoup #buencamino #recipe #soup #pumpkin #squash #fall #autumnvibes🍁 #autumnfood #foodietraveller #greedypilgrim @caminoways @spanishpersimon #traveller #hiker #walker
Instagram post 2172857478425645569_28574231 The Camino to Santiago. While November isn’t the most popular month, and there is certainly rain, the landscape, the nature and colours of the countryside are so vibrant it’s like being on an acid trip. Nature at its most vivid: acorns with their fairy cups, bronze oak leaves and rusty ferns, mushrooms frilly with gills, apples 🍎 on the bough tumbling into sky blue rivulets, giant pumpkins in a patch, moss covered walls, dolmens and menhirs, rooves covered with slate like fish scales, lichen and donkeys, horses, spiney umbrellas like an opened coquille de St Jacques, cows called Luna. I did 14 km today my first day and that was enough. I fell asleep in front of the fire at the #albergue this is a #presstrip with @caminoways #galicia #greedypilgrim #caminodesantiago #msmarmitelover @advantagesofage @imogen_rodgers_1 #autumn #spain #walking #hiking #travel #contemplation #pushingyourself
Instagram post 2169866030516446893_28574231 Persimon Pani puri recipe up on the blog Msmarmitelover.com a street food which includes a flavour spectrum- sour, sweet, salty, hot, spicy, refreshing, crunchy, wet and dry, fruity and carby. Making the Puri from scratch took a couple of goes to get right but actually isn’t hard. #supperclub #msmarmitelover #msmarmite #spanishpersimon #vegetarian #vegan #recipe #chaat #streetfood #indiansnacks #canape #diwali
Instagram post 2169277948175951209_28574231 Overlooking the river at #vallaro in piedmont. Nearby was #sacroMonte, a hilltop religious monument with 45 chapels, each containing strange plaster statues of animals and saints, 800 of them.
Instagram post 2167511482116167199_28574231 Persimon fruit leather (the easiest EVER as it has so much pectin- just purée it, add sweetness spread on a silpat and in cool oven for a few hours), rolled into a pinwheel with bergamot zest and mint and goats cheese, a delicious canapé. This was served at last nights #persimon #supperclub for #Halloween on behalf of @spanishpersimon . Next week I’m going to Valencia to visit the farm.  #msmarmitelover #msmarmite #singleingredientmenus #fruit #vegetarian #canapé #christmascanapes #canapeideas
Instagram post 2166825702523830758_28574231 I’ve been working with persimon fruit for the last 3 weeks, pushing the envelope with what we can do with persimons other than just eat them like apples. And guess what? I still like them, I’m not bored. They are a wonderful autumn winter seasonal fruit. They are also really good for you. #VitC #fibre #5aday, #potassium #iron #calcium #betacarotene #vitA #7aday #manganese #B6 #supperclub #halloween #fruit
Instagram post 2166106717029345626_28574231 The creamy interior of a baked Camembert offset by persimons from Spain. This is the cheese course from my Halloween supperclub for @spanishpersimon this Thursday. #supperclub #persimmon #persimon #sharonfruit #kaki #cheese #camembert #bakedcheese #halloween #spanishfruit #igfood #autumnvibes🍁
Instagram post 2165411211139548124_28574231 Persimon bread, adapted from a recipe by @davidlebovitz. I used fresh persimon pulp and dried persimons with walnuts and @southafricanraisins now I have to decide whether to serve it as canapés, topped with goats cheese and fresh persimon or with the cheese course. 🤔#supperclub #halloween #spanishpersimon #fallfood #autumnvibes🍁 #food #travelandfood #spanishingredients #recipes #vegetarian #desserts #bread #fruitbread
Instagram post 2164809413936743946_28574231 Hazelnut risotto using carnaroli rice from @magicolucedio from piedmont. I used Piedmontese white wine as well as hot vegetable stock, use a moscato or arneis. Keep stirring for 18 minutes until creamy with a kernel of al dente rice. When I visited piedmont, I ate 4 risottos in 3 days! It’s grown in this region, being similar to a sushi type rice- round- rather than long. It’s beautiful stuff- ivory and pure- and I didn’t want to add any colour other than a few local hazelnuts, pecorino and nut oil such as walnut or hazelnut. Warming food for cold rainy autumn days. #supperclub #rice #risotto #hazelnuts #northernitaly🇮🇹 #visitpiemonte #foodandtravel #vegetarianrecipes #igfood #vegetarianfoodporn #regionsofitaly #femalechef
Instagram post 2163915113036239687_28574231 Cinnamon, pistachio and persimon pudding. Persimmon pudding is a southern dish but I added a touch of the Middle East. It’s so easy to make: remove stalks of fruit then blend. Add a cup of flour, a cup of sugar, 50g butter, spices, pinch of baking soda and bake in the oven for 45 minutes at 180c. #persimon #persimmon #kaki #sharon #recipetesting #supperclub #halloween #spanishfruit #winterfruit #seasonalcooking #baking #dessert #foodblogger #chef
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