Traveler: Danielle Gervalis

When: May 2017

Overall Experience: In Part I of Mexico City, I talked about all the amazing things there are to do and I still hadn’t even got to all the good food! Here is the sip part of my site and sip food tour.  I ate my way around the city, indulging in margaritas and tacos as I saw fit. This is truly a foodie city, it will make your tummy happy!

Places to eat:

La Vicenta

This funky restaurant has outdoor seating and a walled off smoking section. It’s decorated with corrugated tin and string lights and plays a hilarious montage of horrible pop videos. I had no idea beach volleyball was such a popular music video theme in the early 90s. They have an English menu and are happy to provide suggestions based on your spice and/or meat preferences. The prices are reasonable and there a variety of menu items to please any picky eaters.

La Vicenta’s claim to fame is that they are expert grillers and they are right to brag. All of the dishes we had were done to perfection. We started with huge frozen margaritas and a variety of fresh salsas which were prepared at the table. It’s a really odd feeling to have brain freeze and breathe hot spicy fire at the same time. To warm up our stomachs, we tried the grilled mozzarella and grilled endives. We were in heaven.  For dinner, we ordered the chicken chalupitas crisps with light avocado as a savory snack and the carne asada tacos. Again, everything was delicious! We were happy to have a walk home to help digest some of the hearty meal.

Rosetta

This restaurant was highly recommended by a friend a few weeks before we left for Mexico City. Since it’s extremely popular, I made reservations early and on a Monday evening to get a table. Rosetta opened in 2010 by the incredible Elena Reygadas. She has made quite the name for herself since she began her career studying at the French Culinary Institute in New York and then worked in London with chef Giorgio Locatelli. In 2014, she won Latin America’s Best Female Chef award (the award itself is inspired by Madame Clicquot who revolutionized champagne). So trust me, you are in for a phenomenal meal with this credentialed chef.

The restaurant is located in the Roma neighborhood in a converted townhouse. The décor is French county and absolutely stunning. We were seated in a beautiful room with tall ceilings, parquet floors, fresh flowers and huge mirror. The service is also noteworthy. Everyone was very attentive, provided recommendations on wine and dinner selections. They also have English menus if you are nervous about ordering in Spanish. The menu changes with the seasons and market availability so while I’ll tell you what we enjoyed, you may not see the same options but I guarantee you’ll find some delectable.

First, they will bring out fresh baked bread and oil. It’s hard not to fill up on this because it’s so tasty! After eating an entire loaf, we started with cocktails and the scallops’ ceviche in a mango citrus sauce. This small appetizer packs a punch with a tangy sauce. If there is ceviche on the menu when you visit, I hope you’ll order it! Next we shared a fresh salad with figs and goat cheese with a light oil dressing. After eating so many tacos throughout my trip, it was good to get some vegetables. For entrees, we had the homemade tagliatelle pasta with crab meat and the sea bass crusted with sea salt and herbs which comes to table in some sort of casing and is cracked and plated at the table. It’s dinner and a show! The portions aren’t huge so naturally we had to get dessert. We finished our meal off with a crumbly sweet rhubarb strawberry pie and vanilla ice cream. Rosetta was one of the best meals we’ve had and it’s well worth a stop if you are in Mexico City!

Villa Maria

The self-proclaimed best Mexican restaurant in the Condesa neighborhood has a bright yellow interior with hilarious signage throughout the place, including their mantra “Peace, Love and Tequila”.

We ate here on a Sunday night right before closing so we had fast service but I would’ve liked to stay longer to sit and enjoy one of the tequilas or mescal from their exhaustive menu, so plan accordingly. Now for the food…. Hands down, the best enchiladas we ever had. It was one of those meals that you can’t stop eating but then you’re sad when it’s over. It’s served smothered in three different sauces and I promise you won’t leave a trace on the plate. If you are looking for something lighter, try one of their fresh salads with an amazing creamy avacado dressing concotion that I’m still thinking about!

La Casa de Las Sirens

The restaurant and bar is located on a small street which overlooks Zocala Square. From their covered outdoor terrace, you have dazzling views of the Cathedral and the Templo Mayor.

The wait staff is friendly and prompt and will provide menus in English as needed. We had delicious margaritas which were absolutely necessary in the heat of the middle of the day! Additionally, we sampled the ceviche in a fruity citrus sauce and multiple rounds of tacos. The restaurant has a woman on the roof making fresh tortillas as you order. I had no idea how important a fresh tortilla is to the overall deliciousness of a taco, but now I am spoiled and can’t go back to stale tortillas. This is a cloth napkin type of restaurant so it’s a little more expensive than your run of the mill restaurant, but well worth it as you are clinking glasses watching the sun go down over Zocala Square!

El Bajio

This is a Mexico City staple with 16 locations throughout the city. We ate breakfast at the restaurant located in the Plaza Miyana Shopping Center which is just a few blocks walk from the Soumaya Museum. El Bajio has friendly service and a charming atmosphere. The artwork in the restaurant emphasizes traditional Mexican culture and the food punctuates that feeling.

First they will bring over a large ceramic jar of the thickest, tastiest hot chocolate you will ever try. I didn’t even miss morning coffee because of this, it’s that good. They have quite a few substantial breakfast options but we settled on an omelet and huevos rancheros which are served with a trifecta of different salsas and fresh tortillas. We were stuffed after a meal here and were full of energy to tackle the eight floors in the Soumaya!

Wet your whistle:

Limantour

Brace yourself for true mixologist expertise! Limantour is a small bar in the Roma neighborhood (with another location in Polanco) stylish decorated and even has some outdoor seating to enjoy the surrounding nightlife atmosphere. It’s been ranked one of the best 50 bars in the world and it truly deserves those accolades. The menu is an arty collection of cocktail photos, each more impressive than the next. Drinks range from $8-$13 and are made with the best ingredients and are as funky as they are tasty.  If you are in Mexico City, then this is a must visit!

Salon Corona

This chain of open air bars in the city are little divey joints great for mid-day beers and small plates. They have free wi-fi, cocktail tables and a variety of cheap dishes to hold you over until your next meal! It’s a great spot to stop and recharge and get out of the sun. My favorite snack here was the guacamole. It was so fresh and creamy and the chips were extra crispy!

Lucky’s

Located on top of a jewelry store on Calle Monte De Piedad off of Zocala Square, this is not a place you are going to have lunch at because the food is amazing and the service is friendly. You are mostly here for the extraordinary views of the Zocala square and the encompassing city. If you are lucky enough to get a front row seat to the beauty, you will really enjoy sipping a few margaritas here. They have basic bar food if you want a snack but I recommend saving your appetite for street food. It’s not difficult to find, they have a team of folks on the street level who are looking to hustle you upstairs to their bar! Hope you enjoy the views after your five flight climb! Don’t worry there is also an elevator.