ast,chaotic and super
colourful,Mexico City is
everythingyou might
expectfrom North
America’slargest
metropolis,andmore.It’sat once raucous
andcalm,ramshackleand sharp, youthful
andsteepedin history.Not far from the
colonialpalaciosandcatédrals of Centro
Histórico,therecentlygentrified colonias
(neighbourhoods)ofRoma, Condesa and
grittyJuárezarecharacterised by lush
parksandquietstreets,crumbling pastel
facadesshadedbyjacaranda and ash.
Restaurantsandbarsabound and food
is everywhere.
Witha renewedpassion for local
traditionsandfiercelyproud of its food,
CiudaddeMexico(CDMX) is a melting pot
witha tonneoftalent.Mixing ancient
indigenousandSpanishflavours and
techniques(recognisedby UNESCO as an
IntangibleCulturaltreasure), and blessed
witha diversityofendemic ingredients,
thefoodis bright,freshand varied.
Mexicaningredientshavetransformed the
waytheworldeats,butwhile corn, beans
andpumpkin,tomato,avocado and chilli
arefamiliar,countlessothers – huitlacoche
(a reveredcornfungus)and huauzontles
(floretslikequinoa),hojasanta (pepperleaf)
andavocadoleaves,chapulines (roasted
crickets)andchicatanaants –
awaitdiscovery.WHERETOEAT
ColoniaRoma,withitsarchitecture and
creativevibe,brimswithchoice. In a
Modernistmansiononshady Colima,
Meromais thefirstrestaurant of Rodney
CusicandMercedesBernal. Working with
farmers,theychampionseasonal flavours
withmoderntechniques.After cocktails at
thechicstreetsidebar,grab a table on the
terraceThemenuchanges frequently, but
thinkintenseorganicheirloom tomatoes,
fromtheXochimilcochinampas (Aztec
floatingfields),servedwith sumac,
corianderandpickledwatermelon.
Orcavatelliwitha richragu of beef.
ChefMaycollCalderón(ex Arzak,
El Bulli)callshisgemHuset a cocina de
campo, orfieldkitchen,but it’s far moresophisticated than that
might suggest.
Beneath a canopy of
woven vines, the patio
is a magical, secret
garden. But equally
beguiling is the salon, with
ivy-screened windows open to the
street. It has, in spades, both old-world
grandeur and modern restraint. From the
kitchen are vibrant, rustic dishes cooked
over fire and smoke; tostadas with
lime-cured sea bass, pico de gallo,
chapulines and avocado. Or grilled
octopus with wild rice, mushroom and
huitlacoche, dubbed Mexican truffle.
Next door to his beloved hot spot
El Parnita, Paulino Martínez has
partnered with Jesús Tornés, opening
Expendío de Maíz. With streetside
tables, this kerbside ‘country’ kitchen,
the culmination of years travelling and
researching regional recipes, is wholly
dedicated to corn. Here they nixtamalize
(where corn is treated in lime, cooked and
dried) and grind for themselves and local
restaurants. With no menu, offerings
depend on daily availability and the whim
of the cook. Think grilled tacos pressed
with hoja santa, piled with pumpkin
flowers, crumbly goat’s cheese and
nixtamal corn kernels.V
GLOBAL.
128 delicious.com.au