Mexico City

[nuxvomica]

is it possible that there is no Mexico City or even Mexico thread? or am i just unable to find it? if so, admins, please merge.

 

if not, here's a start - a whirlwind 22 hours in the city from the moment we got dropped off at the hotel until we headed for the airport again... we did well, i think, considering the seer size of the city - we walked around Centro Historico, Coyoacan and Condesa, managing 3 meals, post-prandial drinks and a marriage proposal Frida Kahlo's house and Templo Mayor as well.

 

the Majestic, a nice hotel with great location right on the Zocalo, alas with a caveat - you either get a view or sleep, can't get both. guess which one we got the view of the entire Zocalo was amazing but there was an all-night construction going on on top of the hotel, garbage trucks, etc. you hear every noise and sound. and then, from 7:30 to 8am, there was some military music and marching practice with drums and trumpets right outside our windows. but., at least it got us out of bed pronto.

 

since we weren't sure what time we'd be able to get to a restaurant for comida, we figured it would be easiest to go somewhere in the area. a chef friend recommended El Cardenal across from Alameda and it was great. traditional food in modern surroundings (it's in the Sheraton Centro Historico), extremely fast and efficient service. first inkling that what's considered "small" in Mexico is really a rather sizeable portion. We were all over the escamoles (ant eggs) with epazote they're known for and they were DELICIOUS. came in a ceramic dish (photos will follow when i get to them) - everyhting that came in that hot ceramic dish was fantastic. we also had flor de maguey with escamoles, albondigas (meatballs with eggs) with chipotle sauce, some terrific sizzling shrimp in garlic with nopales and cheese topped with squash blossoms. very good Mexican wine - Casa Madero chardonnay, mercifully little oak, and also the same producer's cab.

 

seriously stuffed, we headed to Frida Kahlo's house in Coyoacan - gorgeous courtyard, interesting pieces in the house and a great studio. we walked around and later took the metrobus to Condesa, where we hoped we'd have some tacos and walk around some more. no room for tacos, but lots of walking around, it's a great area.

 

we planned on having drinks at Prima, which was recommended for their cocktails but it was turned into another restaurnat with no cocktails to speak of and a little crazy decor (silver xmas trees). Instead, we walked some more and then headed to Izote for dinner. The restaurant's moder bistro feel was relaxing, again, very efficient and fast service. The food was pretty good but i was terribly disappointed that their signature chile with foie gras is no longer on the menu. we tried some less exciting Mexican wines and tried to work up some appetite. the shredded venison with achiote was very good, squash blossom and epazote quesadillas nice and of the trio of seviches, the deliciously light and citrusy red snapper was a favorite. the scallop with soy was also very good but the Acapulco-style one was too dense and too sweet for us. Huitlacoche lasagna was creamy, cheesy rich. oh, and there was a welcome from the kitchen - lovely little gorditas with cheese.

 

after dinner drink at La Opera (old school and very atmospheric) - an ok margarita and good vampiro - and more walking

 

after our morning wakeup call, we got some wonderful fresh juices and explored the neighborhood some more (there is a gorgeous tile building, an outdoor exhibit of Juan Soriano's sculptures), also visiting Templo Mayor.

 

a quick snack before leaving at Cafe Tacuba, a Mexico City's Angelina of sorts (less dainty though and chocolate not as thick or strong). very good eggs with beans and more and excellent churros. also tried a plate of 4 little things - a very good chicken tamal, taco, enchilada and rice.

 

back to the hotel to pick up bags (a taxi driver rally in the zocalo - filled with cars), and off to Oaxaca.

[shelora]

There was something in the damp spring air this morning that reminded me of Mexico - I haven't been for a year now. The zocalo in D.F., El Cardinal, the Opera bar, you're killing me with this thread.

[nuxvomica]

you know, i actually went to the Opera because of your post somewhere

 

good tip!

[shelora]

That's wonderful.

Send my saludos to Oaxaca and have a good shot of mezcal for me.

[nuxvomica]

yes, thank you for those tips, btw. mezcal is on the way (luggage delay) - can't wait

 

I still need to post on Oaxaca (and photos!) - probably over the weekend. it was wonderful. although tourists are slowly coming back, it's clear they're maybe 60% back - they need more people to go there as the area relies on tourism.

[scamhi]

, managing 3 meals, post-prandial drinks and a marriage proposal

 

¡felicitaciónes!

[nuxvomica]

, managing 3 meals, post-prandial drinks and a marriage proposal

 

¡felicitaciónes!

 

alas, Manuel was a little late - i'm already married, he heh

[Orik]

any hotel recommendations other than the W?

[nuxvomica]

there are a couple of places in Condesa that sounded nice (if trendy), esp. condesa df (condesadf.com). also, Camino Real (caminoreal.com), Habita in Polanco (which is supposed to be small and lux). then there is the sheraton centro historico across the street from alameda and your usual assortment of ritz-carltons, four seasons, etc.

 

the Majestic on the Zocalo was quite nice and reasonable (if not very W-ish rooms), esp. if you like traditional tiles and style. Take Zocalo view rooms at your own risk* (see my initial post about noise)

 

my notes also mention a quirky boutique place La Casona in Roma but the website didn't seem to have that location (only Jalisco? hotellacasona.com) and a bargain near US embassy MAria Cristina (off Reforma; hmcristina.com)

[Jaymes]

is it possible that there is no Mexico City or even Mexico thread? or am i just unable to find it? if so, admins, please merge.

 

Yes, there are a couple, including this one:

Mexico City and Taxco

 

The problem is that when you click on a topic, unless you change the date thing at the bottom to "all," all you get is the last 30 days or something.

[Jaymes]

any hotel recommendations other than the W?

 

Haven't stayed there in years, but we used to love this place:

Hotel de Cortes

[Orik]

The problem is that when you click on a topic, unless you change the date thing at the bottom to "all," all you get is the last 30 days or something.

 

Fixed that.

 

Thanks for the recommendations.

[Lars]

is it possible that there is no Mexico City or even Mexico thread? or am i just unable to find it? if so, admins, please merge.

 

Yes, there are a couple, including this one:

Mexico City and Taxco

 

The problem is that when you click on a topic, unless you change the date thing at the bottom to "all," all you get is the last 30 days or something.

 

 

Here's one I started after my trip to Mexico City and Taxco.

 

Another thread on DF/Oaxaca

 

Question about restaurants in DF

 

DF/Puebla/Oaxaca

 

Colonia Roma/DF

 

Bittman on Mexico City

 

I finally got new phone service, which means that I can call Mexico City for 10¢ a minute, which will make it easier to keep in touch with friends there. From 1980 to '84 I always stayed with friends in Polanco - until they moved to L.A., and now I stay with a friend in Colonia Veronica Anzures. I still have friends in Condesa whom I visited in the 1970s and still live in the same place, but my other friends have larger accommodations. I need to visit all of them again soon!

[Orik]

Camino Real (caminoreal.com), Habita in Polanco (which is supposed to be small and lux).

 

So Camino Real is a little like a dry-docked cruise ship in terms of size, layout and service (and I say that as someone who's never been on a cruise ship). Ok, but not great. One redeeming quality is that it is just a couple of hundred feet from the intersection of Mariano Escobedo and Tolstoi, where the second street vendor off the corner offers superb Tacos de guisado (bistec with nopales, chicharon, chicken tinga and about 10 other selections).

[Orik]

More street and street-ish food:

 

Great tripe tacos in the Merced market (about the middle of the row of food vendors in the front of the main fruit+veg building). Some soft tripe pieces mixed with ones that have been crisped, topped with the usual (onion, hot salsa, etc). I thought three was a bit excessive, but then I saw someone ordering three, and another two just to top things off. Fortunately had this before seeing how meat is handled in the other building (refrigerator? work of the devil )

 

Tacos al pastor, tacos with nopales, and a couple of other types at El Tizoncito, who claim to have invented the taco al pastor (questionable since it's a gyro/shawarma) - about $9 US for much too much food for two, everything very good.

 

Churros and espresso at the churros two doors down from Jarocho at Coyoacan (don't get coffee at Jarocho, everyone does it because the difference between $1.30 and $0.80 means something to them, the one at the churros place is better and manually pulled).

 

Also at Coyoacan, near the Viveros metro exit, I'm not sure what the name for this is - folded tacos with chicharons and beans, sitting inside a huge pile of onions and chili sauce. Tasty, but probably the most dangerous thing we ate, also nice tostadas in the stall inside the market that's the best looking of the tostadas stalls.

 

We wanted to get tamales from Flor de Lys, mentioned in some places, but it was closed. Ended up getting them from a vendor a block south of <fill name of nearby park here later>. Not my favorite food I guess.