I’ve been off of work these past 3 months, and feeling the urge to travel, but I’ve kept a different sort of Laid-Off Life this time around. I’ve been working on my health (gut) and my fitness, and sadly my style of travel doesn’t pair well with either, really. But now work seems to be approaching again and I couldn’t imagine going back without at least a quick jaunt out of the country to really return refreshed, and ready. So, I made a last-minute decision to fly down to Mexico City for the week, and I’ve been mostly winging it ever since.

Mexico City has been on my list for a while now, and between a friend who lived here and many who have visited recently I was quickly inundated with recommendations and lists…thanks everyone! From LA this trip is a no brainer – 3 hour plane ride and you are transported to a place with rich history, bright colors, and food that can’t be bad no matter what.

Arriving on a Sunday in Mexico probably wasn’t the smartest decision, but like I said, this was a last-minute decision. Sundays and Mondays are a little slower than other days – lots of places are closed, including restaurants. So, my first day and a half were spent walking around the Colonias (read:neighborhoods) near my hotel – Condesa & Roma – and eating. So, let’s talk about the food!

After landing Sunday afternoon, I was exhausted, hungry, and adjusting to the altitude here (7500 feet above sea level), so I was feeling in a daze but hoped food would do the trick. I ventured out to a spot a few people had recommended, and that happened to be blocks from my hotel – Azul Condesa. Lunch is the biggest meal of the day here, starting typically around 2 and going until 6 or even later for some lingerers, so it worked well that I made it there around 4:30. I ordered the Mole, well actually the “Legendario Mole Negro Oaxaca.” It arrived accompanied by a tiny pot of rice made with raisins and cashews, as well as a beautiful linen filled with colorful corn tortillas, clearly made with yellow, blue and red corn. Served piping hot, these were amazing. Oh, and the mole was, well, wait for it…Legendario!!

I passed out without dinner, after randomly happening upon a Darren Criss concert across the street. They love their Darren Criss here, I must say :). Anyway, I knew the next day was full of food so I was ok skipping a meal…plus apparently restaurants close for dinner on Sundays so clearly I didn’t miss much.

I woke up ready for a full day and headed down to Maque in Condesa. A cute corner sidewalk restaurant and bakery, just across the street from Parque Mexico. My friend Sarah had mentioned a fresh corn muffin that they make, so when they brought the tray around with pastries to choose I opted for that one. I wish it had been fresh out of the oven, but it was still really good. I ordered Machaca (eggs prepared with dried shredded beef and hot sauce), which was served with refried beans, avocado, and hot tortillas of course. A very filling and delicious way to kick off a 10-mile walking day. Afterwards, I strolled through Condesa and then over to Colonia Roma to find a few shops and walk around until lunchtime.

I had a reservation at Contramar, probably the one place that every single person who weighed in with recommendations told me was an absolute must. So, while I didn’t want to spoil my lunch I also found the need to stop into Panaderia Rosetta for a pastry. This is apparently the second, and much smaller location, but I loved how they created this place using the limited space that they had – and there are lines out the door so it worked. I had heard they had a pastry with guava that was supposed to be amazing, so I opted for the Rol de Guayaba con Crema, and WOW. It’s essentially a croissant sort of roll with a guava filling in the middle and cheese or cream inside along the edges. Truth be told the cream portion didn’t do much for me but the pastry itself with the guava filling is one of the better pastry combinations I’ve ever had. I also ordered an espresso to go which came in a tiny little shot glass, to go with a lid. Adorable.

I walked off the pastry on my way to my seafood lunch at Contramar. Tostadas de atun (sin mayonesa) and a filet done Contramar style (half green sauce, half red sauce) was the order I went in with, and the order I kept to after looking at the menu. The tostadas come 4 minis to an order.The crispy leeks made the dish for me – I’ve never thought about leeks and sashimi before! Squeeze a little lime, maybe use some of the accoutrement (green salsa, escabeche, limes) put on the table to spice it up a bit if you want, but they need very little to taste great. I ate half the plate before realizing I needed to take a break and wait for my 2nd course. Because I was eating alone I opted for a smaller fish than the one that normally comes with this preparation, and to be honest, I wasn’t looking forward to it much because I so rarely enjoy cooked fish out at restaurants, but these 2 sauces proved me wrong. I couldn’t decide which I liked better at first, but then the deep flavor of the red won me over. Served with fresh corn tortillas, of course, I made some little fish tacos. I really enjoyed this meal, and the staff was incredibly nice and accommodating. Oh, and it’s worth mentioning for anyone who hasn’t been to Mexico City before that prices are beyond reasonable…dare I say cheap!

To close out the day, and this post, I topped the day off with dinner at Rosetta. I had walked by during my time in Roma during the day, and they had a reservation available (whereas online they didn’t) so I decided to snag it. Now I was very torn on whether or not I actually wanted to go, because it’s Italian food – should I be eating Italian food in Mexico? – but the more I read about it my mind was changed by the fact that lately chef Elena Reygadas has been infusing Mexican flavors and ingredients into the traditions of Italian food. So, after a walk through Chapultapec park and enjoying a little downtime, oh and a failed attempt to find a bar playing the Michigan game (aka the NCAA Championship), I headed back to Roma (this time in a $2 uber) for dinner.

 

Housed in, well, a converted house, this space feels perfect for a restaurant. Cute and quaint, and even somewhat rustic. I quickly looked for the dishes that seemed to have more of a Mexican influence, and landed on the salad of Heirloom Tomatoes with Nopales and Fresh Cheese, as well as the Pasta with “cucaracha del mar,” which actually just means a tiny langoustine, but believe me I checked and double checked with the waiter before deciding on it. Because it’s Mexico, I ordered a Mezcal Margarita and drank it with my Italian dinner. There’s a first for everything! I ordered a Macadamia Nut sorbet for dessert, which was a really nice palate cleanser, and that was that. I’m really happy I opted to keep my reservation. The Mexican flair, most notably in my salad and dessert were great additions and updates to traditional Italian, and chances are no one else is making food like this. Plus, a little cuisine change isn’t a bad thing – I have days of Mexican food ahead of me 🙂