Gastronomy Blog by Cathy Chaplin

Restaurant Review

06 Jun 2017

Pujol – Mexico City

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Dining at Chef Enrique Olvera’s award-winning Pujol was an absolute must on our Mexico City weekender. As The Astronomer was booking our airline flights a few months back, I was concurrently reserving a table for dinner on Open Table. I have my priorities straight.

The restaurant moved from its original space on Calle Francisco Petrarca to brand new digs in Polanco earlier this year. While I can’t speak to the original location, the new building, complete with an herb garden and mid-century furnishings, is absolutely splendid. We strolled around the grounds in between courses when we were feeling overly stuffed.

For $1835 pesos per person (approximately $100 USD), The Astronomer and I were treated to a six-course tasting menu of the Chef’s greatest hits and latest modern Mexican riffs. To start, a duo of “Street Snacks” that landed with a smoky flourish on the table.

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Restaurant Review

31 May 2017

La Churrería El Moro – Mexico City

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The reasonable thing to do after our “Mexico City Street Food Essentials” tour with Club Tengo Hambre would have been to head back to the hotel for a nap. But with time dwindling down and practicality not on the agenda, The Astronomer and I walked to La Churrería El Moro in Centro Histórico for an afternoon snack of churros and hot chocolate instead.

Founded in 1935 by a Spaniard named Francisco Iriarte, El Moro is a Mexico City institution cranking out sweets 24 hours a day, seven days a week. The speciality here is churros and hot chocolate, but there are also milkshakes and consuelos, ice-cream sandwiches made with coiled churros in place of cookies.

The Astronomer and I grabbed a seat in the dated but swingin’ dining room, and soon after a blue-aproned server came by to take our order. We selected one of the paquetes (“packages”)—a mug of Chocolate Español and 4 churros ($72).

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Street Food

24 May 2017

Mexico City Street Food Tour | Club Tengo Hambre

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One of the highlights of our Mexico City jaunt was a street food tour with Club Tengo Hambre ($90 per person). Dubbed “Mexico City Street Food Essentials,” the tour took The Astronomer and me, along with two other couples from California, through the Centro Histórico to both well-known and under-the-radar spots. It was a most delicious and delightful way to spend our first afternoon in the city.

While The Astronomer and I usually relish the spontaneity of travel, we opted for a guided tour because my friend Bill Esparza is one of the founding members of Club Tengo Hambre. I’ve traveled with Bill to Tijuana and Baja a handful of times and know his dedication to seeking out the best food anywhere. There was no question that this tour was going to be worth our gastro-real estate.

We started the tour in the center of town at the Palacio de Bellas Artes. Mariana, a food-obsessed former chef from the coast of Mexico, served as our guide. In addition to leading us to street food gems, she was awesome to talk to for a local perspective on all things Mexico City.

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