435163 Sun Aug 26 12:50:23 -0700 2007 30 55 Mexico 0 2883125 I am posting this separately because it is indeed a separate subject. We have received so many thoughs, suggestions for our visit to DF - plus what I have read here. We are staying near the Zocalo -- the Holiday Inn Zocalo - and have been told by Mexican friends that we should definitely go to Hosteria de Santa Domingo in el centro and Bellinghausen in Zona Rosa. . Any thoughts? Also told we absolutely must go to San Angelin in el Sur. I have not seen any of these places posted here and I trust this board. I have never veen led astray by my chowhound friends. We will be going in a few short days. Muchas gracias. Sun Aug 26 12:50:23 -0700 2007 14398 madwrk 1 2885118 Hi.I would strongly recommend the San Angel Inn. First of all it is a beautiful restaurant. I have always gone at lunch time and if you sit outside in the garden it is really wonderful. It is an upscale place and quite formal but the service and the food are very good. I logve their version of Chille Rellenos and their Pollo con Mole but even their steaks and other dishes are worth trying. If you go at lunch I would suggest making a reservation because it is always full with Mexican business people at that time. Mon Aug 27 08:06:20 -0700 2007 2883125 17193 RoyRon 1 2885122 One other place I have always liked too is La Fonda De Los Refugio. Very authentic and regional food. Mon Aug 27 08:07:23 -0700 2007 2883125 17193 RoyRon 2 2885275 Thanks so much. Can you give me some idea of the area La Fonda is in??? Mon Aug 27 08:47:56 -0700 2007 2885122 14398 madwrk 3 2885891 Hi I found the address for you. Fonda El Refugio Liverpool 166 Between Florencia and Amberes, Col. Juarez Zona Rosa Phone 55/5207-2732; 55/5525-8128 Mon Aug 27 11:09:11 -0700 2007 2885275 17193 RoyRon 3 2898637 La Fonda de Refugio is in the Zona Rosa. Thu Aug 30 18:23:07 -0700 2007 2885275 122493 pattycakes2 1 2886223 Wow, Mexico City is such a great place for good eating. I, for one, would stay away from the Zona Rosa because the area has really fallen on bad times and, even though there are still good places there to eat, the surrounding neighborhood just isn't what it used to be and there are plenty of other places that are fabulous and you don't have to deal with the seedy surroundings. Some of my favorites are: PUJOL http://www.pujol.com.mx/, BAKEA http://www.restaurantebakea.com/, MP BISTRO http://delasemana.restaurantesdemexico.com.mx/03sep04.cfm (Actually, any one of Monica Patino's three restaurants is a good choice). La T-CLA in Polanco, for very affordable, excellent Mexican cuisine (unusual to find such high quality and such low prices in trendy Polanco). In the historical district, close to where you are staying, there are two iconic destinations that are worth the visit and which have good food: CAFE LA OPERA http://www.vivatravelguides.com/central-america/mexico/mexico-df/mexico-df-restaurants/la-opera/ (where Pancho Villa shot a bullet into the ceiling that you can still see there) where I recommend the traditional bistec empanizado (milanesa) with french fries. Also, CAFE TACUBA http://www.frommers.com/destinations/mexicocity/D39876.html Mon Aug 27 12:20:45 -0700 2007 2883125 122554 tkierokojer 1 2886622 http://www.chowhound.com/topics/267191 A little old, but a report specific to the San Angel Inn. Their margarita service is worth going. Very old, continental style food, well executed, won't set any new trends. Bellinghausen I have not been to but have talked to at least 2 people that have gone and loved the place and have urged me to go. The big 3 are Pujol, Izote and Aguila y Sol, all of them worth going to, and all in Polanco. Mon Aug 27 13:49:49 -0700 2007 2883125 10506 DiningDiva 2 2897429 I will second Izote, we had an outstanding meal there. There are some excellent restaurants in Mexico City, I didn't get to all on my list, but some other standouts were Tezca, Los Almendros & Contramar. Thu Aug 30 12:46:41 -0700 2007 2886622 105309 SandyM 3 2897877 Contramar (a Monica Patino restaurant) has its moments but it is second tier (in comparison to the Big 3 as DD labeled them).... if you are going 2nd tier and with Monica Patino you are better off at MP Bistro where the Mexican - Asian fusion dishes are a bit more interesting. Tezka is one of those older places that might be okay... but no one is really interested in anymore... I wouldn't go out of my way for it. Los Almendros is a decidedly touristy place (even the original one in Merida was fairly mediocre)... there are much better Yucatecan / Mayan restaurants in the city.... if that is the OPs interest I can certainly recommend one... although the only one that can be described as upscale would be La Pigua.... offshoot of arguably THE best restaurant in the Yucatan (in Campeche city to be precise). Thu Aug 30 14:16:24 -0700 2007 2897429 42572 Eat_Nopal 4 2898237 Actually, even thought I wrote it, I think labeling Pujol, Izote and Aguila y Sol as the "Big 3" is unfair to them and to the many other really great restaurants in D.F. Those just happen to be the current 3 that have captured the attention and imagination of the media and tourists. When I was in Cuernavaca this past January I always checked the Thursday food section in one of the D.F. papers - and drat, wouldn't you know it, I'm drawing a blank on which one - and there always seemed to be some intriguing restuarant to investigate. Thu Aug 30 15:51:55 -0700 2007 2897877 10506 DiningDiva 5 2898455 Actually I don't think its that unfair... when its comes to contemporary Mexican those are the 3 main stars... if you had to come up with a short list of fine dining must tries in the city... those would be the three that come to mind. Of course... like other great restaurants... all three have their shortcomings... and if someone is going to be in Mexico City for a longer period of time... then there are certainly many other meals that rival those 3.... including some very homey food stands. (The Huazontle Fritters put out by one of the ladies at Mercado La Merced... is easily one of the best single dishes in the city). Thu Aug 30 17:06:27 -0700 2007 2898237 42572 Eat_Nopal 6 2898653 Any chance you can come up with something a little closer for a guide to the huazontle fritters? and do you mean huitlalcoche? I don`t know huazontle! We`ll be there next week, and always on the trail of the best of... Thu Aug 30 18:30:10 -0700 2007 2898455 122493 pattycakes2 7 2899001 Huazontle... aka Aztec Spinach is a very interesting vegetable native to the Mexico City area.. and currently still cultivated around Xochimilco. It looks kind of like rapini.. but with even thiner stalks and is related to spinach... but has a very pleasant lemony flavor. Traditionally it was cooked with clay pot beans, or simmered in green moles. Its most common preparation nowadays is to make them into battered cakes... and then simmer in a variety of sauces. The ones at la Merced are typically done in a Tomato-Epazote sauce... and served with refrieds. http://www.gourmetsleuth.com/equivalents_substitutions.asp?index=H&tid=2285 Thu Aug 30 21:06:56 -0700 2007 2898653 42572 Eat_Nopal 6 3662595 Eat_Nopal: on the map on the page linked below, where were the food stalls you mention? Did these Huazontle Fritter ladies only specialize in this, with piles of Huazontle I might be able to recognize? http://www.mexicanmercados.com/essays/1day_pix.htm Tue May 06 14:15:34 -0700 2008 2898455 17221 SteveG 7 3663097 They should be to the right of the D in "MERCED".... you will recognize them by the kitchen equipment... they aren't produce vendors.... and cook according to what is in season. The fryer is there to stay so when Huazontle is not in season... you will find Caulflour fritters etc., Tue May 06 17:16:18 -0700 2008 3662595 42572 Eat_Nopal 4 2898648 Contramar is a Gabriela Camara restaurant. ¡Lo siento! Thu Aug 30 18:27:20 -0700 2007 2897877 122493 pattycakes2 5 2898966 You are right... my mistake. Thu Aug 30 20:54:55 -0700 2007 2898648 42572 Eat_Nopal 1 2886736 I wasn't thrilled with the Hostería de Santo Domigo, in particular, the famed Chile En Nogada left me cold. Café de Tacuba is a beautiful, warm restaurant, but the food is así-así. Supper was better than breakfast. We have enjoyed our visits to El Bajío; once, comida at the original location in Delegacíon Azcapotzalco, and recently a breakfast at the newer Parque Delta location. http://www.pbase.com/panos/elbajio Mon Aug 27 14:12:27 -0700 2007 2883125 49726 Anonimo 2 2887088 I'll add that I, too, had breakfast at the Polanco location of El Bajio last month and it was very good. Mon Aug 27 15:39:10 -0700 2007 2886736 10506 DiningDiva 3 2888361 My recoomendations: - Casa Merlos, for superb traditional Pueblan food (comida poblana). Do a search, and you should find the address and some comments in chowhound (as well as opening times, as it only opens Fri to Sun I think). Very reasonably priced. - La Taberna del leon, for excellent Mexican but less traditional food. It's more upscale than Casa Merlos and Bajio, but still casual and it won't break the bank. It's located in Plaza Loreto. - I second Bajio. Tue Aug 28 04:22:42 -0700 2007 2887088 16980 D Hound 4 2888601 There is a wonderful museum in Plaza Loreto, the Soumaya. It has a gorgeous, and enormous, Rufino Tamayo painting at the entrance, but it's real claim to fame is a large world class collection of paintings by old masters and one of the largest collections of Rodin sculptures in the world. This museum is not exactly on the usual tourist track but it is worth seeking out. Tue Aug 28 06:52:06 -0700 2007 2888361 10506 DiningDiva 5 2888735 Thanks so much for all these suggestions. We will definitely go to Bajio and San Angelin - the rest will depend on where we are when we get hungry. But I have all these suggestions in my note book. I will write a report but it won't be 'till we get back - late Sepember. Tue Aug 28 07:34:04 -0700 2007 2888601 14398 madwrk 6 2891282 Hold on San Angel for a second.... you might want to consider Antigua Hacienda de Tlalpan instead (similar concept and also in the southern part of the city)... I personally am 50/50 on either place... so the ambiance at Tlalpan might push it over (ever seen a peacock walking around a restaurant garden before?) I am curious as to what other Mexico regulars might think about the Tlalpan / San Angel debate. Tue Aug 28 19:51:05 -0700 2007 2888735 42572 Eat_Nopal 7 2891341 So - which one??? We only have three nights - two days!! Tue Aug 28 20:14:49 -0700 2007 2891282 14398 madwrk 8 2891639 http://www.sanangelinn.com/# http://www.antiguahaciendatlalpan.com.mx/ Tough choice... they are both so similar in many respects (300 year old haciendas) & somewhat similar menus. Tlalpan is a little closer to the Franco-Mexican cuisine of the 19th Century... San Angel has artisinal talavera table service. I don't know anything about the current chefs (which is why I would consult other 'hounds who have been more recently)... based on current menu... Tlalpan might interest me a little more: > Pata Negra Serrano from the Xalapa - Coatepec area > Shaved Abulone > Escargot > Escamoles (Ant Larvae) > Cheese Flan > Chateubriand Both restaurants offer the Duck Carnitas with Blackberry Sauce... and Calf Brains with Black Butter (which are the other dishes I find interesting). None of the these dishes are cutting edge... and from a pure food perspective there are much better restaurants in the city.... but I think one of these restaurants is a required on a first trip to D.F. Tue Aug 28 22:58:29 -0700 2007 2891341 42572 Eat_Nopal 8 2939286 I've been to San Angel Inn about 6 times for business dinners. The food is solid but nothing special - people go for the ambiance. However, when friends are in town I always take them there for drinks in the courtyard. It's one of my favorite places for that, but I never bring them for dinner because there are so many other good options with outstanding food. Be forewarned, if you go to Tlalpan by taxi from the Centro any weeknight leaving the centro before 8:30 or 9:00 it will take you about an hour and a half to get there. San Angel Inn will take about an hour. Thu Sep 13 15:21:41 -0700 2007 2891341 77217 gueraaven 7 2891614 I've eaten at Antigua Hacienda de Tlalpan. The food is definitely better than at the San Angel Inn and I think the grounds are a little nicer. Great sopa de crema de cilantro. And the lights! At night the trees are ablaze with millions of twinkle lights. Travel time and $$ are less to San Angel and may be more doable from their location near the Zocalo. The margarita service at the San Angel Inn is outstanding. Service is terrific at either location, very professional. Tue Aug 28 22:42:29 -0700 2007 2891282 10506 DiningDiva 5 2889272 One other not-to-be missed attraction at Plaza Loreto besides La Taberna and the Soumiya, a chocolate shop in the mall called Tout Chocolat. It is as good as Rechiutti at a fraction of the price, and pretty unique for Mexico in my experience. The passionfruit (marucaya) and crunchy praline chocolates are worth a detour! http://www.tchocolat.com/index.swf Tue Aug 28 09:48:59 -0700 2007 2888601 91247 foodeye 6 2889310 That is terrific - we will need chocolate for energy for our travels :) And if any of you find you are headed to my home town of Todos Santos in BCS I am happy to help with info. Tue Aug 28 09:58:54 -0700 2007 2889272 14398 madwrk 7 2908460 Food at San Angel Inn is really bland. I suggest visiting San Angel Inn, but just for drinks. They serve some mean martini cocktails, and their sangrita (non-alocoholic chaser for tequila) is they best I have ever had. Tue Sep 04 07:30:40 -0700 2007 2889310 16980 D Hound