» a food & cultural mecca
his avant-garde culinary skills at
RESTAURANTE ATALAYA
in Mexico City’s Santa Fe district. Each dish he prepares is a
visual work of art that combines
a unique array of textures and
flavours that create a symphony
in your mouth. From foie gras
torchon with popcorn and
wild berries, aguachile negro
with shrimp and watermelon,
scallops with potato foam, cochinita pibil and deer with ‘mole
amarillito’ and banana purée, to
an impressive array of desserts,
this is a dining experience for
the ages!
Steps from the canals of
Xochimilco, CHANTICO
restaurant provides a picturesque Mexican setting to dine
on traditional dishes. Served on
colourful ceramic tiles next to
an old-world kitchen, it feels like
you are travelling back in time to
dine among Mexican ancestors.
Try handmade salsas, guacamole, quesadillas, sopecitos,
habas, pata toasts, huahzontles,
tlapique and nieve de pepino
(cucumber ice-cream).
When it comes to great culinary
experiences, Mexico City
provides many! Among them
is RESTAURANTE NICOS
in Colonia Claveria that serves
traditional Mexican cuisine
in a relaxed, local setting that
feels like you are dining with
family. Perhaps that is because
this neighbourhood restaurant
has been serving family recipes
since 1957. What began as a
cafeteria has since evolved into the
beloved institution it is today, where
architect-turned-chef, Gerardo
Vázquez Lugo, reproduces the
award-winning recipes passed down
from his mother, Elena, using traditional cooking methods and locally
sourced ingredients. Some of his
signature dishes are quelites and
nopales soup, duck salmagundi
toast, smoked merlin carpaccio,
dry soup and cajeta cheese flan.
Named as one of the 50 best restaurants in Mexico on the 50 Best
Restaurants in Latin America List,
this will prove to be one of your
best dining experiences!
40
• fredi winter 2016
o
c
i
x
e
M ine
s
i
u
C
City
One of the best views over
Mexico City’s Centro Historico
can be had on the rooftop of
Central Hoteles’ BALCON
DEL ZOCALO restaurant. Go
for the delicious food. Go for the
incredible views. Whatever the
reason, just go! Executive Chef,
Jose Salinas, ensures that every
meal is nothing short of culinary
perfection. Guests of Central
Hoteles can learn the cooking techniques of traditional
Mexican cuisine by embarking
on a culinary adventure with
Chef Salinas who will guide
you through local markets to
purchase fresh ingredients to
experience the passion, love and
dedication put towards each
meal in a private cooking class.
Move over Tequila, Mexico’s
new national beverage is Mezcal!
This Mexican distilled spirit is
made with agave leaves employing old-world traditions. One of
the best is SIETE MISTERIOS
MEZCAL. The brand was
created by two brothers with a
vision and mission to rescue the
Mezcal tradition and bring it to
the international market. Once
you try this superior drink, you
will never go back to Tequila!
STAY /
At Zócalo Central,
you book the flight and the
hotel’s ‘Experience Planners’
will help you plan the rest.
Located in the city’s historical
epicentre, the 105-room Zócalo
Central is housed in a 400 year
old historical building that once
belonged to Hernán Cortés, the
man who conquered Mexico
City from the Aztec. The hotel’s
impressive rooftop restaurant
– El Balcon del Zócalo – serves
some of the city’s best food and
offers breathtaking views over the
Zócalo Plaza. CentralHoteles.com
FLY
/ Aeromexico offers
direct and affordable flights into
Mexico City. AeroMexico.com
LIFE&STYLE //