Tasting Tradition

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From street vendors to restaurants serving home-style dishes, options abound for gourmets to explore Mexico City’s vast culinary landscape.

By Lanee Lee

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“Pulque” is only available at specialty restaurants and bars, such as Pulquería la Pirata.

To experience the essence of Distrito Federal is to taste it. Street food, open-air farmers markets and a booming fine dining scene with innovative local chefs at the helm all give a sense of the city’s thriving epicurean heartbeat.

Open-air farmers markets and street vendors offer a way for travelers to sample authentic cuisine.
Open-air farmers markets and street vendors offer a way for travelers to sample authentic cuisine.

“Walk down any street in Mexico City and the aromas of food fill the senses,” says Mexico City gastronomic photojournalist and writer Vivían Bibliowicz.

“Milpa,” the ancient Mesoamerican way of farming—where corn, beans, chilies and squash are grown intertwined with one another to conserve land and water—is the foundation of Mexico City-style food. Take, for example, “calabacitas,” a side dish featuring summer squash, onions and cheese, or “esquite,” a salad made of corn kernels, chilies and lime. The “comida corrida,” a three-course meal offered at lunch for a set price, is a wonderful way to sample some of these home-style milpa-based dishes.

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“Esquite” is a salad made of corn kernels, chilies and lime.

“It’s such an exciting time for Mexico City in terms of food,” says Lesley Tellez, owner of Eat Mexico, a Mexico City tour company specializing in the city’s off-the-beaten path street vendors and markets. “There’s a renaissance of chefs discovering the year-round paradise of local in-season produce. Instead of looking to other countries for inspiration, they’re looking inward.”

In addition to the milpa-grown foods, “antojitos,” translated as little cravings, are another local food tradition. Because “Chilangos,” or Mexico City residents, traditionally don’t eat breakfast until 10 a.m. and lunch at 2 or 3 p.m., these snacks—usually procured at street vendors—are an essential part of the daily routine.

Although concrete statistics are hard to come by because of the transitory nature of street food vendors, anthropologist Janet Long-Solís cited 560,000 in Mexico City proper in a 2007 study. With such variety and quantity available at almost anytime of the day or night, it’s no surprise Forbes magazine listed Mexico City as one of the top 10 cities in the world for excellent street eats.

“You’ll always find something incredibly satisfying and delicious,” Tellez says.

An Authentic Culinary Adventure

A timeless tradition in Mexico, stopping at a street food vendor is like an initiation into a not-so-secret society made up of local gourmets. Travelers who think they’ve had real Mexican cuisine in the U.S. should reconsider their perception of authentic—a visit to the many street markets in the city will offer a taste of the true local fare. From favorites like tacos and quesadillas—often replicated in the U.S., but rarely close to the real thing—to local staples, there are countless options for those wishing to indulge the palate in a casual sampling of Mexico City’s best bites.

Whether in a market, on the street or in a restaurant, tacos are the universal food in the city. Although there are dozens of types of tacos to sample, tacos al pastor, made of pork, offer a familiar taste sensation. Thin layers of pork are marinated in vinegar, garlic, annato and chilies. Annato seed, also known as achiote, gives the meat its rich yellow-orange color. It’s then slowly roasted on a vertical revolving spit before the meat is sliced off into a warm, corn tortilla and topped with pineapple, cilantro, onion and a variety of salsas. Nicholas Gilman, author of “Good Food in Mexico City,” recommends El Huequito, in business since 1959, for an authentic taco al pastor.

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Tacos al pastor are popular in Mexico City.

Similarly, Mexico City quesadillas are a far cry from the cheddar cheese-filled variety found in the U.S.; here, this delicacy transforms with Oaxacan cheese and exotic ingredients such as “nopales” (cactus), spinach, squash blossoms, chorizo and corn fungus. Quesadillas, utilizing an oval-shaped corn tortilla, are made to order—grilled or fried in oil.

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Exotic local ingredients are used to create Mexican dishes.

Other local specialties include “camotes,” a favorite street food not commonly found in Mexico City restaurants, and “pambazos.” Beginning at dusk until late at night, follow the sound of the high-pitched whistle, to find a “camotero” selling camotes, a purplish-red sweet potato varietal. Camotes are sprinkled with sugar and roasted in a pressure cooker, thus explaining the whistling noise, and served hot, with a generous portion of condensed milk poured on top. Pambazos are like a Mexican-style sandwich made with a hard, white bread dipped in warm, red guajillo pepper sauce, giving the bread an orange-red hue. It’s then filled with refried beans, potatoes or chorizo and garnished with shredded lettuce, salsa, fresh cheese and cream. According to Tellez, the best place to find a pambazo is in the marketplace specializing in prepared food: Mercado San Juan Arcos de Belén.

Finally, “elote” is the ultimate corn on the cob preparation. Grilled on the cob, spread with mayonnaise (or sometimes butter) and topped with lime juice, chili powder and a crumbly cheese, elote is a messy but delicious treat. For a more manageable fresh corn snack, most elote vendors also sell “esquite.” Corn kernels are cooked in a marinade of chilies, lime juice and chili powder, and served in a small cup to be eaten with a fork or spoon.

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“Elote” is grilled corn on the cob, spread with mayonnaise and topped with lime juice, chili powder and cheese.

From Market to Plate
For those who wish to continue the gourmet adventure off the street, numerous options are available for a restaurant experience that rivals the authenticity of marketplace vendors.

To drink as the locals do, skip the tequila and try “pulque.” Made from fermented sap of the “maguey,” or agave plant, pulque is an ancient, alcoholic drink dating back to the Aztecs. It was considered sacred by the Aztecs and consumed only by their priests. It’s best to begin a pulque venture with “curados,” pulque sweetened with nuts, vegetables or fruit. Pure pulque or blanco takes some time to appreciate; it’s extremely strong and pungent. Pulque is not available from street vendors, but specific bars called pulquerías. Tellez recommends heading to Pulquería la Pirata, a neighborhood bar specializing in pulque.

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Pulque is an alcoholic drink made from agave and dates back to the Aztecs.

Another distinct Mexico City experience can be found at the chic Azul Condesa, owned by chef Ricardo Zurita, author of the “Encyclopedic Dictionary of Mexican Cuisine.” It’s safe to say that Zurita’s restaurant offers some of the most authentic Mexican food in the city, such as a smoky “mole negro,” which is a kind of sauce.

Nicos, a family-run restaurant started by María Elena Lugo Zermeño in 1957, is a longstanding purveyor of locally sourced produce and an avid participant in the slow food movement. Many of dishes are made from Mexican recipes dating back to the 17th century. Dishes to try include “concha,” a sweet bread served at breakfast; “doblada de tinga,” spicy, shredded chicken served in a warm tortilla; or the “sopa seca,” crepes layered with chicken, tomatoes and poblano peppers.

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“Concha” (sweet bread) is a must-try item at Nicos.

For those who wish the chef to choose for them, Quim Jardí at Gastrofonda Quim Jardí is more than happy to provide. With an inspiration gleaned from the bounty of Mexico City’s produce and flavors, his restaurant is an upscale, artistic take on the “comida corrida,” three-course lunch at a fixed price. Look for the handwritten chalkboard menu for specials of the day—usually, the first course is a soup made of fresh herbs and vegetables, the second an imaginative salad like finely sliced jicama topped with a creamy Tabasco dressing, and the main dish is a choice of vegetarian, chicken, fish or meat.

Whether travelers prefer to take an adventurous stroll through the market or quietly enjoy market-fresh food at a chic restaurant, the flavors of Mexico City offer an unforgettable and authentic way to explore its vibrant neighborhoods. B

A Gourmet Education
To further explore Mexico City’s local cuisine, sign up for one of the best cooking classes and food tours.

Recommended by Saveur magazine as one of the top five cooking classes in Mexico City in 2012, writer and chef Ruth Alegria hosts bespoke cooking classes. Founder of the Princeton Cooking School, Alegria is former owner of The New York Times-recognized Mexican Village Restaurants. A typical class includes a trip to one of Mexico City’s markets, a hands-on cooking lesson in her kitchen and lunch. (mexicosoulandessence.com)

Eat Mexico is the only tour group offering small, intimate tours of Mexico City’s street food, tacos and markets. “We want to take you places that you wouldn’t find on your own,” says owner Lesley Tellez. Eat Mexico tours specialize in presenting authentic Mexican food as locals experience it. (eatmexico.com)

Explore the colorful Polanco neighborhood with Mexican Food Tours. Visit six of Mexico City’s best tasting spots, including a cantina, Oaxacan restaurant and legendary taco stands. (mexicanfoodtours.com)