Nine Plus Days - Mexico City Trip Report, Part IV
By kukaburra
(Reposted from Chowhound)
"The next day we headed back to Coyoacan, strolled the Viveros again, and finally got to see Frida Kahlo's house. As a painter, it was great to get to
see her studio as she used it and just be in the space. A very special museum. We wandered the bucolic neighborhood some more until we stumbled on
Mercado Coyoacan and, in our usual stunned and enthusiastic manner, gawked at the mountains of beautiful food on display. On the way back to the metro
a young man asked us if he could interview us for his English homework.
Even though our tummies were rumbling with hunger after all the food we saw, we stopped and chatted a while. It really is true that you can make
friends anywhere you go, if you have the right attitude.
Back in the Centro we went to CAFETERIA EL CUADRILATERO, owned by luchador Super Astro. It's a measure of how good the food on the trip was overall
that this was one of the less talked-about meals, since if this gut-busting sandwich joint was near me I would eat there ALL THE TIME (although I'd
end up better suited for sumo wrestling thank lucha libre.) I ordered the micro version of the namesake sandwich (which is piled high with meats and
eggs) and my wife got some other kind of sandwich loaded with goodness (the exact ingredients escape me but it had avocado, cheese and meat). They
were both killer sandwiches.
That night we stepped out for a drink at the HOTEL MAJESTIC rooftop bar but the actual rooftop was outfitted for full dinner guests only so we got
stuck in the enclosed bar along the side. Not quite as majestic as we thought but we did get to glimpse the view and it really is glorious.
The next day started out with probably my most highly anticipated meal: Breakfast at FONDA MARGARITA. After reading that it was in the middle of
nowhere and reachable by taxi or bus we returned to the trusty metro, headed out to the Division Del Norte stop and enjoyed a lovely 15 minute early
morning stroll through the peaceful neighborhood as kids headed to school and commuters headed to work. Fonda Margarita itself was a revelation of
flavors. The open space with its long communal tables, was buzzing by the time we got there and live music accompanied the happy eating. We ordered a
variety of dishes that simmered away in giant cazuelas: pork in salsa verde (maybe the best thing we had on the trip; truly, truly rich, spicy and
amazingly flavorful), bistec in a dark, rich sauce, and a breaded cutlet in a tomato broth. We also had a couple of plates of the refritos con huevos,
which don't look like much but might be the best beans I've ever had. The staff seemed to love our enthusiasm and we definitely shared some knowing
smiles with other diners. This is the place to come to eat, no joke! I wish we could have gone multiple times!
After breakfast we headed to the Chapultepec to see the zoo, which is very impressive and mostly filled with beautiful, natural habitats, and the
castillo, which was an interesting mix of European castle, Mexican revolutionary art, and pre-Hispanic flourishes. Interesting stuff. On the way out
we got some sweet gorditas from a vendor that were a nice snack.
That night we were starting to a feel a little run down so we headed back to CAFE EL POPULAR for some soul food. We got awesome cafes con leche (the
dinner drink of choice, judging by the rest of the tables) and a couple of soups. The sopa azteca was particularly delicious, with its melted cheese,
tortilla strips and little plate of things to add (dried peppers, avocado). We also ordered something off the menu on a whim with no idea what it was.
Turned out to be a huge plate of liver and onions. I love that sort of thing but my wife wasn't as thrilled.
The next day we took in the view from the top of the LatinoAmericana Tower and just strolled the streets some more. We ended up back at LA MASCOTA for
some refreshing beers and a few plates of their treats: A cochinita pibil leg, a tlacoyo topped with nopales and cheese, chile rellono, and a fried
quesadilla de papa. I won't say that every individual dish at La Mascota is as good as similar dishes elsewhere, but the overall experience of eating
such a diverse menu in such a fun environment definitely makes it a trip favorite.
That night we went to see lucha libre at Arena Mexicana. Once again, the metro took us straight there and we were ready to go. Word of advice: If you
want to take pictures inside make sure to hide your camera. Otherwise you have to check it at the front door, which we did (and got it back safe and
sound afterwards). Between the costumes, the music, the ring girls, and the midgets it was a memorable and insane experience. I will say that the
funniest part was probably watching how the crowd reacts to the drama in the ring. Madness!
After riding the metro back from the arena (were we not supposed to ride it at night? We had no problems.) we headed back towards El Huequito, only to
discover that the spits were empty! No worries, we strolled up the street to TAQUERIA LOS COCUYOS, home of a giant pot of assorted simmering meats.
We got a bunch of tacos filled with things that we just pointed to: sausage, roast meat, who knows. These were also among my favorite things from the
week. These tiny little tacos, piled with cilantro and salsas were packed full of textures and flavors. I'm telling you, if I lived in the DF you'd
see me at these places all the time!"
(To be continued.)
“Travel is fatal to prejudice, bigotry, and narrow mindedness.”
—Mark Twain
\"La vida es dura, el corazon es puro, y cantamos hasta la madrugada.” (Life is hard, the heart is pure and we sing until dawn.)
—Kirsty MacColl, Mambo de la Luna
\"Alea iacta est.\"
—Julius Caesar
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