MEXICO
CITY
by Mark Chesnut
It’s just after 5 P.M. on a Thursday,
and the tables at 12:30 Café are already filling
up. Lively after-work chatter mixed with pumping pop music
floats through the small restaurant and onto the street,
which just happens to be the gayest block in the gayest
neighborhood in all of Mexico City: Calle Amberes,
in the Zona Rosa (the aptly named “Pink Zone”
district). Of course, having a quick sandwich at a gay
café is just one of many possibilities offered
by Mexico City’s diverse dining scene. After all,
this metropolis is much more than just a cultural, economic,
and political hub for the nation—it’s also the
largest city in North America, and one of the three largest
cities on the planet. So it’s no surprise that you
can find some of the continent’s best chefs here,
as well as an array of stylish venues to sample their
work. Whether you’re in the mood for a cheap but
tasty meal, or an exquisite culinary creation presented
in high style, Mexico City has plenty to offer.
DINING IN THE PINK ZONE
I take a seat at 12:30 Café
and order a light lunch: a generously proportioned ham
and cheese sandwich, a bottle of water, and a creamy
strawberry shake served in a giant coffee cup. My bill
comes to less than $12. With one wall completely open
to the street, 12:30 Café, which opened in 2006,
is a great place for people watching. This is Calle
Amberes, after all, a street where same-sex couples
kiss, hold hands, and can generally be themselves, 24/7.
Amberes 7, Zona Rosa. Tel. not listed.
Just across the street is Bgay Bproud, a bustling
café that’s especially popular with younger
gays and lesbians. Like 12:30 Café, it’s
bright, friendly, and great for people watching. The
fare in both places is tasty and best for a light lunch,
dinner, or snack, with each dish priced well under the
$10 mark. There’s also plenty of reading material
here, including lots of information about the local
gay nightlife. Amberes 12-b, Zona Rosa. Tel: 5208-2547.
http://www.bgaybproud.com
Just a few blocks away you’ll discover El Takón,
a casual gay café that serves more traditional
Mexican cuisine, as well as a wide array of alcoholic
beverages, at similar prices. Liverpool 164. Tel: 5511-2384.
http://www.eltakon.com
For a late-night bite at any hour in the Zona Rosa,
gay and lesbian night-owls often head to Sanborns,
a chain that’s something like a slightly more upscale
version of Denny’s, but with Mexican cuisine. Londres
130, Zona Rosa. Tel: 5525-4338. http://www.sanborns.com.mx
BEYOND THE PINK
At this point in Mexico
City’s development, the restaurants that cater
to an almost exclusively gay and lesbian clientele have
not yet entered the range of upscale, luxury establishments.
Luckily, the city’s countless trendy eateries carry
so much style (and attract so many gay people) that
they certainly please the aesthetics of any gay gourmet.
 The
plush neighborhood known as Polanco is a hotspot for
fine dining. One of the most talked-about new entries
in the district is Jaso, which opened in 2006. The creation
of chefs Sonia Arias and Jared Reardon, who met each
other in the Culinary Institute of America in Hyde Park,
New York, Jaso is a standout for its combination of
ambiance and contemporary international cuisine. A good
way to begin an evening here is with one of Jaso’s
signature cocktails, like the exotic Black Piña
cocktail (Russian vodka accompanied by blackberry pulp
and Hawaiian pineapple chunks), or the refreshing Jaso
Cucumber (Japanese vodka, cucumber, citrus, and sake).
Favorite menu items at Jaso include gazpacho, New Zealand
lamb, and succulent duck with vanilla and ginger. Jaso
pays close attention to detail, not just in the food
but in the overall dining experience. The restaurant’s
design is the brainchild of award-winning architects
Juan Pablo Serrano and Rafael Monjaraz, who have used
wood, marble, and metal to create an understated, contemporary
look. DJ Timka, known for his work with Buddha Bar lounge
music, masterminds the musical selection. Newton 88,
Polanco. Tel: 5545-7476.
Also in Polanco is L’Alsace a Paris, which, you
guessed it, specializes in French cuisine, but with
a decidedly international flair. Chef Stéphane
Thomas, who is from France, has created an interesting
menu that includes oysters from Brittany, sauerkraut
from Strasbourg, and stone crab from Baja California.
This large, elegant eatery is bright and airy, with
big windows and a rooftop terrace that’s perfect
for afternoon dining. Sink into a delicious grilled
rib eye with Bearnaise or black pepper sauce, and you
may not have room for the crème brûlée
or Grand Marnier flamed crêpes. The impressive
wine list boasts some of the best of Alsace, Bordeaux,
and Bourgogne, and brew aficionados can choose from
a sizeable international beer list. Open 1 P.M. until
2:30 A.M., seven days a week. Masaryk 433, Polanco.
Tel: 5280-3600. http://www.lalsace.com.mx
Located in the San Angel district is Paxia, a
stylishly intimate eatery that specializes in artfully
presented Mexican fusion food. The restaurant’s
owners aim to combine “aroma, texture, and taste”
in their meals and ambiance, and they seem to be succeeding
nicely. Paxia (which means “peace” in the
indigenous Náhuatl language) blends a calm, upscale
ambiance with creative cuisine. Consider beginning the
evening with a Martini Paxia (a fruity blend of Götland
vodka with apple liqueur and cranberry juice, with a
twist of orange and topped off with a cherry). Then
move on to duck rolls with parsley and sweet sauce,
sausage lasagna in green sauce, or just-caught fresh
tuna. Wrap up your evening with a deliciously sweet
natilla, a Mexican custard prepared with eggs, milk
and a hint of cinnamon. Av. de la Paz 47, San Ángel.
Tel: 5550-8355. http://www.paxia.com.mx
ROOM SERVICE
In recent years, Mexico
City’s boutique hotel scene has greatly expanded,
and these properties pay just as much attention to their
cuisine as they do to their guestrooms.
One of the chicest boutique hotels in the city, Condesa
DF, is also one of the places to be seen while dining.
Located in the ultra-hip Condesa district, the Condesa
DF bar packs in the elite (gay and straight) with its
collection of exotic drinks like the ginger cosmo and
Jamaica margarita (which uses the Mexican flower called
Jamaica as one of the ingredients). Its self-described
“modern basic” cuisine includes amaranth-crusted
chicken with an orange soy glaze and green risotto with
fava beans, basil, and zucchini blossoms. For dinner,
hungry patrons can opt for snapper wrapped in banana
leaf with three chiles, broiled black cod with tequila
miso, and rack of lamb. Av. Veracruz 102, Condesa. Tel:
5241-2600. http://www.condesadf.com
The Condesa DF’s sister property, the Hotel
Habita, is another favorite for style-conscious
travelers. Its restaurant, Aura, offers contemporary
Mexican cuisine in a minimalist atmosphere, surrounded
by original works by noted Dutch-born artist Jan Hendrix.
Take a seat near the hotel entrance and you can see
fabulous guests as they come and go, as you order Mexican
fusion cuisine and expertly prepared sushi. Av. Presidente
Masaryk 201, Polanco. Tel: 5282-3100. http://www.hotelhabita.com
Mexico City’s more traditional hotels serve up
some noteworthy new cuisine as well. Sitting along the
grand Paseo de la Reforma boulevard is Amici Ristorante,
an upscale eatery tucked into the Sheraton Maria Isabel
Hotel & Towers (probably the best-situated of the
big chain hotels for people who want to enjoy the Zona
Rosa). The Italian restaurant’s recently unveiled
new menu includes tempting items like spinach ravioli
stuffed with ragout of canard, and radicchio red wine
risotto with fondue of fontina cheese from Italy’s
Aosta Valley. To finish the evening, choose from delicacies
like chocolate tiramisu with rum, soufflé of
bitter chocolate with creamy ginger-orange ice cream,
or ricotta cheese tartlet with wild berry jam. Paseo
de la Reforma 325. Tel: 5242-5564.
[Published:
June, 2007]
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