By Carole Reedy—

Two Welshmen and a Scot, all under 30, were my guests for a week last month in my adopted home, Mexico City. Seeing the city and the Mexican experience through their eyes brought me a fresh perspective. Neither age nor country-of-origin were barriers when it comes to culture or gastronomy.

Come with us on an abridged version of our discoveries …

First Impressions and Surprises

Mexico City’s population of 23,000,000, when compared to the 3,000,000 in all of Wales, was the first shock. The Welshmen (Kadun and Callum) are proud people, so the number of large Mexican flags that fly throughout the city positively impressed them, as well as the kind and welcoming attitudes of the locals.

Kadun remared, “I only wish they knew where Wales was located. We got weird looks after saying “Soy de Galés” (I am from Wales).

Their biggest compliment was simply “We could’ve stayed another week.”

Tamales and Chilaquiles

We began planning our week over morning cocktails and tamales on my sunny balcony in the trendy colonia (neighborhood) of Roma Sur. The young men chose Aperol spritzes and Bloody Marys, followed by tequilas.

The tamales come from a corner street vendor (at Bajío and Tlacotalpan, Roma Sur), who offers the traditional maíz as well as the Oaxaqueña style (wrapped in banana leaves) of tamales every weekday from 8 am to noon. We chose a tasting, buying the verde (green), mole, sweet, and raja (pepper strips) tamales. The green chiles proved to be the favorites. The spice level varies daily, and that day’s were plenty spicy without burning the mouth.

The hours flew while we planned the rest of their week, trying to fit as much as possible into the schedule, considering traffic, protest marches, and other exigencies of living in this grand metropolis.

Soon it was time for comida (informal food, often lunch). I had also purchased from the same friendly vendor a true Mexican delight and favorite of all: chilaquiles – corn chips (totopos) simmered in red or green sauce, often with other toppings. The vendor alternates the red and green flavors every other day. These were green and among the best I’ve ever had.

Chilaquiles are among the top favorite foods of Mexicans, traditionally served New Years Day as a hangover cure for, but offered year-round. Aside from assuaging a hangover, they are mighty tasty, consisting simply of chicken, green or red chile sauce, and onions served over corn chips and topped with crema.

Add a Victoria Mexican beer and all is right with the world.

Rediscovering Old Favorites: Cafe Tacuba and El Mayor

A full day in Centro Histórico is a must for all travelers. We started our day at Bellas Artes, the stunning Art Deco wonder and home of Mexico City’s Opera House as well as the most significant murals of Diego Rivera, David Siqueiros, and Jose Clemente Orozco. We also appreciated some Impressionist works in a recently opened special exhibit.

All that activity whetted our appetites, so we picked up speed, turned down Calle Tacuba, walked by the equally magnificent Art Deco post office, and ended up at #12 Tacuba, home of the renowned restaurant, Café Tacuba.

While Sor Juana, Mexico’s most renowned poet/nun, peeked over our shoulders from her dominant place on the wall, we dined on three of the ten different styles of enchiladas (tortilla-wrapped fillings covered with sauce), traditional sopa azteca (tomato-chile broth over tortilla strips, with a variety of toppings), and a tasty horchata (a rice and cinnamon drink). The entire menu is filled with traditional Mexican specialties.

Café Tacuba opened in 1912. The building was once a 17th-century palatial home and is decorated with colonial style art. Calle Tacuba is the oldest street in the Americas.

Several years ago, I was served a disappointing meal that had not been heated sufficiently – it was served lukewarm on the surface and cold inside. I hesitated to return, but, because I always like to take visitors to traditional Mexican places, I crossed my fingers and entered. I was happy we returned because everything we ate was just perfect this time. A lesson learned: don’t judge a restaurant by one bad experience.

Frappes at El Mayor
Well-sated, we strolled to the zócalo (main square) where the Templo Mayor, the heart of the Aztec Empire, dominated. Here the largest of the pyramids stood, the place where lives were sacrificed to the gods.

This temple was discovered quite by accident. In 1978 electricians hard at work discovered a giant monolith close to the cathedral, which spurred a five-year investigation that unearthed the Templo Mayor. Imagine what else lies beneath the Cathedral (built in 1578) and other structures in the area. Think of this as you walk on the cement sidewalks of Mexico City.

Parched and tired, we fortunately knew help was just a few blocks away at the Terrace of El Mayor, a lovely cafe overlooking the ruins of the Templo Mayor. You enter through the Porrúa bookstore at República de Argentina 15 (cross street is Donceles) and take the elevator to the restaurant/cafe level. We all ordered chocolate coffee frappes at the cafe. Nothing ever tasted so good. The adjacent restaurant serves breakfast and lunch.

Turibus and Cervecerías
“Watch the wires and branches: Duck!” These are the instructions I give visitors who join me on one of the most pleasant rides available to tourists. Turibus, the double-decker bus, follows several routes and stops, but my favorite by far is the Centro Histórico route. You will ride through the home of the Aztecs and experience the 500-year historical progress of the nation’s independence from Spain and the equally lengthy and inexplicable Mexican Revolution.

You will be treated to a ride down the city’s most beautiful street: Reforma. If you are fortunate enough to visit in February or March, the purple flowers of the jacaranda trees will carpet your route. A short ride through Condesa gives one a glimpse into this popular colonia.

A good place to end the Turibus tour is the Cibeles fountain, a replica of the fountain found in Madrid and a gift from Spain to Mexico. The stop is in the trendy colonia Roma at Medellin and Oaxaca streets. There you will encounter many bars, cervecerías (brewpubs) and restaurants in a beautiful setting. Recently friends of mine rented an apartment in a floor-to-ceiling windowed high rise on Calle Medellin, across from the Turibus stop: the views of the mountains to the south of the city were spectacular!

Azul Condesa Celebration and Tequila Tour
A special day deserves a special restaurant for the 28th birthday of our visitor from Scotland, my grandson Joe. After a full day at the pyramids at Teotihuacán, we dined at one of the renowned Azul restaurants, Azul Condesa.

The men were adventurous and chose to start with escamoles (ant eggs), a delicacy often known as “Mexican caviar.” I chose the traditional fungal corn smut, huitlacoche. A variety of wines from the very complete list graced our table, as well as the ever-traditional margaritas. Service was impeccable and our main meals of meat, fish and duck were most satisfying.

My young visitors still had energy to go on to the famous Plaza Garibaldi (known for its mariachis). There they did a complete tequila tasting tour at the Museo del Tequila y el Mezcal, and their glowing report raved that the tour “offered big pours and a complete explanation of the process of creating Mexico’s most famous beverage.”

The next day we said goodbye and the three went on to the beaches of Puerto Vallarta. A few days later, we all met in Puerto Peñasco, Sonora, for our triennial Reedy family reunion, a perfect ending to the Mexican Adventure.