I arrived in Mexico City early yesterday afternoon. The first order of business after checking into the hotel was a siesta. When I woke up, the sky was ominous looking. Within minutes lightening and thunder made their appearance with great gusto. I could hear hail pounding against the window. Staying in and eating at the hotel’s restaurant seemed prudent. It was a good decision; I found out this morning that streets flooded all over the city, traffic came to a standstill and generally the city was a mess.
But as usually happens here, this morning the sky was blue. Apart from a few lingering puddles, it was a gorgeous day. I’d scheduled a tour, Culinary Backstreets Culinary Secrets of the Centro Historico. Last year I went with them on a market tour of another area of Mexico City, Xochimilco, and loved it. (I’ve also been on their tours in other countries, and they’ve all been fabulous).
I arrived early at Café La Blanca, a restaurant celebrating its 110th anniversary. The décor speaks of another time. It is unpretentious, with well-worn counters, tables, chairs and cash registers even menus. However, I couldn’t spot the guide or anyone else who looked as though they might be on the tour. A WhatsApp message to Paco cleared that up—traffic was at a standstill and he and the other participants would be late. A minute later I understood why; a protest with many hundreds of people were marching down Avenida Cinco de Mayo to the National Palace.
While awaiting Paco and the others, I ordered a café con leche and watched the demonstration. I later found out that people from around the country were demanding better electric service and more equitable pricing. Unlike the demonstrations I regularly witness in New York City, most of the Mexican protestors were senior citizens.
Paco and the others arrived about twenty minutes late—they had to ditch their Ubers and walk. I was glad I’d gotten there early. After introductions, we started to feast. First coffees and sweet breads, a standard Mexican breakfast, then chilaquiles – one with green sauce the other with red sauce. Paco has his degree in Mexican history, has worked on numerous films and documentaries, and then became involved with tourism. You couldn’t ask for a more knowledgeable or nicer guide.
Then we started to walk. I will not take you through every stop, there were a LOT of them. We made our way through areas of the city center I’d never been to, stopping and eating along the way. We sampled many varieties of tacos and learned about how they came to be and when and where they are eaten. The ones I remember are Tacos Canasta (sold from a basket and much beloved by students on a tight budget), Carne Asada (grilled beef), Al Pastor (influenced by the Lebanese immigrants), Carnitas (pork simmered in a copper pot), and others. I can’t tell you a favorite, they were all delicious.
Along the way we went through Plaza Mayor, the largest square and generally thought of as the center. On one side is the Cathedral and several churches. City government is on another side, with the federal government on a third. The fourth side is commercial. The plaza was packed with tourists and vendors. I’ve been there several times, in all sorts of weather, including one Christmas holiday when the square held an enormous Christmas tree, a skating rink and an artificial slope for sledding.
We stopped to take in the magnificent ruins known as the Templo Mayor, a UNESCO World Heritage site, at the edge of the Plaza. It was discovered in 1978, and excavations have been proceeding since then.
Next, we made our way down streets teeming with people and goods of every sort. One stop was for tacos from a literal hole-in-the-wall vendor. Then we stopped at a hidden Cerveceria (beer shop). We also got to try an Azulito (little blue drink in English). It’s made from vodka, blue curacao, Red Bull, and Sprite. It tastes wonderful, looks gorgeous and is deadly because you don’t notice how much alcohol you’re consuming.
Then through the Nacional Monte de Piedad (the National Pawnshop), a massive building with some very surprising art. We passed the first church in the city (built by the Franciscans on the ruins of the Aztec city, in 1524). Later, in Plaza Loreto we saw a couple of synagogues (we stopped in one, now an exhibition space about Jewish cultural life in Mexico City). We visited the Mercado Presidente Abelardo Rodriguez, both to see the astounding murals and, of course, to eat some more tacos.
Our final stop was at El Mayor restaurant. It’s above the oldest bookstore in the city and has a gorgeous view of the Plaza. There we sampled two varieties of Chiles en Nogada, one traditional and one the chef’s interpretation.
By that point I was exhausted and stuffed. The others went on for a mezcal tasting, but I called it a day. Five hours later the thought of more food sounds like a curse.