Thursday, January 2, 2020

A Vegetarian in Mexico

Mexico City

Mexican food is amazing, from street stalls to fancy restaurants, and even the 'tourist' places provide a good fare. Plus there is plenty for vegetarians. But let's start with simple cafes, this is a typical breakfast in Mexico City: eggs on a tortilla, with spicy sauces (although most of the time I just had coffee with pastries, I am Italian after all).

Then, no matter where you go, you will find guacamole! We basically ate it daily... with a variety of beers!

Then quesadillas (often the 'make your own' version)

And my favourite: nopal, cactus leaves!

Ok this IS quite ‘touristic’ but it is also beautiful, and full of locals! If you are in the city centre you can pop in just for coffee and to enjoy the ambience, and for dinner it has an English menu and a few veggie options. Usual veggie fares in most Mexican restaurants seem to be the blue corn enchiladas (usually with mushrooms or zucchini flowers) and the cheese stuffed peppers, all quite cheesy really, and with beans on the side also super filling. No much without cheese a part from the Mexican rice and the guacamole, or the egg dishes, I am sure I am putting on weight!! Anyway, we had a great evening here, I don’t care about being a tourist sometimes, after all in Venice I still like going to the Florian just for the pleasure of being in an historic cafe, so I happily recommend Café de Tacuba in Mexico City 😊

Café de Tacuba

Cantina La Coyacana was our lunch after visiting Museo Frida Kahlo (La Casa Azul) If you are in Mexico City for a short time and must choose among the many many beautiful museums, and you want some colourful photos, then you should definitely choose La Casa Azul, and the Cantina La Coyacana is just a short walk away! Here I had the best nopal (cactus leaf) so far, the guacamole was good, the refried beans a little dry, but the selection of green and red sauces which appear on every restaurant super yummy and spicy! Amazingly good value for money for the huge amount of food you get, plus good ambience and service.

Cantina La Coyacana

Floral experience at Corazón de Maguey in Koyoacan, Mexico City. Quesadillas with zucchini flowers, tacos with hibiscus flowers (these are a little sweet, just to let you know in case you don’t read Spanish) and my flan had rose petals... or where those hibiscus too? After Mezcal not quite sure. We ate with our Mexican primos, they choose the place and we loved it. One of the best places I have tried in Mexico City, with great service too 👍

Corazón de Maguey

Elegant dinner in an elegant and historic restaurant (a converted hacienda) in Mexico City: San Angel Inn. After aperitif in the courtyard (with pianist - more musicians were inside - kind of “classy mariachi”, and so good!) we moved indoors for dinner and I tried the famous Huitlacoche, a black fungus which grows on corn, here served in crepes, and also stuffed chilies (well, more like green capsicums, just a little hotter). And my first Mexican wine. But the best was the dessert trolley - I couldn’t choose, so I let my hosts choose for me a light and creamy bavarese.

San Angel Inn

Guadalajara

The best eating experience in Guadalajara was at Alcade @restalcalde - although there is not much for vegetarians what was available was so good that I can still taste it. We had the raisin beetroot with vanilla poached grapefruit, macadamia nuts and cotija cheese cream (and this is not a dessert but a starter - amazing), the purslane, nopal cactus and mint salad with burrata (OMG) and the best cheese tamale ever, with chili, stuffed spinach, toasted almonds, shredded macadamia and mushroom powder. We kept asking for bread (excellent) to mop up all the sauces because they were just spectacular - never mind etiquette, we could not waste a drop! I drunk a Mezcal Tommis cocktail so after that I went for water, but Peter did have some sort of Tequila while the rest of us shared the four desserts available, which arrived after a sorbet palate cleanser. The desserts were super! From the traditional Jericalla (like a cooked crème) with vanilla ice cream and shredded macadamia to a chocolate ganache with cacao ice cream and zapote negro (looks like a black persimmon) and hoja santa (a bit like kawakawa?). But the two best were the tres leches with guava foam, lemon meringue and raspberry powder and the rice pudding with cinnamon ice cream, soy milk flakes and toasted chocolate (how do they do that?!?!?). Dreamy ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ I would go back to Guadalajara just to eat there again

Alcade

Alcade

We were in Guadalajara for the book fair so, a part from Alcade (and an insect restaurant, which I won't report as there was very little for vegetarians there - I just managed with the usual veggie tacos, sans bugs!) we didn't eat out much except at the hotel (nothing special except for the breakfast, and the margaritas at night!).

Tlaquepaque

Tlaquepaque is a must visit to buy art and craft, and here too is full of tourist restaurants and cafes, but also simpler food stalls

Pastries and juices

Making tortillas

More guacamole in Tlaquepaque

Bucerías

In Bucerías we stayed at La Hacienda Bucerías with our hosts Debora and Ramóm

We spent our last great last few days in Mexico laying on the beach in Bucerías, with more food from street-side family restaurants and food stalls. I have to say that with all the tourists around, especially from Canada and the US here, many cafes have menus in English AND more Vegan and Vegetarian offers! The markets too have a great variety of vegan tacos, including jackfruit.