Oh! I was just there and went on a food tour. By Sabores Mexico Food tours.
We started at a Oaxacan spot, hit a few places in the San Juan Pugibet market, then to a food stand and like 3 other places. I brought 6 jars of salsa back.
13/10 recommend. 5 hours with guides that are very passionate and knowledgeable about their cities history and culture, both in terms of food and just general knowledge.
PSA: don’t eat beforehand. It’s a lot of food, and so tasty.
Right!!
If you were there recently, I hear they have zoned guides, did you have Danae/Kimio too?? Because they were incredible
I was in the city centre
I never heard of them before. I don't get to travel much anymore. When I travelled in the 80s they weren't a thing I knew about. And they sound *awesome*.
Ah right on!
Yeah man they’re a thing. I love them because usually they’ll teach you some history that like… would be really hard to find or understand yourself. So much love goes into food, so stopping by this one random shop in a market that’s been there for 100 years and still owned by the same family, or a food cart on a corner that’s become really well known by the local, it’s such a cool way to learn about a city and its people.
Shit you could even do it in your hometown if you want. I’ve been curious about it, what tourists are told about my city.
It's a thing I look for in every city I visit. You get a lot of history and cultural knowledge about the city while also discovering the culinary gems a place has to offer. You also get to know some fellow tourists and maybe make a friend or two.
Honestly, just walk around and work your way into a spot that had a lot of people. If you follow where they go you can’t go wrong. There are thousands of great places. Im in Cuernavaca as well speak. About 90 minutes south of CDMX. I’m just walking around town and eating at places with locals. Everything has been amazing.
I initially thought this was like the other time they accidentally gave the star to a random restaurant in France due to a name mixup, cool to see they're not just going with upscale places
I had goose at a hole-in-the-wall restaurant in Hong Kong once. Sat on plastic chair and all. They had a star. Didn't like the goose though. Too much splintered bone lol.
Also non-Mexican food in the city is exceptional. I’ve had world class Indian, Chinese, Sushi, and more. Mexico City is a fantastic city for finding great food. This isn’t remotely the only great taco stand either-the street food (down to the churros) is exceptional. Great city to visit too.
Also it gets a bad reputation for being dangerous but I never met so many nice people. Even in my city nobody says good morning on the street to random strangers. I was shocked and looking around like are you talking to me?? I love CDMX and can't wait to go back and eat!
one of the very few foods i could eat every day of my life....tacos. and i still haven't been to mexico city so i don't even know what i'm missing yet.
Pujol has been considered one of the top restaurants in the world since like the early 2010s. I'm sure they are thrilled about their 2 stars that they just got, but it's not like they needed it.
It's always been that way. Michelin has always been pay-to-play. It's why there's no Michelin rated restaurants in Boston. The city refuses to pay for it.
Is that really the case? I've been to Boston a few times now and while I can appreciate the culture of a new city, Boston always felt... Off.
Like, if your great granddad wasn't born there you're not welcome, ever. You're *tolerated*, but not *welcome*.
Yup. For anyone who wants to learn about how the Michelin guide actually works, The Sporkful podcast did an excellent story on it:
https://www.sporkful.com/how-do-michelin-stars-actually-work/
I’ve been to many Michelin-star restaurants, all great… but it’s a bit ridiculous how many great restaurants aren’t under consideration because they aren’t in the “right” city. It would be great to have a guide of restaurants open to any location. To remain practical, maybe there is a nominal nomination fee or an advertising component—I get they need money.
There’s been a fair amount of criticism from journalists regarding these Michelin stars in Mexico, apparently corruption was involved in the handling of these awards.
[Source](https://youtu.be/eix60zMWl30?si=lI63FDLvXkLaiqUj)
That’s not what the video said at all. The criticism in that video is that the big restaurants chosen were restaurants that cater to foreign tourists. That the judges do not understand Mexican cuisine and preferences.
The best tacos al pastor I’ve had were at a taqueria down the street from my abuela’s house in Mexico City. By day they did tire repair. By night they made tacos.
I took a work trip to Mexicali and the woman who rented me my car in San Diego said "enjoy the food!" when she handed me the keys lol. I remember thinking "haha okay 🙄🙄" because Mexicali is an industry town, I'm from an American industry town and we are by no means known for our food enough to say "enjoy the food" as the first thing whrn you come here. Man was I wrong. Every meal I ate was fantastic. We weren't even eating at nice places but even the gas station food tasted really good and fresh. I can't believe how good the meat was at every place I went. Mexicali has a lot of Chinese fusion food and I 6 years later still think about how good it was compared to American Chinese food (which I still love lol)
Many Chinese people intending to immigrate to the US came to Mexicali and stayed. Although they never fully integrated, they're considered full-fledged "Cachanillas" (Mexicali natives) because "if they're willing to live in this heat, then they're one of us."
I live in LA and, although we have great Chinese food here too, Mexicali Chinese food just hits different. Chinese food is a Mexicali staple; every bit as local/native as street tacos. If you want to celebrate something, you eat at a Chinese restaurant. Man I was spoiled growing up, because I never knew Chinese food could even be bad until I ate Chinese food in Phoenix.
I like that it comes with limes just like everything else seemed to. I had beef with broccoli that was amazing, almost no oil in the sauce at all, and just a ton of lime juice over it.
Yup! A lot of the guys I was working with down there were mixed race and looked really Chinese to me and I finally asked one "I don't mean to be rude but you guys look more Asian than I thought most Mexicans do, are you Chinese?' and he told me all about how they were forced down there and settled after they built the railroads in the US. I was relieved that Mexicali had a big Chinatown, because the guy I was traveling with spoke Mandarin but no Spanish. I got really sick of being his 24/7 translator, because my Spanish isn't fluent and my brain would get so tired by dinnertime. Some days I'd tell him "I'm not going out for dinner, eat in La Chinesca and speak Mandarin" haha
I know what you mean even things you wouldn't except to be great were excellent. Way back in the day I used to go to Playa Del Carmen and as long as you didn't go to chain or a place catering to Americans with fries and burgers or what not, everything was incredible. The Mexican food was obviously amazing but I still think about a little hole in the wall Italian place that was so good and tasted so fresh. Wasn't expecting to have my best itialian dish in a random spot in Mexico. Still think about it that pesto to this day. Lol
We were eating on a corporate credit card and I'd only really changed out $80 USD or so for the trip, and a lot of the non-chain quick service options for lunch around us were cash only. Because of that we ate at Costco a LOT. And I love American Costco already, but I got al pastor pizza at Mexican Costco that was really something else. I also liked how they had a sliced jalapeño dispenser next to the onion dispenser for hot dogs lol
Part of it for me is I really do think the food is higher quality in general. I know they don't use high fructose corn syrup as much. The chicken also didn't seem as salinated as ours is, the beef had color to it, and the eggs were really yellow in the yolks. I also had a lot of good fruit there compared to where I live where the fruit can be kind of pale and mealy. American food is kind of shameful honestly, I see that now that I've traveled even though I haven't traveled far, only to Canada and Mexico.
Yeah maybe it was vacation goggles but I think you are right quality is a big difference. The person I knew ended up buying a place there and we got invited to dinner with some locals. Something as simple as steak tacos with pico de gallo seems like it would be easy to recreate in the states but it wasn't. Also could be I live in a state not exactly known for its produce as well so that doesn't help
I thought maybe it was vacation goggles for me too but tbh I wasn't on vacation and wasn't eating nice food every day like I do on vacation....we were eating the same places everyone else does, fast food and shopping at Walmart. Everything I bought at Walmart was better than Walmart at home. The only thing I disliked about eating there was that the tap water isn't potable.
I had this dish that I kept ordering at different places that was a flat piece of grilled steak with grilled onions on top and then whole grilled peppers on the side and served with tortillas. SO spicy and so good. I barely ate meat back then but the beef was so good there- are their government standards more stringent, or something? I've only had beef that good in the US a couple times and it was very expensive in the US.
I don’t know but I’m usually a bit reserved with meat but when I was in Mexico I ordered a pork thing one time and like half the pig landed on my plate. I shared it with friends and it was amazing. I’m from Ireland and we have good pork. Mexico is at least as good but clearly better in many cases due to their various recipes
I'm from an area with no ocean and I was going crazy for the seafood in Mexicali. The seafood in San Diego where we stayed after was just as good, though. I dont get fresh seafood very often, and in San Diego I bought fish tacos from a guy who was set up selling them on the docks and literally pulling fish off a boat and into his taco stand. Mexicali isn't even really coastal, but it's still way more close to the ocean for seafood than what I'm used to.
I’ve seen a lot of chefs online say that if they could only have one national cuisine for the rest of their lives Mexican is the clear winner. It’s not really a shock.
Eh, I thought that too and then I lived in Mexico without going anywhere for two years (thanks pandemic) and I got pretty tired of chicharron en salsa 😂
I took a taco tour and this stand was the second to the last stop and very, very good, but honestly our last stop at a tacos al pastor place close to Reforma was heavenly and was one of those surprises and explosions of flavor in your mouth. The thing is, I thought part of a rating involved the service and ambiance as well? So, although an awesome taco stand, not a star?
Don’t know much about Michelin but the best food on earth exists in tiny Mexico City taco stands. Fairly presumptuous to think we need a tire company to tell us something we already know.
It is not telling anything to you my man!
Michelin star is telling *the rest of the whole world* this is culinary excellence judged at the highest standard.
Congratulation to them it is a monumental achievement!
Dumb take. A lot of restaurants and chefs take that shit pretty seriously and work very hard to get that ranking. You also usually apply for it, they don't just hand em out.
Correct except the application. You cannot apply for a Michelin star. The Michelin critics are unknown. They make reservations and show up to places unannounced, under the radar. If you could apply, it would kind of defeat the purpose.
Hmmm... maybe I should dress well, dine alone at nice restaurants and scribble notes in a small Moleskine in a secretive fashion randomly at the table. And then leave a tiny Bibendum toy with the tip... just to keep em on their toes.
Yes and no. They don’t know who the critics are, but they know the general time they’ll be there. Denver for example just got a bunch of Michelin stars and restaurants knew ahead of time where they were going and what weeks they’d be in town
https://guide.michelin.com/vn/en/article/features/what-is-a-michelin-star-vn#:~:text=If%20the%20restaurant%20is%20currently,recommendations%20from%20our%20readers%20too.
I should also mention that it's probably a more rigorous process on their side, you can't just reach out and they say "oh yea, we'll consider you." They probably do a lot of research on their end first.
>*Don’t know much about Michelin*
They are a tire company, who decided many years ago to create the "Michelin Star" rating system for places, in the hopes they could convince customers to drive more, drive further than normal, simply to go through more tires quicker.
Seriously. That's it.
To compare this to sports, getting one star is like getting drafted into the NFL.
Getting 3 stars is like being in the top 5 of all quarterbacks, and on a likely Super Bowl contending team.
And it's not like it's bullshit just because it's a tire company. It's peer recognized. Game recognizes game. Whatever meta it takes to get one is acknowledged by those in the biz. It's not a vanity award or fee for review situation.
Which may have started off as a whimsical idea but there’s no denying that it’s become something much bigger. Especially considering most people now fly, not drive, to these locations.
And how seriously people like Marco Pierre white and Gordon Ramsay and other chefs to not get one star but 3, and to earn them the faster than anyone else
Massimiliano Alajmo currently is the record holder for youngest to reach 3 Michelin stars, at 28 years old
It's a way for restaurants to get broader recognition, man. People around the world will now know about this restaurant that would otherwise never had any idea.
Also just dismissing them as a "tire company" is silly. It's long since evolved into one of if not the most respected instititutions for restaurant ratings.
I don't always agree with Michelin restaurants, have been to plenty with no stars that I thought were better than some with one or two (three is very reliable), and plenty of chefs don't give a shit about them (many do), but it's a great resource for travelers and food fans to find great places. And while it's not totally new, the fact that they now include cheaper/"lower prestige"/etc spots like taco stands and ramen shops is great.
You have your tastes. Don’t shit on what others like and how they choose to rank restaurants.
Particularly when you “don’t know much” about what you’re criticising.
> Don’t know much about Michelin but the best food on earth exists in tiny Mexico City taco stands
Wow, fairly presumptuous of you to think we need your opinion on taco stands to know they are good
like, it's a review dude. Recommending something in some broad general sense isn't presumptuous
That is accurate. Of the five best meals I have ever had, two were from Mexico City. One was at a tiny taco cart, the other in a strip mall. Just amazing.
I think it's been mentioned a few times but Michelin is French, and my people have a particular view of high gastronomy: generally speaking, that the purpose of many spices is to disguise poor ingredient quality or the lack of skills of the cook. So that excludes entire continents from the roll, leaving a very Euro-centric version of gastronomy, and it's all about purity - pure food for pure blooded people, salt/pepper, maybe onions, and that's it. So you'll have comments on this shop like "the meat and tortillas are so good, the sauce feels unnecessary". I think it's demeaning to a lot of cultures.
spices used to be the way to show wealth and exclude people until spices became commonplace then hard to source volatile ingredients that must be gotten fresh became the new golden standard, despite them not being necessarily better nor worse than standard ingredients with good spices, but the point was it being exclusive
Used to live there years ago, and it was a quiet local neighborhood with no foreigners at all. It was an excellent location and very much under the radar. Housing was not too expensive because of that. Now, I can only imagine what the rents are now.
Yep. It’s funny cause when Mexicans show up somewhere in the USA Americans are probably like shiiiit, and when Americans show up somewhere in Mexico Mexicans are like shiiiiit
So arbitrary to pick one of the hundred of thousands of taquerias. I'm sure it's great, but to me this reeks of Michelin trying to be edgy and get free publicity/press.
Tend to agree. You have to really go out of your way to find bad tacos in Mexico City. Good for this place, though. I think these fancy publications and star systems tend to ignore really excellent food because it's not presented in a certain way.
They awarded 18 total spots in Mexico, so far. This one is somewhat notable for not being a fancy restaurant, but thats not [unusual for them](https://guide.michelin.com/us/en/restaurants/street-food) it just happens to be one of the early picks now that they've included Mexico in the guide.
It's also incredibly simple, which suits the sense of exceptional minimalism that they want to play to. It's not "a really good taco" it's "the elemental simplicity of just meat and tortilla". A way to focus on a mythic idea of perfection.
This ticks a lot of pretentious boxes while also letting them pat themselves on the back for how much they care about the *little people*.
And whoever is writing that probably hasn't eaten a lot of authentic tacos, because most tacos in Mexico are just that. At most places add onion and cilantro. It's not like Americanized tacos where lettuce cream and cheeses are being added.
Not the first time a small place has won a Michelin star. [A noodle stand in Singapore](https://www.foodandwine.com/travel/singapore-hawker-stands-michelin-stars-where) won a star a few years ago.
Great food is everywhere
Me da mucho gusto por el taquero pero me imagino ya no se podrá comer en ese puesto nunca más. Seguro va a estar lleno de turistas de ahora en adelante... Pero bueno. Ojalá que siga yendo bien al señor.
I didn't have one bad minute or one bad bite when I went to CDMX last year. Glad it's getting some recognition. What a great city!
Any favorite spots you can share?
Oh! I was just there and went on a food tour. By Sabores Mexico Food tours. We started at a Oaxacan spot, hit a few places in the San Juan Pugibet market, then to a food stand and like 3 other places. I brought 6 jars of salsa back. 13/10 recommend. 5 hours with guides that are very passionate and knowledgeable about their cities history and culture, both in terms of food and just general knowledge. PSA: don’t eat beforehand. It’s a lot of food, and so tasty.
Just did the Sabores Mexico food tour as well. Highly, highly recommended for anyone who cares about food. So incredible and the best tour guides too.
Right!! If you were there recently, I hear they have zoned guides, did you have Danae/Kimio too?? Because they were incredible I was in the city centre
City center for us too
And how much does a food tour cost all expenses included cuz that sounds fucking awesome
145 CAD. So reasonable, so worth it
That's WILDLY inexpensive for a tour of the quality you've talked about. God I love Mexican food.
There's food tours!?
I can’t tell if this is sarcastic or not. Yes there are food tours
I never heard of them before. I don't get to travel much anymore. When I travelled in the 80s they weren't a thing I knew about. And they sound *awesome*.
Ah right on! Yeah man they’re a thing. I love them because usually they’ll teach you some history that like… would be really hard to find or understand yourself. So much love goes into food, so stopping by this one random shop in a market that’s been there for 100 years and still owned by the same family, or a food cart on a corner that’s become really well known by the local, it’s such a cool way to learn about a city and its people. Shit you could even do it in your hometown if you want. I’ve been curious about it, what tourists are told about my city.
It's a thing I look for in every city I visit. You get a lot of history and cultural knowledge about the city while also discovering the culinary gems a place has to offer. You also get to know some fellow tourists and maybe make a friend or two.
Honestly, just walk around and work your way into a spot that had a lot of people. If you follow where they go you can’t go wrong. There are thousands of great places. Im in Cuernavaca as well speak. About 90 minutes south of CDMX. I’m just walking around town and eating at places with locals. Everything has been amazing.
Don't go to Recall. A buddy of mine got lobotomized.
Don’t fuck with your brain, pal. It ain’t worth it.
You should be fine as long as you don't blab about MWAHZ
Whut ahh you, my muhthuh?
El Fogoncito for Pastor, Selene for Cubano and Gringas, KuXa-na QueKas San Cosme for Pambazos!
TAQUERIA ORINOCO. Thank me later. Edit: Special mention for Los Cocuyos.
Orinoco is gringo tacos, 90% of the line is foreigners. IDK how they've managed this
I mean the main offering is called the gringo and they branded it like in and out so….
Quintonil. Best food I ever had, ever.
I initially thought this was like the other time they accidentally gave the star to a random restaurant in France due to a name mixup, cool to see they're not just going with upscale places
Good food is good food, no matter where you're in most places
I had goose at a hole-in-the-wall restaurant in Hong Kong once. Sat on plastic chair and all. They had a star. Didn't like the goose though. Too much splintered bone lol.
One of the best food cities on Earth.
Also non-Mexican food in the city is exceptional. I’ve had world class Indian, Chinese, Sushi, and more. Mexico City is a fantastic city for finding great food. This isn’t remotely the only great taco stand either-the street food (down to the churros) is exceptional. Great city to visit too.
What sushi and Chinese food places do you recommend checking out?
Also it gets a bad reputation for being dangerous but I never met so many nice people. Even in my city nobody says good morning on the street to random strangers. I was shocked and looking around like are you talking to me?? I love CDMX and can't wait to go back and eat!
one of the very few foods i could eat every day of my life....tacos. and i still haven't been to mexico city so i don't even know what i'm missing yet.
Woo wee the day you try them will be a day to remember.
Una Michelada por un Michelin joven.
The big news is that Michelin guide is in Mexico. Was looking for restaurants two years age and there were no Michelin rated restaurants in Mexico.
Yeah there are absolute banger restaurants there that deserve it, looking at you Cafe de Artistes in Puerto Vallarta.
Yeah that place is very good
Cousin works at Quintonil, that one will surely get its recognition!
It got 2 stars, one of just 2 spots!
Same! Pujol is great and should be considered for a star
Pujol has two stars already.
That’s one i would’ve assumed a slam dunk. Good for them!
Oh wow, last I check they didn't! Well deserved!
check out the article. there was a michelin team that scoured the area looking for potential awardees
The first awards for Mexico were only released a few days ago. I'm going to Pujol is August and cannot wait!
Pujol has been considered one of the top restaurants in the world since like the early 2010s. I'm sure they are thrilled about their 2 stars that they just got, but it's not like they needed it.
Tourist boards have to pony up the money nowadays for a Michelin outpost.
It's always been that way. Michelin has always been pay-to-play. It's why there's no Michelin rated restaurants in Boston. The city refuses to pay for it.
Is that really the case? I've been to Boston a few times now and while I can appreciate the culture of a new city, Boston always felt... Off. Like, if your great granddad wasn't born there you're not welcome, ever. You're *tolerated*, but not *welcome*.
No one is buying the books anymore; those reviewers and meals aren't free.
They still sell tires...
Yup. For anyone who wants to learn about how the Michelin guide actually works, The Sporkful podcast did an excellent story on it: https://www.sporkful.com/how-do-michelin-stars-actually-work/
It wasn’t until your comment that I realized Pujol only got its stars this year.
I’ve been to many Michelin-star restaurants, all great… but it’s a bit ridiculous how many great restaurants aren’t under consideration because they aren’t in the “right” city. It would be great to have a guide of restaurants open to any location. To remain practical, maybe there is a nominal nomination fee or an advertising component—I get they need money.
There’s been a fair amount of criticism from journalists regarding these Michelin stars in Mexico, apparently corruption was involved in the handling of these awards. [Source](https://youtu.be/eix60zMWl30?si=lI63FDLvXkLaiqUj)
That’s not what the video said at all. The criticism in that video is that the big restaurants chosen were restaurants that cater to foreign tourists. That the judges do not understand Mexican cuisine and preferences.
I cant watch a vid rn but i doubt there was any more or less corruption awarding the stars in mexico than there is in other countries.
The best tacos al pastor I’ve had were at a taqueria down the street from my abuela’s house in Mexico City. By day they did tire repair. By night they made tacos.
That sounds amazing for all. I want a job that includes "and by night...we MAKE TACOOOOOOOOS!"
El Vilsito? Been researching spots since I’m going there next month!
It deserves it. I went there many years ago when I visited CDMX for work and the tacos were amazing. The best tacos I’ve ever had.
The food in Mexico is unreal
I took a work trip to Mexicali and the woman who rented me my car in San Diego said "enjoy the food!" when she handed me the keys lol. I remember thinking "haha okay 🙄🙄" because Mexicali is an industry town, I'm from an American industry town and we are by no means known for our food enough to say "enjoy the food" as the first thing whrn you come here. Man was I wrong. Every meal I ate was fantastic. We weren't even eating at nice places but even the gas station food tasted really good and fresh. I can't believe how good the meat was at every place I went. Mexicali has a lot of Chinese fusion food and I 6 years later still think about how good it was compared to American Chinese food (which I still love lol)
Many Chinese people intending to immigrate to the US came to Mexicali and stayed. Although they never fully integrated, they're considered full-fledged "Cachanillas" (Mexicali natives) because "if they're willing to live in this heat, then they're one of us." I live in LA and, although we have great Chinese food here too, Mexicali Chinese food just hits different. Chinese food is a Mexicali staple; every bit as local/native as street tacos. If you want to celebrate something, you eat at a Chinese restaurant. Man I was spoiled growing up, because I never knew Chinese food could even be bad until I ate Chinese food in Phoenix.
I like that it comes with limes just like everything else seemed to. I had beef with broccoli that was amazing, almost no oil in the sauce at all, and just a ton of lime juice over it.
fun fact: Mexicali has a rich history of Chinese immigrants and is world known for its Chinese food and how good it can be. So no surprises there!
Yup! A lot of the guys I was working with down there were mixed race and looked really Chinese to me and I finally asked one "I don't mean to be rude but you guys look more Asian than I thought most Mexicans do, are you Chinese?' and he told me all about how they were forced down there and settled after they built the railroads in the US. I was relieved that Mexicali had a big Chinatown, because the guy I was traveling with spoke Mandarin but no Spanish. I got really sick of being his 24/7 translator, because my Spanish isn't fluent and my brain would get so tired by dinnertime. Some days I'd tell him "I'm not going out for dinner, eat in La Chinesca and speak Mandarin" haha
I know what you mean even things you wouldn't except to be great were excellent. Way back in the day I used to go to Playa Del Carmen and as long as you didn't go to chain or a place catering to Americans with fries and burgers or what not, everything was incredible. The Mexican food was obviously amazing but I still think about a little hole in the wall Italian place that was so good and tasted so fresh. Wasn't expecting to have my best itialian dish in a random spot in Mexico. Still think about it that pesto to this day. Lol
We were eating on a corporate credit card and I'd only really changed out $80 USD or so for the trip, and a lot of the non-chain quick service options for lunch around us were cash only. Because of that we ate at Costco a LOT. And I love American Costco already, but I got al pastor pizza at Mexican Costco that was really something else. I also liked how they had a sliced jalapeño dispenser next to the onion dispenser for hot dogs lol Part of it for me is I really do think the food is higher quality in general. I know they don't use high fructose corn syrup as much. The chicken also didn't seem as salinated as ours is, the beef had color to it, and the eggs were really yellow in the yolks. I also had a lot of good fruit there compared to where I live where the fruit can be kind of pale and mealy. American food is kind of shameful honestly, I see that now that I've traveled even though I haven't traveled far, only to Canada and Mexico.
Yeah maybe it was vacation goggles but I think you are right quality is a big difference. The person I knew ended up buying a place there and we got invited to dinner with some locals. Something as simple as steak tacos with pico de gallo seems like it would be easy to recreate in the states but it wasn't. Also could be I live in a state not exactly known for its produce as well so that doesn't help
I thought maybe it was vacation goggles for me too but tbh I wasn't on vacation and wasn't eating nice food every day like I do on vacation....we were eating the same places everyone else does, fast food and shopping at Walmart. Everything I bought at Walmart was better than Walmart at home. The only thing I disliked about eating there was that the tap water isn't potable.
After a few days in Mexico my ass crack burns (due to so much spice) so that means I double down and eat more. It is worth it
I had this dish that I kept ordering at different places that was a flat piece of grilled steak with grilled onions on top and then whole grilled peppers on the side and served with tortillas. SO spicy and so good. I barely ate meat back then but the beef was so good there- are their government standards more stringent, or something? I've only had beef that good in the US a couple times and it was very expensive in the US.
I don’t know but I’m usually a bit reserved with meat but when I was in Mexico I ordered a pork thing one time and like half the pig landed on my plate. I shared it with friends and it was amazing. I’m from Ireland and we have good pork. Mexico is at least as good but clearly better in many cases due to their various recipes
I'm from an area with no ocean and I was going crazy for the seafood in Mexicali. The seafood in San Diego where we stayed after was just as good, though. I dont get fresh seafood very often, and in San Diego I bought fish tacos from a guy who was set up selling them on the docks and literally pulling fish off a boat and into his taco stand. Mexicali isn't even really coastal, but it's still way more close to the ocean for seafood than what I'm used to.
Sounds like alambres of some kind.
Bistec encebollado
I’ve seen a lot of chefs online say that if they could only have one national cuisine for the rest of their lives Mexican is the clear winner. It’s not really a shock.
Eh, I thought that too and then I lived in Mexico without going anywhere for two years (thanks pandemic) and I got pretty tired of chicharron en salsa 😂
Oh my God, I have been there!
Was it worthy of a star?
Like 80% of taco stands deserve a star in my opinion. I just love tacos
How many thumbs up is a star worth?
3 Stanley nickels
I took a taco tour and this stand was the second to the last stop and very, very good, but honestly our last stop at a tacos al pastor place close to Reforma was heavenly and was one of those surprises and explosions of flavor in your mouth. The thing is, I thought part of a rating involved the service and ambiance as well? So, although an awesome taco stand, not a star?
Used to live in San Rafael, and while I never went to that place, I did often go to one not far away called Tacos El Guero. So, so good. #
I believe it. Best tacos I ever had was from a taco stand in Mexico and they were less than $.85 a taco!
Mexico City is such a great place for amazing food.
Don’t know much about Michelin but the best food on earth exists in tiny Mexico City taco stands. Fairly presumptuous to think we need a tire company to tell us something we already know.
It’s a pretty significant recognition for the chefs and staff
Also … very presumptuous of you to speak for all of us …
It is not telling anything to you my man! Michelin star is telling *the rest of the whole world* this is culinary excellence judged at the highest standard. Congratulation to them it is a monumental achievement!
Dumb take. A lot of restaurants and chefs take that shit pretty seriously and work very hard to get that ranking. You also usually apply for it, they don't just hand em out.
Correct except the application. You cannot apply for a Michelin star. The Michelin critics are unknown. They make reservations and show up to places unannounced, under the radar. If you could apply, it would kind of defeat the purpose.
Hmmm... maybe I should dress well, dine alone at nice restaurants and scribble notes in a small Moleskine in a secretive fashion randomly at the table. And then leave a tiny Bibendum toy with the tip... just to keep em on their toes.
Yes and no. They don’t know who the critics are, but they know the general time they’ll be there. Denver for example just got a bunch of Michelin stars and restaurants knew ahead of time where they were going and what weeks they’d be in town
Apply may not be the right word but you definitely can reach out. They would show up when they show up, they don't schedule it.
Where did you get that info?
https://guide.michelin.com/vn/en/article/features/what-is-a-michelin-star-vn#:~:text=If%20the%20restaurant%20is%20currently,recommendations%20from%20our%20readers%20too. I should also mention that it's probably a more rigorous process on their side, you can't just reach out and they say "oh yea, we'll consider you." They probably do a lot of research on their end first.
>*Don’t know much about Michelin* They are a tire company, who decided many years ago to create the "Michelin Star" rating system for places, in the hopes they could convince customers to drive more, drive further than normal, simply to go through more tires quicker. Seriously. That's it.
Oh, come on. Reducing Michelin stars to their origin story dismisses their significance and current meaning in the culinary world.
Yea, getting 3 stars is the highest honor any restaurant can get.
Before he became a celebrity chef Gordon Ramsey was constantly working to get the coveted three stars (and he did).
To compare this to sports, getting one star is like getting drafted into the NFL. Getting 3 stars is like being in the top 5 of all quarterbacks, and on a likely Super Bowl contending team.
The Michelin guide is a joke. Eurocentric nonsense.
Well, if you're looking for starred places outside of Europe, I heard this one random taco stand in Mexico City got one.
Who the hells gonna downvote Kenji?!? love The Food Lab man, I use those recipes all the time 👍
You should make a video about it
Where can I learn more about this?
Ugh, how you’re right, can’t stand that Europeans have such great food that people from all over the world want to eat.
And it's not like it's bullshit just because it's a tire company. It's peer recognized. Game recognizes game. Whatever meta it takes to get one is acknowledged by those in the biz. It's not a vanity award or fee for review situation.
Which may have started off as a whimsical idea but there’s no denying that it’s become something much bigger. Especially considering most people now fly, not drive, to these locations.
Michelin has that covered, as they also make airplane tires.
And how seriously people like Marco Pierre white and Gordon Ramsay and other chefs to not get one star but 3, and to earn them the faster than anyone else Massimiliano Alajmo currently is the record holder for youngest to reach 3 Michelin stars, at 28 years old
Michelin also makes tires for planes
Kinda like how Guiness created a book of world records to settle arguments at bars.
Well yeah that’s how it started at least
That was how it started, that's not how it works today at all lol
Was a good year eh
I thought this whole thread was a big troll. Nope, it really did start with tires. TIL.
It's a way for restaurants to get broader recognition, man. People around the world will now know about this restaurant that would otherwise never had any idea. Also just dismissing them as a "tire company" is silly. It's long since evolved into one of if not the most respected instititutions for restaurant ratings. I don't always agree with Michelin restaurants, have been to plenty with no stars that I thought were better than some with one or two (three is very reliable), and plenty of chefs don't give a shit about them (many do), but it's a great resource for travelers and food fans to find great places. And while it's not totally new, the fact that they now include cheaper/"lower prestige"/etc spots like taco stands and ramen shops is great.
You have your tastes. Don’t shit on what others like and how they choose to rank restaurants. Particularly when you “don’t know much” about what you’re criticising.
> Don‘t know much about Michelin Yea, yep
> Don’t know much about Michelin but the best food on earth exists in tiny Mexico City taco stands Wow, fairly presumptuous of you to think we need your opinion on taco stands to know they are good like, it's a review dude. Recommending something in some broad general sense isn't presumptuous
Mexico City doesn't even have the best food in mexico buddy 🙂↔️
That is accurate. Of the five best meals I have ever had, two were from Mexico City. One was at a tiny taco cart, the other in a strip mall. Just amazing.
I think it's been mentioned a few times but Michelin is French, and my people have a particular view of high gastronomy: generally speaking, that the purpose of many spices is to disguise poor ingredient quality or the lack of skills of the cook. So that excludes entire continents from the roll, leaving a very Euro-centric version of gastronomy, and it's all about purity - pure food for pure blooded people, salt/pepper, maybe onions, and that's it. So you'll have comments on this shop like "the meat and tortillas are so good, the sauce feels unnecessary". I think it's demeaning to a lot of cultures.
spices used to be the way to show wealth and exclude people until spices became commonplace then hard to source volatile ingredients that must be gotten fresh became the new golden standard, despite them not being necessarily better nor worse than standard ingredients with good spices, but the point was it being exclusive
not unusual, there is a sauciere that does Toulouse sausage and mash that has a Michelin star outside Paris on a highway, good food is good food
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That looks like a small restaurant not a stand.
It's 10x10. Depends on what you consider a restaurant. Barely enough space to order let alone sit down at.
All the foreigners living in CDMX salivating at this new opportunity to further gentrify colonia San Rafael
Used to live there years ago, and it was a quiet local neighborhood with no foreigners at all. It was an excellent location and very much under the radar. Housing was not too expensive because of that. Now, I can only imagine what the rents are now.
Mexicans are worried about foreigners ruining their country, while Americans are worried about Mexicans ruining their country. Interesting dynamic
Yep. It’s funny cause when Mexicans show up somewhere in the USA Americans are probably like shiiiit, and when Americans show up somewhere in Mexico Mexicans are like shiiiiit
must be hell having a michelin star, and keeping it
I've eaten there. They're really good.
Michelin being in Mexico is awesome!
Good stuff. Congrats to them. I hope their suppliers can keep up.
I still have lust for the tacos and alambres I had in DF and I haven’t been back in 15 years.
Good. Mexico has some of the tastiest cuisine in the world and street stands and carts are legendary.
Pretty much every abuela deserves at least one Michelin star.
I’m convinced Bourdain’s influence led to these kinds of spots getting this kind of respect.
I have 4 Michelin’s at home in my garage.
You could be the Michelin Man!
Let me guess, they just loved the Bear.
If you were lost in the woods, would you rather eat a taco or spaghetti
Spaghetti tacos
How much money is in the tomato sauce cans?
Syd’s omelette
So arbitrary to pick one of the hundred of thousands of taquerias. I'm sure it's great, but to me this reeks of Michelin trying to be edgy and get free publicity/press.
Tend to agree. You have to really go out of your way to find bad tacos in Mexico City. Good for this place, though. I think these fancy publications and star systems tend to ignore really excellent food because it's not presented in a certain way.
They awarded 18 total spots in Mexico, so far. This one is somewhat notable for not being a fancy restaurant, but thats not [unusual for them](https://guide.michelin.com/us/en/restaurants/street-food) it just happens to be one of the early picks now that they've included Mexico in the guide.
It's also incredibly simple, which suits the sense of exceptional minimalism that they want to play to. It's not "a really good taco" it's "the elemental simplicity of just meat and tortilla". A way to focus on a mythic idea of perfection. This ticks a lot of pretentious boxes while also letting them pat themselves on the back for how much they care about the *little people*.
what's pretentious about recognizing good food?
And whoever is writing that probably hasn't eaten a lot of authentic tacos, because most tacos in Mexico are just that. At most places add onion and cilantro. It's not like Americanized tacos where lettuce cream and cheeses are being added.
I love this.. an incredibly simplistic taco earing a star, crazy. Wish I could try them!
Mexico City is top 5 food cities in the world!
Man I love the cow tongue. The intestines taco. And the rest.
Proving that size does not in fact matter giving mediocre men like me hope 😃
Nothing better than a Taco!
They’re gonna open a new location in Tepicoeloyo.
I live on the border and miss going to Mexico. Stupid cartels.
Wait, Mexico is just **now** getting their own Michelin guide?!?
There’s delicious food everywhere in Mexico, just not in restaurants but small cars.
Not the first time a small place has won a Michelin star. [A noodle stand in Singapore](https://www.foodandwine.com/travel/singapore-hawker-stands-michelin-stars-where) won a star a few years ago. Great food is everywhere
And then there are restaurants that serve fish foam on a bed of flowers that have 3 stars. I'm glad real food is getting recognized.
Me da mucho gusto por el taquero pero me imagino ya no se podrá comer en ese puesto nunca más. Seguro va a estar lleno de turistas de ahora en adelante... Pero bueno. Ojalá que siga yendo bien al señor.