Hello from wisdom-teeth-removal hell! Iām happy to announce that I have completed one of my twelve New Years Resolutions, and happier to annouce that if every resolution on my list is as painful as this Iām giving up. Getting my wisdom teeth removed has been the most harrowing experience of my life and I deeply regret going through with it. I put it off for eight years and now I know why!
Iāve been feeling extremely swollen and uncomfortable and have not had a solid since last week, so in an irritated haze all Iāve been doing is thinking about delicious food I canāt eat.
As a lifelong resident of Mexico City, itās been interesting to watch the latest wave of tourism rise dramatically, especially in the past three years. Expats now abound, menus are in English and every influencer worth their salt has published their in-depth, unique CDMX guide. I donāt have to read any of these to know, broadly, what they recommend (Rosetta, TaquerĆa Orinoco, Pujol, Contramar, etc, etc, etc.) and even so, all of which are really good places!
Still, I think thereās lots to see and eat and do in Mexico beyond this limited list, and today I want to talk about a few of my favorites. Without further ado, hereās five places Iād eat in today if I could open my mouth!
š Entremar: Sometimes the guide gets it right. Famous and hyped as it is, Contramar is a fantastic restaurant, and the food at its cramped little sister, Entremar, is just as good. Fresh, delish seafood you donāt need a reservation for. The famous red-green fish is good, the tuna tostadas are delectable, the clams, pictured below are the stuff of dreams, but the hidden gem are the fish albondigas. Get them!!
š Arango Cocina de Raices: has an amazing view and a very happy, buzzy ambience. Itās a good place for celebratory occasions, they have all sorts of interesting cocktails, their gruyere burger is really good. I had a really cool video I wanted to upload but couldnāt, so here is an Instagram post:
š Goguinara: Delicious Korean food right off Reforma. They have quite a large menu, so itās best to reserve in advance and go with a group. Their budae jjigae (pictured below) is to die for and the bulgogi is amazing.
š£ Rokai: To be totally honest, the vibe here is not great. The staff is kind of pretentious, but the food is so good that I keep going back. My boyfriend loves their ramen (I prefer the one from Yamasan Ramen House) and I could spend all my money on their nigiris.
š® Tacos: This may seem like a cop out, but I donāt actually have a taco place to recommend. The best tacos are the closest tacos! I donāt know anybody willing to travel for more than fifteen minutes for tacos and while that may sound like a diss it is quite the opposite: the average taco place is really good! My controversial taco opinion is that you should order them one (or two) at a time, and not all at once or the tortilla gets soggy. Nearby, warm tacos are the best tacos.
š I read JosĆ© MarĆa Merinoās La Novela Posible for my book club. It was my pick and I was nervous itād be too weird, but itās an interesting book comprised of three parts: a retelling of Sofonisba Anguissolaās life as a gifted painter in the court of Felipe II, fictional journal entries of a woman in a toxic relationship with a artist, and Merinoās detailings of daily life at home at the start of the pandemic.
š More evidence that Chris Pine is the best Chris: I love anyone who loves IrĆØne NĆ©mirovsky and John le CarrĆ©.
Talk soon!
AP šæ
ps. pls forgive typos and run on sentences as i am unwell š
I read the Chris Pine reading list and dreamed of picking up one of his second-hand books in an LA used bookstore. He doesn't have a smartphone which I am sure creates his voracious literary appetite.
You still write very wisely and well despite the wisdom teeth removal. Best wishes for a speedy recovery!