Arif Towns Alonso taking in the scent of Black Winter Truffles
We thought 2017 would be hard to top. Starting the year with a
number of goals, as 2018 comes to a close, we think this year, despite some
major chef changes, was the best year ever for food in San Miguel de Allende.
Many of the young chefs cooking in SMA – Arturo Sandoval of
Atrio, Xavier Pinero Moreno at Ocre and Miguel Núñez of Bovine - have a year
under their belt now and they’ve settled in to create some of the best dishes
we’ve eaten this year. And speaking of young chefs, Patricio Fuentes Alvarez opened POLP SMA Gastrobar with small
plates designed for sampling and sharing - our
favorite way to eat; Chef Mariel Beiza brought her experience of cooking in the
Caribbean to enliven the flavors at an old standard, Belmond Casa Sierra
Nevada. It was a bold move on the part of the hotel that has paid off.
Chef Donnie Masterton opened Café Casa Blanca
this year, where the Mediterranean menu follows the Moorish trail -
Greece, Italy, Turkey, Lebanon, Tunisia and others, incorporating the use of a
custom built tagine stove, a deck oven for flat breads and pita, a wood burning
grill and a rotisserie. It’s highly anticipated sister restaurant, Fatima, will
open in early 2019. Guest dining at Café Casa Blanca on New Year’s Eve will get
the extraordinary thrill of a New Years toast from the rooftop of Fatima - and
to watch the fireworks for the very first time.
Some of our delightful eating experiences this year were at
events, starting with Outstanding in the Field in January, featuring two remarkable chefs, Donnie Masterton of The Restaurant and
Eduardo Garcia of Maximo Bistrot, lalo! and Havre 77 in Mexico City. Also
in the al fresco kitchen was Juan Jose (J.J.) Castaneda, the chef at Café Casa
Blanca and Fatima. Sitting down at a long table in an open field with over one
hundred of your new best friends, all of them food lovers just like you, was an
incredible experience. I walked past fifty six chairs to the other end of the
table to meet some of the guests. Many of them flew in to San Miguel just for
the meal, following the trail of Outstanding in the Field around the world.
What else caught our fancy in 2018? Going with
Arif Towns Alonso of Simbiosi to pick up his first order of black winter truffles;
the lucky recipient was Chef Oliver Deboise of Aperi. At the Lamb and Mezcal festival, we discovered a simple
Birria made by Sushi 23 and served with white rice much like a New Orleans
Gumbo and several new views: the rooftop top vista from La Unica, where we
captured a beautiful picture of the Paroquia in our wine glass and the stunning
view from the pool area at the new Live Aqua Resort. Don’t forget the new Asian
restaurant, Spice Market, will open shortly.
Our favorite
artist, Carmen
Jimenez, has also been commissioned to do a sculpture for this dazzling new resort.
We savored the dinners cooked by guest chefs
this past year: Alex Ruiz of Casa Oaxaca, who enchanted guests when he cooked with
Israel Loyola Espinosa at Jacinto 1930 for their second anniversary dinner; Oswaldo
Oliva of Lorea who created an exquisite chefs table dinner with Matteo Salas at
Aperi; Lula Martin del Campo and Josefina Santacruz, who
cooked with Marcela Bolano at Marsala cocina con acentos for her second
anniversary dinner and Eduardo Echeverria, Rene Teyes and John Gallo of Pinch
Kitchen Miami who produced the brunch at Moxi in Hotel Matilda during the MAG
festival this past summer.
We devoured
everything in SMA this past year, eating our way though fine dining
restaurants, markets, ranches and haciendas, cafes and food carts over 500 times. Photographs
defined our day, many of them reminding us just how lucky we are to have the
variety of food we do in SMA; ingredients grown at nearby farms around the
Bajio region like Bodega Organica at Rancho Luna Escondida, where
the Outstanding in the Field experience was held.
Awards
this year – well, we collected more than a few: for the second year in a row,
SMA was named the Best City in the World by Travel + Leisure. SMA was also named the Best Small City in the World
by Conde Nast Traveler. The Rosewood, Hotel Matilda
and Hotel Nena took # 3, 4 and 5 on the list of the ten top hotels in Mexico at
Conde Nast’s Traveler Awards; the hotels also placed on the international list
of the best hotels in the world. SMA was also nominated as the Best Destination
in Mexico and the Best Gourmet Destination in Mexico at
the Food and Travel Readers Awards. San Miguel
de Allende was also named the American Culture Capital for 2019 by the
International Bureau of Cultural Capitals; great news for the city’s chefs, who have worked hard to made the culinary
scene an central part of SMA’s rank as the Best City in the World.
We experienced a renewed interest in food preparation (after
cooking a different recipe every Sunday for thirty years and then taking a
hiatus for the past five years by eating out every day in SMA) at some of the best
cooking schools in SMA: Chef Kirsten West’s La
Piña Azul Escuela de Cocina, Chef Gilda Carbonaro’s Culinarian Expeditions, an old school with new blood, Sazon and Chef David Jahnke’s Cooking School Lab.
In 2018, we developed
a passion for new wines from the region with Tres Raices Winery. Opening this
year, they’ve already won medals in worldwide competition and they just opened
a new tasting room on the first floor at Cuna de Allende #15.
Here’s
a list of our most memorable food moments from 2018. Thanks to all the
chefs who created them; they’re why 2018 was our best year in SMA for food and
drink.
Stay
hungry SMA! A feast called 2019 is right around the corner and we can’t wait to
savor it.
Buen
Provecho!
Andanza Restaurant at Belmond Casa Sierra
Nevada
Chef
Mariel Beiza cooked with Italian chef Chef Sergio Daniele Spoletini of Rome, Italy
to honor Italian Ambassador Luigi Maccotta for the Week of Italian
Cuisine in the World, organized by the Italian Embassy in Mexico in partnership
with Crea Italia Connections .
With the Mexican Caribbean as her backyard, Chef
Mariel Bezia refined the tropical and peppery flavors that she brings to the
kitchens at Belmond Casa Sierra
Nevada. Of all
the appetizing dishes she’s made, Shrimp on Rasurada was our favorite. A clever
way to serve this appetizer, we loved the presentation almost as much as the
dish itself. We also savored the chili oil sautéed octopus, mayonnaise with mustard seeds and green
salad. The octopus was crispy on the outside and tender on the inside – exactly
like we love it. We also loved many of the dishes we made at Casa Sierra Nevada's cooking school, Sazon.
Andanza Restaurant at Belmond Casa Sierra Nevada
Hotel
Calle Hospicio 35
Sunday - Saturday 7:30 AM - 11:00 PM
Chef: Mariel Beiza
Pastry Chef: Ruben Yanez Hernandez
Andy’s Tacos
Pretty
sure a perfect night in SMA should end at Andy’s Tacos. Written up by the Wall
Street Journal in 2014, Andy’s has ruled the late-night street carts in SMA
since then. We tried a lot of Tacos al Pastor in Mexico City this year; we
didn’t find any we liked better. Who was also on the trail to find the best
taco in SMA? MAG Chef Duncan Welgemoed of Africola restaurant: South
African-born, French-trained and Adelaide, Australia-based.
A
bromance was in the making when confirming to Andy that Duncan was in fact that
famous chef from Australia. Andy is a local celebrity as well, catering to the
after midnight crowd.
Andy’s Tacos
Corner: Hidalgo and Insurgentes
After 7:30 PM
Antonia
Bistro
Chef Alejandro Cuatepotzo of Antonia Bistro SMA was nominated
for the Best Chef
Revelation and the Best New Mexican Restaurant for
the Food and Travel 2018 Readers Awards.
We love breakfast at Antonia, for the daybreak
quiet that comes with the most stellar view of the city. Order the Fried Eggs
with Green Herbs Cream on the side and homemade hash browns; we’re still
savoring the side medley of pork sausage and onions.
Antonia Bistro
San
Francisco #57
Sunday
– Thursday 8:00 AM – 10:30 PM
Friday
– Saturday 8:00 AM – 11:00 PM
Chefs: Alejandro
Cuatepotzo and Miguel Estrada
Aperi
The
king has left the house; Chef Matteo leaves Aperi for a new adventure in
Europe.
Chef
Olivier Deboise takes the kitchen and if you haven’t tasted his food, 2019 is
the time to try it.
Aperi was nominated for Best Restaurant of the
Interior and Best Hotel Restaurant for the Food and Travel 2018
Readers Awards. Mixologist, Adrian Garcia Evans,
was nominated for the best cocktails.
What we ate and drank that made a lasting impression:
Never underestimate
the sophistication of a 20 year old sherry - Don Guido Sherry.
A Mancino Vermouth that
redefined what a vermouth experience should be, especially for someone who has
never loved vermouth.
Yeast butter: we couldn’t lick the plate clean while sitting at the chefs table… but we kind
of did.
Octopus with crispy
pig ears – we’ve eaten pig’s ears before but never like this.
We also wrote our
favorite post; a tribute to Chef Matteo Salas:
The best seat in the house is the chefs table; Matteo
Salas's chef table.
I've often said that although there is only one in SMA,
it will always be the best as long as
Chef Matteo Salas is cooking. He proved it once
again at his dinner with Chef Oswaldo Oliva of Lorea.
Taking on a very aggressive menu, which required guests
to think about texture rather than flavor, was a challenge for someone who
always thinks about taste. But thinking outside the box is the place where Chef
Matteo Salas artfully lifts you to; you're painlessly pushed beyond your
boundaries to a whole new level of respect for great food.
The chefs table is the place I go when I want to learn
more about food. Honestly, school cannot teach me as much as what I learn in 5
hours at the chefs table at Aperi. How often do you get to talk to the chef
about how he prepares a dish or where he finds his ingredients? Sourcing good
ingredients is not easy but Chef Matteo Salas has mastered that art as well.
In Chef Salas's kitchen, there is an energy that carries
you beyond the appreciation for good food. He sees a dish and brings it to
life; plating it in a way that makes you wonder where that one came from. I've
learned to never second guess the mind of a chef who can elevate simple dishes
to a culinary high spot; it's a gift.
The pictures in my head are all amazing but these are
with my phone, not my Nikon as the night is impossible, at least for this
daylight photographer. We eat with our eyes first and I can tell you that my
eyes had a total food indulgence that only a visual person can tell you about.
At the chefs table, you learn about techniques as well
as ingredients - like yeast butter or stuffed squash blossoms that you eat
whole with your head tilted back so you can appreciate the texture of the food.
Or how about a pineapple tepache shot or Octopus with crispy pig ears. It was
all great food; brilliant in fact, along with world-class pairings like a
20-year old Don Guido Sherry that I savored to the very last drop. A pairing
with vermouth? Never until Mancino came along and redefined what a vermouth
experience should be, especially for someone who has never loved it. Chilean
born sommelier Sebastian Acosta Quiroz and Welch pairing
master Adrian Garcia-Evans worked with Chef Salas to create the
pairings, some of the best I've had anywhere.
With your senses in overload, the sight, taste, and
smell of both the food and the drink transcend you. How can you possibly get
anything better than this? You settle in to your place at the end of the table,
praying the feast will never end but it does, promptly at midnight. Now you get
to go home and dream about this meal; the perfect ending to a perfect night.
One thing I've learned over the years is to measure a
meal on its own merits; not to compare it to every other one you've eaten. This
was mandatory for me since one of the best meals I've ever had anywhere was
delivered last year by Chefs Matteo Salas and Eduardo Garcia at the chefs table
at Aperi. This, I can say, was also one for the books!
Aperi
Quebrada
#101
Sunday,
Monday, Wednesday, Thursday
Lunch:
2:00 PM – 4:00 PM
Dinner:
6:30 PM – 9:00 PM
Friday
– Saturday 2:00 PM – 9:00 PM
Closed
Tuesday
Chef
Olivier Deboise
Atrio
We think owners, José
María Calvo (Chema) and Jesús Manuel Calvo (Chus) are some of the best restaurateurs
in SMA. Along with Atrio, they also own La Azotea and Pueblo Viejo.
Chef Arturo Sandoval’s vision and creativity are some of Atrio’s
secret weapons when it comes to brilliant food. These three dishes were unlike
anything else we ate this year:
Crunchy red snapper marinated with spicy
oriental red chilies, chipotle and citric sauce.
Sea Urchin Ceviche: cubes of scallop and sea urchin with
avocado, josper roasted pineapple, tamarind tiger milk and chipotle.
Duck dumplings served with Ahi amarillo sauce
made from Peruvian peppers.
And then there’s the wine and the beer that
Luis Vela, the Manager of Atrio, introduced us to:
WENTE Vineyards is registered as California
Historical Landmark #957; it’s is the oldest continuously operating,
family-owned winery in the United States. Many people in SMA can’t believe that
Atrio is carrying Wente Chardonnay; that is unless we’ve drank it all by now. 
Cucapa Beer: We really don’t need a reason
to drink beer in Mexico; many say that Mexican beer is the best and we happen
to like this Microbrew from Baja. Cucapa says of their own beer “We were born between the best of two worlds, the
border allowed us to explore two cultures to incorporate the best of each and
create something authentic like our beer. We are a young Mexico with
new ideas.” We like that thought… and the beer.
Finally, Atrio has a new Bao Bun made
with a buttery confit of Lechon that’s cooked for 16 hours and is accompanied
by a yellow chili aioli, a creole salad of onions, peas and habanero with a
sweet potato puree. It’s our new favorite; the best Bao
Bun they’ve created so far. We know, we eat it at least once a week.
Atrio
Cuna de Allende #3
Daily 1:00 PM – 11:00
PM
Chef:
Arturo Sandoval
Bacco Ristorante
Amatriciana spaghetti with double bacon and cheese - because no one needs to justify Sunday comfort food.
Bacco Ristorante at Hotel Sautto
Hernandez
Macias #59
Tuesday
– Saturday 1:00 PM – 10:30 PM
Sunday
1:00 PM – 6:00 PM
Closed
Monday
Bacio del Sole Limoncello
We’re addicted to the creamy Limoncello made
by small, local producer, Renee Marklulin, that showcases fruits grown here in Central
Mexico. Unlike may Limoncellos that are made from grain alcohol, Bacio del Sole
Limoncello uses a smooth, high-end vodka as the base, along with Meyers Lemons;
sweeter than regular lemons with the same aroma and tart flavor. You can pour
it over pound cake and garnish with grilled peaches and whipped cream for a satisfying
Italian dessert. It also comes in an orange flavor called Creamsicle. Didn’t you always love
Creamsicles as a kid?
Contact the producer
at reneemarkulin@gmail.com
Big John’s Munch Box
A grilled
Costco Hot Dog - because Queretaro is a long drive when you’re this hungry and
we’re always hungry for Big John’s Munch Box.
Big
John’s Munch Box
Refugio
Sur #2, San Antonio
Monday
– Friday 12:00 Noon – 7:00 PM
Saturday
12:00 Noon – 4:00 PM
Chef:
John Robert Ledsome
Birdies
Burgers
Monday: nothing that a little Birdies
wouldn’t fix, served with Sea Salt Fries or, when we’re really hungry, the
loaded fries. It’s our weekly addiction.
Birdies Chicken Sandwich: Just seeing this sandwich is suggestion
enough.
Ridiculously good and
probably one of the biggest and best chicken sandwiches I've had since I’ve
been in SMA, it's batter fried chicken, bacon, avocado, tomato, lettuce and a
special dressing. Belly up for this one; I wasn't hungry for days after
tackling this sandwich.
Birdies Burgers
Doce
18 Concept House at Relox 18
Daily:
10:00 AM – 10:00 PM
Chef:
Donnie Masterton
Bovine Brasserie
Bovine was nominated for the Best New Mexican
Restaurant for the Food and Travel 2018 Readers Awards. Congrats to owner, Bruce
James and chefs
Paul Bentley and Miguel Nunez for the prestigious nomination.
The
Oxtail stew with bone marrow sauce is the richest thing we ate in 2018… and also
one of the most delicious.
If its chicken you’re
craving, the slow, smoked essence of Bovine’s chicken is definitely worth the
wait.
How
to make the perfect French Onion Soup? Just ask Chef Miguel Nunez,
who has created the best soup in SMA; our favorite soup this year.
Bovine Brasserie
Tuesday: 7:00 PM - 11:00 PM
Wednesday - Sunday: 1:00 PM - 11:00 PM
Closed Monday
Executive
Chef: Paul Bentley
Chef: Miguel
Alejandro Nuñez Salas
Buenos
Aires Bistro
Because when you crave a great steak, you should
always go for the best!
Photo
by Don Ledsworth Jr.
Buenos Aires Bistro
Mesones
#62
Sunday
– Saturday: 1:00 PM – 10:00 PM
Chef:
Mariano Alvarez
Cafe
Casa Blanca
Moroccan Chilaquiles,
distinguished by a tomato-harissa sauce, feta cheese, goat yogurt, cilantro,
onion and a fried egg; different and delightfully delicious.
Mana’esh: Zaartar flatbread with labneh
cheese, tomato and mint and a fried egg: our favorite breakfast pizza.
When you crave steak and bread, it’s Ribeye Meloui, one of
our favorite dishes at Café Casa Blanca.
Where will you be this New Years Eve? Guest dining at Café Casa Blanca will get the extraordinary
thrill of a New Years toast from the rooftop of Fatima and watch the fireworks
from there.
Café Casa
Blanca/Fatima chef, J.J. Castaneda, will cook with Chef
Donnie Masterton at the Outstanding in the Fields dinner on January 26, 2019. http://www.outstandinginthefield.com/winter-tour--4
Cafe Casa Blanca
Juarez
#8
Breakfast:
8:00 AM – 11:00 AM
Comida:
11:00 AM – 10:00 PM
Closed:
Monday
Chefs:
Donnie Masterton and J.J. Castaneda
Café
de la Mancha
Huevos Rancheros: because Chef Mariana Gonzalez Gutierrez has got her sauces down to a
science + art. She also makes the best mole in town.
Cafe de la Mancha
Recreo
21A
Monday – Saturday: 8:30
AM – 5:30 PM
Closed Sunday
Chef: Mariana Gonzalez Gutierrez
Café
Muro
What else is more satisfying on Sunday
morning than an oversized, American breakfast? Cathy’s Breakfast - sometimes we
just need a big gringo fix.
Huevos con chile pasilla: best Mexican breakfast
and look at the size of the serving. All of Café Muro’s servings are enormous.
The most buttery Croissants; one of the many
pastries created by their baker at Marulier and served every Sunday morning.
Café Muro
San
Gabriel 1 | Barrio del Obraje, 37725
Phone:
415 152 6341
Hours: Thursday –
Tuesday 9 AM – 4 PM/ Wednesday: Closed
Canada
de la Virgen
Carnitas: because everything tastes ten
times better when it’s grass-fed and served in the heart of their wide-open-spaces.
https://www.facebook.com/pg/CanadaVirgen/
Casa
Madero Wines
Casa Madero Wines has won over 500 awards in
its history and is the oldest winery in the Americas. Thanks to Ricardo Sautto
of Bacco and Cava Sauto for introducing us to Casa Madero Chardonnay and Casa
Madero Rose.
Cava Sautto just opened a new liquor store
on the Ancha in the old Mercado Centro/Espino’s space. A huge congrats to
Valeria Sautto on the opening.
https://www.facebook.com/CasaMadero1597/
Chef David Jahnke Cooking School Lab
Professor/Chef David Jahnke, the head of the Gastronomy Department at the University of Celaya, left his position this past year to teach private cooking classes from his home. Recognized for both his knowledge and his cooking style, he teaches a wide range of classes. Here's just a small sample of what we learned...and ate:
Seafood Paella: because one of the best
culinary instructors in SMA makes everything better than everyone else; it’s a rule!
Smoking Fish: The chef took a cast iron pan and put wood chips
in the bottom - absolutely no water - placed a steamer pan on top with three different thin
fish fillets, then covered the pan with aluminum foil. He cooked the fish on
top of the stove on low heat for 10 minutes. The fish was perfectly cooked and
lightly smoked. Kitchen life would have been a lot easier if I had learned this 35 years ago.
Chef David Jahnke
Chef David Jahnke Cooking School Lab
Cellular: 7441363963
Chef Sofia Antillon at Home
Torta Ahogada: because this treasured
family recipe has stood the test of time. We loved this recipe almost as much
as much as this talented chef.
Chef Antillon now cooks for private events and dinners. You can
contact her by calling Nomada cocina de Interpretacion at 415-121-6165.
Sinfully delicious was Franklin Terry and Rick Thompson’s
Christmas dessert, a rich, creamy, and rather boozy Kahula filled Chocolate
Trifle.The founders of Club Luna, a private dinner club in SMA, know
how to entertain, especially around the holidays. 
We were delighted to sit down
at their beautiful Christmas table which featured a striking textile from Evita
Avery’s La Calaca, Mesones #93.
https://www.facebook.com/ClubLunaSMA/
Culinarian
Expeditions
Great
pizza in SMA? We have it thanks to instructor Fulvio Carbonaro, who taught pizza
making classes for many of the chefs in town. Thanks to OCRE, Marsala cocina
con acientos, Aperi, MiVida and Atrio for
participating and for Gilda Carbonaro of Culinarian Expedition for
organizing. Our favorite: the olive pizza Mediterraneo'; made by the
master himself, Fulvio Carbonaro.
http://www.culinarianexpeditions.com/
Da Monica Italian Restaurant
Carbonara overloaded with pancetta and Spaghetti
Bolognese from this Italian treasure in the middle of downtown Dolores
Hidalgo. The most delicious pasta in GTO? We think so.
Da Monica
Hidalgo 12, Centro, 37800 Dolores Hidalgo
Phone:
+52 418 182 4587
We thought that nothing in SMA was
better than a bowl of El Pato’s Mixiotes; the Mexican version of your mother’s
Sunday pot roast, but it turns out there’s something else that enlivened
our taste buds this year: Espaldilla: the shoulder that has more fat and is
much tastier than most other parts of the lamb.
El Pato Barbacoa y Mixiotes
Calzada de la Estacion 175
Wednesday – Monday: 8:00 AM – 2:30 PM Closed Tuesday
Chef: Jose Luis
Eggs Benedict: because there’s nothing better
than an old classic but more important, they toast their English muffins. You
can also get a half order.
El Pegaso
Centro,
Corregidora 6, Zona Centro
Thursday
– Tuesday: 8:30 AM – 10:00 PM
Closed
Wednesday
El Vergel Bistro and Market
Congratulations to Ari
Vasquez, who is the new chef at El Vergel Bistro and Market. She was El
Vergel’s Sous chef before being promoted.
How can something
swimming in butter and garlic be anything less than fabulous?
El Vergel Bistro and Market
Camino Alborada 17, Predio la Alborada, 37880
Tuesday – Sunday: 9:00 AM – 6:00 PM except Friday and
Saturday open till 9:00 PM. Closed Mondays.
Chef: Ari Vasquez
Jacinto 1930
At the Food and Travel 2018 Readers Awards this year,
Chef Israel Loyola Espinosa was nominated for Chef Promise and Mixologist Adrian Garcia Evans was nominated for best
cocktails.
Photo: Jacinto 1930
Chef
Israel Loyola Espinosa celebrated his 2nd anniversary at a dinner with renowned
Chef Alex Ruiz of Casa Oaxaca. The fabulous Short Rib in
Istmeno Stew was the highlight of this seven course dinner.
Chef Israel Loyola
Espinosa uses some of our favorite ingredients in his Cochinita Pibil Ahogada
sandwich including pickled onion and habanero chili with avocado leaf and bean
mayonnaise. The bean bolillo adds some remarkable new flavors to one of our
favorite dishes.
Jacinto 1930
Doce 18 at Relox 18
Sunday
12:00 noon –9:00 PM
Monday - Thursday 1:00 PM–9:00 PM
Chef:
Israel Loyola Espinosa
La Azotea
Sunshine + Bougainvilleas: a prescription for Chardonnay
with supreme floral notes.
Always memorable, no matter how may years we
loved it, is the Shrimp Jicama Taco: because the best taco in Mexico deserves to
be savored over and over, again and again, year after year.
La Azotea
Umaran
#6 (upstairs)
Sunday
- Saturday 1:00 PM - 12:00 AM
La Alborada
Because red pozole that’s peppery, spicy,
loaded with chicken, pork or beef, and served with eight different toppings and
spices needs no holiday to be appreciated.
La Alborada
Sollano and Dávalos 11
10:00 AM – 10:00 PM Closed Sunday
Lamb and Mezcal Festival
Birria by Sushi 23 - our favorite dish was
served with rice, much like a Cajun Gumbo.
Chef Magda Elisa Pablos’s Lamb Shank, Pibil
style, with a tamal made of corn masa, mashed roasted plantains, sweet potato and duck fat wrapped in a banana leaf, tomatillo
sauce with mint and Habanero sauce and ginger and cardamom. She got us at duck
fat!
https://www.facebook.com/festivaldelcorderoydelmezcal/
La Parada
This sandwich
tastes exactly like the shrimp poorboys you get in New Orleans on a soft
Ciabatta with fried shrimp, and lots of it, piled high with lettuce, pickled
onions, tomatoes, avocado and a tartar sauce. One of the best sandwiches we had
this year.
Chef Alexandra
Gutt and her husband, mezcal aficionado, Juan Leon De Vivero, opened a new mescal
bar, San Mezcal, three doors down from La Parada. Chef Alexandra Gutt has created
a great bar menu with over 10 different dishes to choose from. I hear there’s a
BLT with my name on it!
La Parada
Recreo 94
Wed - Saturday 12:00 Noon - 10:00 PM
Sunday - Monday 12:00 Noon - 9:00 PM
Tuesday – Closed
Chef: Alexandra Gutt
La Piña Azul
Escuela de Cocina
I was
so impressed with Kirsten West’s knowledge of Mexican food. She’s a wealth of
information, having learned a lot from her former boss, Rick Bayless, although
there’s no doubt he learned a lot from her too. In fact, after taking her
class, I imagine her sitting in his library going though every single cookbook;
the largest, privately-owned collection of Mexican cookbooks in the U.S.
I’ll tell you a secret - it appears that she
memorized each and every one of them. She was also Mick Jagger, of the
Rolling Stones, private chef for four years. The stories from her career are
entertaining and funny. Her appreciation for all things Mexican made this class
beyond just the usual learning experience. She once told me “ I have deeply
ventured into the mysteries of moles, experiencing some ‘near religious
experiences’ preparing them.” My fascination with her hands gave me an almost
spiritual experience that day; one of the best classes I’ve taken in SMA.
Kirsten
is also a teacher at the Lifelong Learning Program at the Instituto Allende.
https://www.pinaazulcookingschool.com/
Lavanda Café
Huevos Rancheros: because if I died and went
to heaven, I’m sure this is what I would eat on the way there. There’s a long line
down the block every day; go early.
Lavanda Cafe
Hernandez
Macias #87
Phone:
415 152 1610
Hours:
Wednesday – Monday: 8:30 AM – 4 PM (except Sunday closes at 2 PM/ Tuesday:
Closed
Chef:
Karla Becerra Martinez
La Unica
Because recovering from this view requires
masssive amounts of pastry. We adore all of their desserts, including Death by
Chocolate: Cordelion: chocolate brownie, chocolate mousse, caramelized acorn,
vanilla ice cream and hot fudge sauce.
La Unica
Sollano #14
Sunday - Wednesday: 1 PM - 11 PM
Thursday - Saturday: 1 PM - 2 AM
Live Aqua
Breakfast and Weekend Brunch.
Softshell Crab Taco: There are many in town;
this is one of our favorites.
Desserts: The Molcajete of Chocolate
Semi-Amargo with pistachio ice cream and the Strawberries on coconut ice cream
with Cajeta and dehydrated carrots. Yes, you got that right…carrots. And, the desserts at the weekend brunch.
And
speaking of Live Aqua, SMA welcomes Chef Eduardo
Palazuelos who hails from Acapulco. Chef
Palazuelos created the culinary concept, MEX-THAI, a flavor long missing from
SMA’s culinary profile.
Zibu at Hotel Live Aqua Urban Resort San Miguel de Allende
Calzada de la Presa
#85
Luna de Queso
We love Luna de Queso because we think a sandwich is
not a real sandwich unless it’s jam-packed with good ingredients. Luna de Queso selects the best products made by
hand, with natural ingredients by local producers and farmers.
Luna de Queso
Jesus #2
Salida a Celaya #79
Monday - Saturday 9 AM - 6 PM
Closed Sunday
MAG in Juarez Park
This
Italian aperitif is similar to Campari but sweeter. The color is an
attention-grabbing vibrant orange and has been showing up at festivals across
the US and Mexico this summer and fall. Leave it to Mixologist, Adrian
Garcia Evans, who’s on top of every trend, to bring the Aperol Spritz to MAG,
where it became the most popular drinks of the festival.
This year, he was nominated for an award from Food
and Travel for his cocktails. https://www.facebook.com/monkeymixology/
Always
a favorite for festival goers in SMA, we loved the offerings of Buenos Aires de Campo, which is featured
under Oktoberfest in this article.
http://magmexico.com/
Marchanta -
CLOSED
Leave it to a good
chef to know how to make juice taste good. Her four juices are made from fruits
and herbs; without
any sugar or sweeteners. Where are we headed
in 2019 for juice? Someone needs to open a good juice bar and get Chef Sofia
Antillon’s recipes.
Chef Sofia Antillon now cooks for private
dinners and special events. She will be the chef at a dinner this New Year’s at
Terraza-Trinitate. Contact her at Nomada cocina de Interpretacion for information.
Marsala cocina con acentos
Waffles and Duck: Nobody
in SMA cooks duck like Chef Marcela
Bolaño; moist, tender and never greasy with delicious crispy,
salty skin.
Stonecrab: died and gone to heaven at every
Sunday brunch.
Roasted Cauliflower: because when it comes
to picking our favorite vegetable, cauliflower is always it.
Chef Marcela Bolaño
puts her own touch on this Vietnamese Noodle Salad with a perfect balance of tastes, textures and temperatures. Made with caramelized smoked pork and crunchy shallots, the flavors are as authentic as the chef.
After an extended trip to Southeast Asia, Marcela
brought the flavors of Pho back home to SMA. Take your choice of either Pho Bo (Short Rib and
Oxtail) or Pho Chay (Vegan). Both are wonderful.
Chef Lula Martin del Campo and Chef Josefina
Santacruz, the visiting chefs at Marcela’s anniversary both made a knockout
dish that we’re all still raving about:
Esquites with grasshopper alioli made with
white, red and blue ancestral corn from Parzcuaeo by Chef Lula Martin del Campo.
Sorry, they’re not on her menu at CASCABEL in Mexico City, but equally
delicious Mexican items are. Stop by next time you’re in Mexico City; it’s
worth the trip to Santa Fe.
Eggplant Soup with pine nuts, paprika and
parsley by Chef Josefina Santacruz. The last two times, I went to her
restaurant in Mexico City, Sesame, where she offers street food: Vietnamese, Thai, Indian and Chinese. Sesame is
one of our favorite places to go for a great Asian meal. She owns Paprika as
well.
Marsala cocina con acentos
Calle del Dr Ignacio Hernandez Macias #48
Monday,
Wednesday - Saturday: 1 PM - 10 PM
Sunday:
11 AM - 5 PM
Tuesday:
Closed
Dog
Friendly
Chef:
Marcela Bolano
Mercado Sano
We’re partial to new things, especially when
they look this yummy and are in the classification of pastry. Just when you
thought a croissant couldn’t get any better, enter Cristina Mantemayor from
Queretaro, who is now at Mercado Sano’s Saturday market serving cruffns: a
cross between a croissant and a muffin. She also makes an across-the-board
assortment of other delicious pastries and cookies.
Contact her at: cristina.montemayor@yahoo.com.mx.
MiVida
Pizza Margherita: MiVida is the best restaurant pizza in SMA and
we’ve tried them all. Great ingredients are the key to this pizza; served every
Sunday and Wednesday. It’s easy to judge pizza if you start with a Margherita. We can also eat their homemade ice cream by the bucket it's so good.
Chef Greta Ortega Casanas and Sous chef Cecy Alverez made the most amazing dinner for ten very impressed guests in the private dining room at MiVida this year. Did you know you can reserve this room for an intimate dinner? Ask about it when you call for reservations. One of the best dinners we did all year.
MiVida
Ignacio Hernandez Macias #97
Sunday 3 PM - 11 PM
Monday, Wednesday - Saturday 1 PM - 11 PM
Closed Tuesday
Chef: Greta Ortega Casanas
Sous Chef: Cecy Alverez
Moxi:
We’re scheduled to try some of the items off the menu
from the new chef, Francisco Ibanez, shortly. Stay tuned.
The Breakfast Dumplings, Waffles and Quail and
the Carajillo Corjito
at the MAG brunch at Moxi featuring guest chefs
from Pinch Kitchen Miami.
Moxi at Hotel Matilda
Aldama
#53
Daily
7:00 AM – 11:00 PM
Chef:
Francisco Ibanez
Nicasio
comedor mexicano
Our favorite meal at Nicasio comedor mexicano
is breakfast; there isn’t a thing on the menu that isn’t exceptional. Our
favorites:
Sincronizada: A
tortilla based sandwich with refried beans and Chicharron prensado (crunchy
pork skin that’s been “pressed” to squeeze out the juices and tastes a little
like Chinese char siu) covered with cheese, jalapenos, avocado and an egg.
Molletes: bolillio, frijoles refritos, chorizo verde, bacon, pico de gallo,
avocado and an egg to top it off. This was our favorite breakfast dish this
year.
Nicasio comedor mexicano
Hidalgo 28
Sunday 9AM–5PM
Monday - Saturday 9AM–7:30PM except Tuesday
closed
Chefs:
Pablo Nicacio and Hugo Tepichin
Nomada cocina de Interpretacion
Chef
Marco Cruz was named one of the
Best Young Talents in Mexico by MillesimeGNP2018, held in Mexico City this past
November. Congrats to one of our favorite chefs.
At Nomada, always go
for the gold; don’t miss the chef’s tasting menu every Wednesday; it’s the best
in SMA. Also, Nomada has special dinners from time to time like the all seafood dinner one Sunday afternoon.
Dreaming in Italian: Carbonara + Eggs for
breakfast.
Lobster…and we don’t need to explain why we
LOVE lobster, do we?
Top this Top Sirloin Steak with Chicharrón,
truffle oil, and a blue cheese cream. It’s one of the
best indulgences we ate in SMA all year.
Tuna Salad: because only Chef Cruz can make
healthy taste this good. I take all of my detox meals at Nomada.
Beets with a smear of peanut butter because only this chef would think of putting these two ingredients together.
Nomada cocina de Interpretacion
Nemesio Diez 2, Centro,
37700
Phone: 415 121 9163
Hours: 9 AM – 10 PM
Daily/Closed: Tuesday
Chef: Marco Cruz
Ocre
Chef Xavier Piñero Moreno wows with a perfect balance of flavors
selecting the freshest ingredients, adding layers of flavor and texture to
every bite. What’s in this salad that mades it so amazing? Charred endives,
apple, caramelized peach, mustard seeds, goat cheese, nasturtium, and peach
dressing. The best salad in SMA? It got our vote! We love OCRE's food like...
Extra thin crust
Margarita pizza with an optional sauce made of olive oil, almonds, sesame
seeds, pumpkin seeds, chili de arbol, pine nuts, peanuts and salt. Look at
their new menu for some exciting pizza selections. Figs on pizza? We’re in!
Duck Barbacoa with
Hoja Santa Leaf, Star Anise and pickled carrots with one of the most authentic
blue corn tortillas we’ve ever tasted.
And did we mention we
love lemons? Creamy Lemon foam with an Almond Shortbread Cookie, Meringue and Lemon
Grass ice cream.
OCRE
Hidalgo #5
Daily 2:00 PM - 12:00 AM
Chef:
Xavier Pinero Moreno
Pastry Chef: Fernando Arias
OKTOBERFEST:
Chef Armando Pratt is the winner of
Oktoberfest 2018 with a delicious lamb sandwich with sauerkraut. Chef Pratt dreams
up some of the most interesting techniques for BBQ.
Buenos
Aires Bistro’s Pork Cheek Sandwich: because nobody in SMA has mastered the
grill like Chef Mariano Alverez. The open fire cuisine of Buenos Aires de Campo
is featured at many of the special events around SMA.
https://www.facebook.com/OktoberfestSanMigueldeAllende/
The carrot I pulled and ate from the field
earlier that day turned out to be one of the star ingredients (along with
delicious roasted beets) in this beet and flower salad that showcased the use
of freshly harvested vegetables. The salad was dressed with Chef Masterton’s
tahini yogurt sauce and eatable flowers, balancing superbly with the
vegetables. This was one of the best salads I’ve ever eaten; my favorite plate
of the meal and I never single out a side dish as a favorite. It was also the
most beautiful salad; even the utensils looked spectacular when I pulled them
from the platter after serving. Presentation is everything and the visuals for
this meal can best be described as “simple elegance.”
The perfect complement to a textbook meal: a
pile of tortillas handmade by the women from the Otomi community at El Llanito,
just outside of Dolores Hidalgo.
Chefs Donnie Masterton and J.J. Castaneda will
cook at the Outstanding in the Field dinner at Viñedo San Miguel on Saturday, January 26, 2019. It was our favorite event in 2018. http://www.outstandinginthefield.com/
Panio
Eggs Benedict on Brioche - because every plate of Eggs Benedict
needs to start with brioche; Panio’s brioche.
Panio just opened a new restaurant in the Antea Lifestyle Center
in Queretaro.
Panio Atelier du Pain
Salida
a Celaya 69
Doce 18
at Relox 18
Daily: 8 AM - 10 PM
Patsy’s Place
I’ve always wanted to go to Spain for an olive harvest but
local chef, Patsy Dobois, brought Andalucia a
little closer with her own olive harvest in the SMA countryside. We loved
the fresh grown olives almost as much as we love Patsy Dubois… and her cooking.
http://www.patsydubois.com/
Petit Four
Because
if we can’t be called a cream puff, this one can! Good thing we never compared
notes with Chef Tony Cherry; she ate one every day. Now I know why.
Petit Four
Mesones
#99-1
Tuesday
– Saturday: 8:00 AM – 8:00 PM
Sunday:
9:00 AM – 5:00 PM
Monday:
Closed
Chefs:
Paco Cardenas and Norma Guerrero
Prehispanic Dinners by Jose Yanez
One of the many dishes we tasted during an
elaborate, pre-hispanic feast was Pork with
Tejocote. Finding the wild fruit that goes in to making it is nearly
impossible, like many of the ingredients Jose Yanez uses in his prehispanc
dishes, unless you happen to have recently traveled to a rain forest in the
mountains or are lucky enough to find one at one of the Mercados now that it’s
Christmas season. A peculiar crab-apple-like fruit that most people
have never heard of, it’s also an essential ingredient in ponche, a hot fruit punch that’s
served during the holidays.
Contact Jose at josefashiondesigner@gmail.com.
Yes, this fabulous cook is also that famous SMA
fashion designer.
POLP SMA Gastrobar
POLP S.M.A. Gastrobar was recently opened by Chef
Patricio Fuentes Alverez and two of his childhood friends. We love all of the
small plates like the Pincho de Ribeye with a side of Burrata. We’ve always
said that a restaurant designed around small plates is somewhere we want to go
often.
Absolutely one of the best ways to eat. You'll also love the prices.
POLP SMA Gastrobar
Relox
#3
2:00
PM - 10:00 PM
Closed
Monday and Tuesday
Chef: Patricio Fuentes Alvarez
Querencia
When Chef Esmeralda Brinn Bolanos brews a new batch of
sauerkraut, we’re there. Her sauerkraut sandwich, smothered in bacon and cheese,
is one of our favorites.
Eggs Benedict with Pesto and Hoja Santa; a first - choice selection
for anyone who enjoys a unique eating experience.
Chef Esmeralda Brinn Bolanos also puts on special events at
Cocina Libre, an artistic cooking project she created, combining open fire
cooking and live performances.
Querencia
Julian
Carrillo #4B
Monday
- Friday: 9:00 AM - 3:00 PM
Chef
Esmeralda Brinn Bolanos
Quince
The
chefs recently made a trip to Lima and created these dishes to honor that trip;
some of the best food I’ve had at Quince since it opened:
Soft Shell Crab Salad with
local burrata, a musculin mix, tempura soft shell crab and roasted tomtillo
vinaigrette.
We also loved the Duck Confit Salpicon: a 12 hour duck confit with Thai chilli sauce
and pickled veggies.
Quince
Cuna de Allende #15
Monday – Saturday: 12:00
Noon – 2:00 AM
Sunday: 11:00 AM – 12:00
Midnight
Chefs: Gonzalo Martinez and Erick
Rojo
Pastry
Chef: Rodrigo Morales
Mixologist
Mike Espinoza
Rustica
Lemon Ricotta Pancakes: because nothing reminds us of Sweet Home
Chicago more than this dish. We also like it when you can order breakfast any
time of the day; at Rustica you can.
Rustica
Salida
a Celaya #34
Wednesday
– Monday: 8:00 AM – 4:00 PM
Tuesday:
Closed
Sazon Cooking School
We like out-of-the-ordinary dishes; this was
one of them: Chicken and Rice bake by
Chef Ruben Yanez Hernandez.
https://www.belmond.com/hotels/north-america/mexico/san-miguel-de-allende/belmond-casa-de-sierra-nevada/sazon
Simbiosi
Arif Towns Alonso supplies most of the best restaurants in
town with a wide assortment of seasonal mushroom offerings. And this year…black
winter truffles from Europe. We were lucky enough to be invited along for the
first pick up; a special order for Aperi.
https://www.facebook.com/simbiosissma/
Tacos Don Felix
Enchiladas Gloria – chicken and pork topped with red and
green sauce. This is one of the best dishes in SMA that’s made by the happiest
chef in town.
Tacos Don Felix
Fray
Juan de San Miguel 15, San Rafael
Friday – Saturday:
5:00 PM – 11:00 PM
Sunday 2:00 PM – 9:30
PM
Taco Lab
A Thanksgiving Taco: because no other chef in town creates
weekly specials this good; a combination of Turkey, stuffing and Cranberries. We wish a turkey taco would stay on the menu all
year.
Taco Lab
Doce
18 Concept House at Relox 18
Daily:
10:00 AM – 10:00 PM
Chef:
Donnie Masterton
The Bar at The Restaurant
In
addition to a full menu of creative cocktails, wines and beers, we love the
Asian appetizers including the STIX: skewers made with Miso Salmon, Chicken,
Teriyaki Beef, Veggie or Korean Pork Belly served with jasmine rice and Asian slaw. The STIX premiered at the MAF festival this
past summer.
The Bar at The Restaurant was the bar opening of 2018.
The Bar at The Restaurant
Sollano
#16
Hours: Opens 6:00 PM
Chef: Donnie Masterton
The
Restaurant
The Restaurant is an
institution that has stood the test of time in an ever growing restaurant scene
in SMA.
Congrats to chef-legend, Donnie Masterton, for TEN fabulous years of The Restaurant and for understanding that the experience
of dining involves more than just the dinner.
The food at The
Restaurant, remains among our favorites after five years: the Appetizers, the Shaved Broccoli and Kale Salad, Burger
Night and of course, the Burnt Caramel Sundae.
The Restaurant
Sollano
#16
Hours: Thursday, Friday,
Saturday: 12 Noon – 11 PM/ Tuesday, Wednesday, Sunday: 12 Noon – 10 PM Closed
Monday
Chef: Donnie Masterton
Trazo 1810
Thai
Rolls with flowers. The presentations at Trazo 1810 are always exceptional.
Infused
Whiskey Old Fashioned: because it’s the most stylish drink in SMA. Just look at
the ice cube.
Romeritos
Salad with steamed Flava Beans, Pine Nuts, Black Pepper Aged Goat Cheese and
Bacon emulsion: because this dish would bring me back to Trazo 1810 every week.
We loved the flavors.
Roasted
Rock Cornish with Cauliflower and Fennel Puree, Eringuis Mushrooms and Citric
Sauces. The poultry was soaked overnight in a secret ingredient to keep it
moist. One of the most impressive poultry dishes we’ve eaten in SMA all year.
The
perfect dish to bring in the holidays: Pork Belly in plum sauce.
Dressets:
because none of Trazo 1810 desserts ever disappoint.
Trazo 1810
Hidalgo 8, Centro, 37700 in Casa 1810
Phone: 415 121 3501
Hours: 8 AM – 10 PM
Daily
Tres Raices Winery
At an
evening with Rose Ruiz and Alberto Cinta Laborde to honor Italian
Ambassador Luigi Maccotta for the Week of Italian Cuisine in the World,
organized by the Italian Embassy in Mexico in partnership with Crea Italia
Connections .
The
surprise of the night was the wine from Tres Raices, the best local wine we've
had in SMA this year. We loved the Sauvignon Blanc (and I'm a Chardonnay
drinker) and the Merlot, which won a gold medal at the 2018 Brussels World
Contest 2018. The winery just opened this year. It's definitely worth a
trip to the vineyard to sample their remarkable brands.
You
can also try the wine in Centro; they just opened a tasting room at Cuna de
Allende #15.
http://tresraices.com/
Personal Memories from 2018…
Best
thing we did in 2018: A birthday parade through the streets of SMA. Thank’s to
everyone who participated and to friend, Billy Mervin of the Nena Hotel, for all the help.
A girl after my own
heart...she loves to eat and now she loves taking pictures of food. Here,
Olivia with her 1st camera on her 2nd birthday. Photo by
the Yorks.
A warm
up for the parade and my favorite picture: Jessica, Olivia and Tommy getting
into the SMA spirit with the mariachis taken in the private dining room at
MiVida.
An
abuela and her granddaughter showing the love: This picture reminds me that the cultural stigma around aging
and death doesn't exist in Mexico. Old age is respected and celebrated; one of
the many things I love about Mexico.
I had just had an hour to snap the face painting on Day of the
dead. All of the faces were filled with so much life. Don’t miss a Day of the
Dead celebration in SMA; it’s magical.
Two million hits on www.cupcakesandcrablegs.com; one
million alone in 2018. Thank you San Miguel de
Allende… two million times over.
Miracles happen daily in SMA; this was ours recently: I took
this picture of female mariachi, Delia Edith Flores Tellez, when I came to SMA
in 2013. I never knew who she was until today. Five years later, in 2018, I
used the picture for the invitation to our birthday parade. Delia then showed
up as one of the Mariachi’s for the birthday parade. Here, Olivia looks on as
she plays.
A cowboy, who never likes to have his picture taken, plays up to
my camera at the beautiful Canada de La Virgen ranch.
Five years in SMA: a drawing by amazing sketch artist, Meagan
Burns.
Is there anyone who eats out more than we do in SMA? A close tie would be these two: Rose Ruiz and Alberto Cinta Laborde, our 2018 pick for the food lovers of the year.
Honored to be named to the 101 Faces of SMA. Thank you and
abrazos to Daniela Doig, the author of this book. Photo by Erik Zavala Kugler.
The posada at the home of the Mojigangas; thanks and blessings to Maritza Celeya and family for one of
the most memorable Mexican experiences we’ve had in 50 years.
A guide to the #1 city in the world, San Miguel de Allende, is
now on my website. Click on the picture of SMA in the left hand column of the
website www.cupcakesandcrablegs.com.
The Necklace Project: Photographed in Dana Ponticiella necklace” in 2018
were: Cate Poe, Activist; Angela Serrano Lewis ,Outstanding in the
Field Dinner; Greta Ortega
Casanas, Chef, MiVida Restaurant ;Rose Ruiz PR Director, San Miguel de Allende Tourist Council;Liliana Gonzalez, Marketing and Sales,
Belmond Casa Sierra Nevada; Sofia
Antillon, Chef, Nomada cocnia de Interpretacion; Enrique Garcia Evans, Director
of Sales, Hotel Casa Blanca 7; Evita Avery, Owner, La Calaca; Nory Contractor, Executive Director, Patronato Pro
Ninos;Gloria Espinosa
Briseno, Chef, Tacos Don Felix;Jimena Tamayo Coedova, Chef and Makeup
Artist,Garambullo Fonda Gourmet; Mariel Beiza, Chef, Belmond Casa Sierra
Nevada;Magda Elisa Pablos, Chef, Formerly of El Vergel Bistro and Market;Laura
Reyes, Fashion Designer;Patsy Dubois, Chef, Patsy’s Place; Margarita Go, Marachesh Clothing; Ana Luis
Torres Gastelum, Grupo Modelo;Filemon, SMA’s Celebrity Donkey and
Irma Dena
Villanueva, Oktoberfest SMA and Owner of Boutique San Miguel Arcangel; Karla Becerra Martinez, Chef, Lavanda
Café. Thanks to everyone. Over 279 more people have signed up. Shooting
will commence again in January, 2019. Contact susan@cupcakesandcrablegs.com for information.
All photographs ©Susan Knight York unless
otherwise noted.
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