There’s a new restaurant in
San Miguel de Allende, AQUILA, and we can’t stop talking about it; especially
when we found one of our favorite chefs in the kitchen. Good food is good food but it’s always defined
and oft times elevated by the chef. Three years ago, we called Chef Arturo
Sandoval the best new chef of 2017. With his arrival at Atrio that year, he
offered some of the most creative and delicious cuisine in the city. Now, 10
dishes into his new menu at Aquila, we’re crazy about this restaurant and we’re
just getting started. We’ve pledged to try every cut of meat on the menu,
cooked in a charcoal and wood oven. The quality of the products and the elegant
but simple way they were prepared is something we’ll remember about this meal;
one of the best we’ve eaten in Mexico.
Aquila was a daylight club and for months, catered mainly to
weekend visitors from Mexico City. Today, no restaurant in SMA boasts a stronger
pedigree: owners, Jose Maria Calvo (Chema) and Jesus Manuel Calvo (Chus), have
gifted SMA with some of the city’s most popular restaurants – Atrio and La
Azotea – and have transformed Aquila into their finest property yet. Their
standing, as the top restaurateurs in SMA, has been recognized once again with
the addition of Aquila.
The ceiling of the dining room is open to the sky, covered in
billowing fabric to shade the diners below; it’s the most spectacular feature
of the restaurant. The décor is clean with cozy, modern accents. The menu is
peppered with interesting dishes of Mexican and International origins but the
New Jersey beef is the star of the show. The beef comes from all Black Angus
steers that are 100% hormone and antibiotic free; the animals are raised on
small, family owned farms and finished on corn to develop the marbling. There’s
no better beef in SMA; we know - we’ve tried them all.
Every dish and detail of
this meal was over-the-top; our 2020 Meal of the Year with two short months to
go. The restaurant also has first-class service, opulent side dishes, great
wines, and gold standard cuts of meat.
With the perfect balance of a crusted, salty exterior and a
medium-rare, buttery interior, we’ve finally met our match for the best, “new”
restaurant in SMA this year.
Buen Provecho!
Our Menu:
The start - Mexican and Peruvian appetizers:
Tostada de Aguachile Negro de Camaron, Pescado y Pulpo/ Black
Aguachile Toast with Shrimp, Fish and Octopus. Seafood
lovers rejoice – this is your dish, especially of you love Pulpo.
Cappaccio de Rib Eye: Laminas de Rib Eye Marinado en Sambal
con Chicharron de Cebolla y Salsa Mexicana/ Rib Eye Cappaccio: Sambal Marinated
Rib Eye Laminates with Onion Chicharron and Mexican Sauce.This
is one of the most festive dishes on the menu. The Sambal gives this dish a
well-defined kick; the rib eye sliced paper thin.
Chile de Lengua – Chile Guero: Relleno de Estofado de Lengua en Pipan Rojo y Xoconostle/ Chile de Lengua - Chile Guero stuffed Tongue Stew in Red Pipan and Xoconostle. The red Pipan mole from Oaxaca, made from dried chiles, ground seeds and nuts, lifted the flavors of the tongue. We especially loved the fork tender meat.
Causa de Atun: Causa Limena Envuelta en Atun y Camaron Roca/ Cause
of Tuna: Cause Limena wrapped in Tuna and Rock Shrimp. A
typical entrée of Peruvian gastronomy, this version was made with yellow
potato. Chef Sandoval is an expert in Peruvian-Japanese style cooking.
Cono de Atun: Masa Ceocante Rellena de Tartar de Atun y Guadamole/
Tuna Cone: Ceocante Dough Stuffed with Tuna Tartar and Guacamole. Combined
with the crispiness of the mini cone, the dish was finished off with a surprise
stuffing of good guacamole. The dark red color of the tuna is a sign of its
freshness and quality.
Meat: The Rib Eye
There’s nothing better than a top cut of Rib Eye cooked over
wood and charcoal, producing a meat flavor that’s rich, complex and not easily
forgotten. The chef’s secret, all we know is that most everything with this
chef involves a lot of butter. This was the BEST RIB EYE WE’VE HAD IN SAN
MIGUEL in the almost 9 years we’ve been here. Besides, here in Mexico, we love
anything that’s finished off with corn.
Sides:
Espinacas con Crema/Spinach and Cream – so deliciously heavy on
the parmesan cheese, we actually forgot we don’t like creamed spinach.
Is there anything better
than a freshly-baked pan of homemade dinner rolls with beef? A small, cast iron
fry pan of soft and buttery homemade rolls, a little on the sweet side, was a
delicious complement to the meat. Even the bread was remarkable.
Desserts:
Arroz con Leche: Mil
Hojas de Arroz Al Coco Con Brulee de Limon/ Rice pudding: Thousand Leaves of
Coconut Rice With Lemon Brulee.
The sweet, crispy crust made this dessert.
Cheesecake de Macadamia: Palomitas de Caramelo y Macadamia Tostada
en Salsa de Dulce de Leche/ Macadamia Cheesecake: Caramel Popcorn and Toasted
Macadamia in Dulce de Leche Sauce. Our favorite dessert; this tasted more like
Panna Cotta than Cheesecake.
Aquila
Jesus #3, Centro
Phone: 415 152 4363
Daily: 1:00 PM - 10:00
PM.
Note: Check with the
restaurant; the closing time is currently regulated by the city.
All safety protocols
followed.
Masks removed for photographs
and consumption.
Health First certified
by the city of SMA.
