Azul Historico
Hot and REALLY Hot Salsa Verde
Sangria
Housemade Fresh Tortillas
Chaya Empanadas with Edam Cheese with Pickled Red Onions
Squash Blossom Cream Soup with Fresh Cheese
Cazuelita de Escamoles with Epazote, Guacamole and Fresh Tortillas
Fried Duck Bunuelos with Oaxaca-style Mole
House Rice with Cashews, Sultana Raisins, Apricot and Pineapple
Venison Pipian Rojo de Yucatan with Achiote
Quail Pipian Verde de Atlixco with Cinnamon, Sana Leaf, Clove and Cumin
Guanabana Mousse with Sapodilla Plum Sauce
Nicuatole Zapoteco Corn Custard with Fresh Berry Sauce
Peanut Brittle or Chocolate with Bill
Now featuring three restaurants, the first opened nearly fifteen years ago and the most famous found inside a local-artist shopping center at Mexico City’s historic downtown core, Azul from Chef Ricardo Munoz Zurita has sought since its inception to introduce the country’s rich culinary history to the novice while also taking those familiar on a trip across time and space, the menu varying each month to embrace a different region or specialty.
Felt by some to be pricy and only suited for locals with money or visitors from elsewhere, the upscale dining area inside a renovated building dancing in candle light from hundreds of dangling votives above, reservations at Azul are available only by phone and designated by name as well as password, the phrase “tacos de lechon” given to a two-top for a 7:00pm seating just a week in advance, though arriving early was not a problem as the vacation plan was shuffled last minute.
Just steps away from several of the city’s top attractions, and clearly a targeted venue for those attending the Ballet Folklórico that night, it was with seats taken near the partially-open kitchen that a menu of several pages was presented in Spanish as well as English, a significant language barrier nonetheless still causing an issue towards the meal’s end when the waiter neglected to bring one of the requested Postres even though one in the party speaks fluent American-accented Spanish.
Without doubt a multicultural affair, everything from English to German and Japanese heard in conversation at tables nearby, it was after brief perusal of the choices that an order of eight items was requested, the staff first suggesting that the kitchen would be happy to divide each plate, but later agreeing to simply set everything at the table’s center for sharing as the meal got started with glass of Sangria composed of Wine floating on Rice Water alongside some pretty intense Salsa meant to be enjoyed with Tortillas continuously being made by an elderly woman working to the right of the hostess’ stand.
Deciding to order a few Azul classics followed by seasonal items, the focus of March a wide variety of Pipianes made from Seeds and Nuts indigenous to Mexico, it was not long after ordering that two Empanadas were delivered beneath a blanket of red sauce and Onions, the filled pockets reflexively re-plated by the staff filled with well-aged Cheese high in salt content while the Squash Blossom Soup served simultaneously was slightly sweet and very fragrant with a texture that was thick thanks to fortification with Queso Fresco and Cream.
Unable to resist the lure of a time-limited regional specialty at a place known for its sourcing, it was with approximately $10USD invested that a sizable bowl of Escamoles was delivered alongside Chef Zurita ‘s famous Duck Confit Bunuelos, the flavor of the Ant Larvae harvested from Agave roots rich and nutty with a citrus zip added by Epazote actually quite pleasant when mixed with Avocado on a warm Tortilla while the crispy Fritters were rich and savory on their own, but all the moreso beneath a sidecar of jet-black Mole.
Trending fairly low in price considering the quality of food and service, all-in with tax and tip less than $85USD, entrees arrived in large portions easily shared amongst two or more along with a side each of fluffy Rice studded in Cashews and dried Fruits, the Yucatan-style Red Pipian perfumed with Achiote performing well atop Deer seared medium-rare while the crispy-skinned whole Quail with tender flesh beneath green Sauce would be well-suited to the American palate in late fall when menus across the nation focus on Pumpkin-spice everything.
Happy to see another regional specialty offered at dessert, the Pineapple-esque Guanabana turned into a flan-like slab topped with Whipped Cream in a pool of Plum Sauce, it was with the Eggnog Tres Leches forgotten that the meal ended in small cubes of Corn Custard beneath warm Berry Compote, the flavor primarily a non-descript sweetness with a texture like Gelatin that proved to be the meal’s only low-point.
http://azul.rest