Maximo Bistrot
Gin and Tonic with Cucumber and Coriander
French Bread with Charcoal Eggplant, Goat Cheese and Garlic
Clam Aguachile, Coriander Oil, Avocado with Blue Corn Tortilla
Torchon of Foie Gras with Chicozapote and Brioche
Young Corn, Hollandaise, Macadamia
Ravioli, Ricotta, Date Butter
Striped Bass, Mole Verde, Puslane, Apple
Pig Confit, Cacahuazintle Beans, Salsa
Double Espresso
Panna Cotta, Strawberry, Rhubarb, Local Mascarpone, Mango Sorbet
French Toast, Blueberry Compote, Vanilla Bean Ice Cream
Owned by Eduardo Garcia and made a globally known name by the PROFECO Scandal through no fault of its own, Maximo Bistrot has been widely considered one of Mexico City’s best restaurants ever since opening its doors in 2011, the concept of a daily rotating menu focused on seasonality not exactly novel in the fine-dining scene but certainly uncommon amidst Latin America’s mid-priced casual settings.
To this day a difficult reservation to obtain, the use of Opentable undoubtedly helpful assuming diners pay attention to policy and plan a few weeks in advance, it was with a table booked for two at seven o’clock that the restaurant was approached in a steady rain, a seat on the covered patio offered to pass the fifteen minutes before the small space officially opened for business that evening, both servers and kitchen staff seen attending to tasks and holding meetings while a few more parties arrived and stood in wait.
Unfortunately arriving on a day when Chef Garcia was not in the kitchen, the man who’d originally developed his love of cooking in the United States before moving back to Mexico in order to perfect his skills alongside Enrique Olvera currently developing a concept in Dubai, it was with greetings from wife and General Manager Gabriela that patrons were soon greeted with reservations confirmed via small tablet, the rustic room lowly lit by candles plus a few well placed sconces and a chandelier hanging over a table reserved for parties of six.
Far smaller than most of the city’s most heralded restaurants, the music playing at an almost unheard level allowing for quiet conversation despite a room filled to capacity just ten minutes after opening, it was with menus provided in both English and Spanish that diners were left to decide between a la carte service or a 995 Peso tasting menu, the suggestion that all plates are served ‘family style’ providing impetus to go with the former to the tune of eight dishes plus two drinks.
Working in a tight kitchen but still managing to offer over thirty different plates, influences from as far off as France joining more traditional Mexican flavors created from ‘responsibly sourced ingredients that will not have a negative impact on our environment,’ it was with a refreshing Gin and real Tonic with Quinine in hand that the meal got underway with a sliced Baguette paired to charred Eggplant mixed with Goat Cheese and Garlic, the first dish of Clams bathed in Citrus, Acid and Coriander Oil showcasing the sweeter notes of the Mollusk while Avocado and Radish helped anchor the flavors to crispy Corn Tortillas served on the side.
Allowing the kitchen to order the menu as deemed appropriate, each plate arriving on its own with a small pause between, dish two featured a creamy Torchon of Duck Liver plated amidst drops of Pomegranate Juice plus Jam made from nutty Sapodilla Fruit, a slice of Brioche on the side doubled on request to allow for adequate spreading.
Denied the restaurant’s Chicken in Black Mole, the dish inexplicably ‘sold out’ before anyone had even ordered, it was with a riff on Mexican Street Corn that the evening progressed as tiny Ears meant to be eaten whole were brushed with Hollandaise and rolled in crushed Macadamia nuts, the Ravioli stuffed with Ricotta and glazed in Date Butter with shavings of Parmesan almost dessert-like in the sweetness of its taste.
Still perplexed by the lack of something as common as Chicken, the table where a self-induced wine accident would later see the restaurant’s service shine in cleaning up what was essentially a whole glass given the same answer when they tried to order the dish, it was instead to the Striped Bass in Green Mole with Purslane and matchstick Apples that attention was turned, the vibrant vegetal flavor helping to crispy Scales while at the same time accenting mild flesh in a way that spoke to a kitchen in tune with its ingredients, though the Confit Pork was probably a bit *too* fatty beneath the skin for many diner’s tastes.
Taking a double Espresso with large Ice Cubes with dessert, the menu unfortunately devoid of much Central American influence at its end, those looking for something light would be well advised to order Maximo’s daily Panna Cotta, this time featuring Strawberries, Rhubarb and Mascarpone with Mango Sorbet while those looking for something a little more decadent should invest the 120 Pesos in Custard-imbued French Toast topped in Blueberry Compote and Vanilla Bean Ice Cream that can also be ordered for breakfast at the Chef’s Lalo! directly across the street.