La Docena Polanco — Restaurant in Mexico City

Aguachile: A Taste of Memory Across Oceans

Aguachile is a Mexican dish made with shrimp and raw fish fillet, submerged in a liquid seasoned with chiltepin peppers, lime juice, salt, slices of cucumber, and red onion. It resembles Peru’s ceviche, but its distinct chile-forward flavor—true to its name, agua (water) and chile—makes it unmistakably Sinaloan.

Surprisingly, aguachile in its current form is not an ancient dish. The use of raw seafood only dates back to the 1970s. Originally, it’s believed that pre-Hispanic communities in the region mixed dried meats with a sauce made from water and freshly foraged chiltepin peppers—the same fiery pearls that continue to define the dish today.

There are two main theories about the origins of modern aguachile. One suggests it was influenced by Japanese immigrants who began settling in the Sierra de Sinaloa in the early 20th century. The other credits the ingenuity of local fishermen, who may have created it independently as a practical, flavorful way to prepare their daily catch.

Whichever version is true, I found myself unexpectedly moved by a sense of nostalgia as I sat down for dinner in the heart of Mexico. As a Japanese traveler, there was something hauntingly familiar in the sharp freshness, the raw seafood, the restrained yet precise layering of flavors. In a country more than 10,000 kilometers from home, I caught a glimpse—perhaps imagined, perhaps real—of ancestral...

Nice food but the downfall of this restaurant is the service- no common sense and slow, not proactive. They brought one menu for a table for three at the start. Also Clearing glasses when not finished with drink.

Nice classic interior, low lighting , open planned kitchen.

Average cocktails- the hurricane and the martini.

Brioche crab or crab roll was excellent- fried brioche with blue crab meat, meat had mayonnaise therefore not as strong, could do with more crab meat as when shared- the sides did not have much meat.

Pulpo adolescent a las brasas- grilled Octopus with sweet potato chips was very good. Lonja de Pescado zarandeada was average on its own, could taste the smokiness of the fish meat , but when put together with the coriander salad , alioli and avocado emulsion-tasted great.

Tataki di atun aleta- blue fin tuna with Japanese soy based sauce was excellent- accompanied with horseradish cream.

One desert, no selection at all, thankfully was good. A dolce de leche cake with ice cream.

Lots of Waitering staff standing around. It not doing very much - one table sat down and waited for 5 minutes then got up and left as didn’t get served.

12’C outside but doors are open so super chilly when the kitchen starts to close down after last orders so was not...

I had high hopes for La Docena de Polanco, but unfortunately, my experience was quite underwhelming. I ordered fish, which arrived completely lacking seasoning. While it came with chili and garlic sauces on the side, that did little to elevate the flavor. The grilled vegetables I ordered as a side dish were also bland and unseasoned, making for an overall uninspired meal.

The service left much to be desired—not only inattentive but also concerningly dishonest. I ordered water and was asked if I preferred mineral or natural. I clearly requested natural water, but what I received was an already opened bottle labeled as mineral water. When the bill arrived, there was an $8 charge for “natural water.”

I raised the issue and asked to speak with the manager, who insisted the water was “natural” despite the label. My concern was valid: how am I supposed to trust that the opened bottle wasn’t simply filled with regular tap water? There was no transparency or accountability in their response.

Between the poorly seasoned food and the deceptive service, I cannot recommend this restaurant. There are far better dining options in Polanco where food quality and honesty go...