Masala y Maíz — Restaurant in Mexico City

This restaurant caught my attention, as I was trying to find a place to have lunch, after a late start to my day. I was going to settle again for Cafe Nin, but saw this place nearby, and decided why not. Now, why i failed to realize that this was an Indian-Mexican fusion place, I still can only ascribe to my tendency to speed read/scan, but it was a happy accident. It's a very small space along a very quaint, unbusy street, which...love! I was greeted by a very nice young man at the door, and even as I don't have a reservation and the tables were all filled, I was still seated at the bar facing the open kitchen. Offered still or fizzy water, and off we go. They gave me enough time to study the menu in Spanish (rightly so), and a young lady came to offer help in English, along with some peanuts that one has to peel. Note: I could bathe in the sauce that this peanut came with. She offered her recommendations, which were the somosas and the prawns, but I was dead set on the green ceviche and the chicken with the pureed sweet potato.

The food: As aforementioned, the peanuts that was offered was quite good. I abhor eating with my hands in public, but in this case, I was glad to do so. The green ceviche was the highlight of my meal. It was a very well balanced dish with a tostatda that has a distinct flavor to it that I love. If I only had this meal, I'd be happy. The cafe americano I ordered was better than most americanos that I get. I ordered it twice. The chicken was this really small full chicken (was it cornish? I have never had anything like this), and while I didn't enjoy the puree as much as I did the chicken and the pickled jicama that came with the dish, I thought this was great. The dessert of chocolate tamales was interesting. I didn't enjoy the texture as much as I thought I would. It was described as having nuts but I couldn't tell either by taste or texture. Side note. The young lady who was seated next to me at the bar seemed to enjoy her prawns and somosas.

Now the atmosphere: I love a place that offers napkins that are not paper. Also, utensils after every course. My waitress was also very careful not to handle my utensils as she offered them to me. It was always offered to me on a dish. And the best part, the bathroom has actual hand towels from which you can dry off. No paper towels. It was fun to sit and watch the two chefs work their craft, side by side. I would recommend to anyone coming here for the first time to sit at the bar just so you can watch the chefs do their work. Note that it can really on sit 3, comfortably. The decor of the restaurant may be described as, oh I don't know, boho chic? It was fine. The dishes and utensils actually add a lot to the atmosphere of authenticity

Now the bad: The whole small space was filled with these loud, self-satisfied American voices. If I know what your plans are for tonight, you are talking too loudly. I just hope that when I am with friends, dining in a restaurant outside of the US, that we are not as obnoxious as these people were being.

Last words: I was reading an earlier review of the place from this lady from Oakland who seemed not to enjoy the way they were treated. She can read the previous paragraph.

Also, I spent a total of M$ 1,015, before tip and no alcohol. But note that I was very hungry and I overate. It would have been just as lovely not to have the sparkling water, the desert, and the 2 cafe americanos. I can see coming back here and...

To be honest, food was like a 3.5/5 which is kind of high for me. The service was really disappointing from the start and especially from our main server with the red hair and bangs. I even recommended that we all speak English before we even sat down because of the way we were being treated compared to other patrons. (They were the ones who didn't even have our reservation ready for us as well.) We were a bit loud and my friend's Spanish is very short and direct (comparatively). My friend is a chef and restaurant owner in the east bay was very eager to dine here, and it could have been seen as a bit obnoxious at times. But he was really excited to eat there as he is from Mexico, his family opened a lot of the popular Mexican restaurants in East Oakland, and he loves Indian food. We weren't being rude or inconsiderate or anything. We just didn't match the vibe of the restaurant staff or other patrons; it was very uppity for a place that is not like white linen service type thing. I was really disappointed about our treatment after hearing that the chef is also from Oakland. The server also seemed bothered that we both invited a single patron who was without a reservation to join our table as a friend couldn't make it last minute, and that we were ecstatic when we found out he was from Oakland too. My friend may be loud and sometimes obnoxious, but he is very kind and is only this way about food because it's his passion. I've helped open high end restaurants, managed restaurants, been a craft mixologist, server, host, private chef, you name it. I didn't think his behavior warranted the obvious attitude and judgement we were receiving. His girlfriend who is from Guadalajara also noticed it, but thought it was in her head until I said how I was so upset with our treatment that I almost asked the server if there was a problem with us. I honestly didn't because of the guy we asked to join us, who was not as "rambunctious" as us but again we weren't being outrageous or anything. I wanted to include this restaurant as a recommendation in my new plant based cuisine and culture program for Mexico City, but while the food is good the service is just not something I can in good conscience recommend to anyone who may not fit the stuffy atmosphere. And I definitely have been "quiet well mannered" like they wanted at places like Californios or many other Michelin star restaurants around the world, but I definitely knew this was not the place to warrant that. Plus, I know for a fact Californios would not have that reaction even if we acted like we did tonight. At the end I asked if the Oakland chef was there because we had two chefs from Oakland and she kind of scoffed and said no not tonight and was just really rude about it. Will not return, won't recommend, and will be honest when my industry friends who know the chef ask how my experience was. I got some vegan samosas, a paneer main dish, and two glasses of house red blend and it was $55 US that I could have spent on food just as good or better and not have been treated like that on my...

The complimentary cooked peanuts had a deep, nutty flavor, though they were drier than expected. However, they offered a unique and enjoyable take on boiled peanuts. I likely would not order these outright, but I enjoyed the experience as presented.

The samosas were fried to perfection, boasting an excellent fry crunch and an intense, deeply savory flavor from the separate beef and potato fillings. The addition of lime takes them to another leve; I highly recommend "overdoing" it with the lime. Despite being deep-fried and packed with richness, they never felt heavy or overwhelming.

The gordita was intriguing and almost a take on a potato pancake, almost reminiscent of shepherd's pie but infused with Indian spices and bright, herbaceous Mexican flavors. While the greens were a bit cumbersome to wrangle in each bite they added freshness that prevented the dish from feeling too heavy. The onions and peas contributed a pleasant textural contrast to the crispy exterior and smooth, savory potato and meat filling. The lime and greens helped balance each bite, making the dish feel lighter than expected.

The shrimp was simply outstanding, possibly the best I’ve ever had. The smoky fired flavor combined with the rich meatiness of the whole shrimp, marinated in chipotle sauce and finished with fresh lime, was nothing short of amazing.

The chicken with purée was one of the best dishes I’ve ever eaten. The crispy, perfectly fried exterior paired with the sweet, bright, citrusy purée created a balance of flavors that was both indulgent and refreshing. Truly unforgettable.

For dessert, the chai tres leches was an excellent way to finish the meal with bright, fresh, and deeply infused with chai flavors. The herbal notes were intense at first, but the richness of the cream and yogurt quickly balanced them out. It was a generously sized dessert, easily shareable. In fact, most of what I ordered, plus one or two additional dishes, would be plenty for two people.

The service was equally impressive. My server, Isabela Gutierrez, was incredibly attentive and welcoming, despite it being her first day as a solo waitress. She provided thoughtful recommendations and was knowledgeable about the menu, making the experience even more enjoyable. She even went above and beyond to provide recommendations of the city and really focused on ensuring I was well taken care while dining with her. I had given her a pretty aggressive time limit for my experience and she was attentive to my request throughout the meal. The entire staff was friendly, fluent in English, and gave just the right amount of detail about each dish without being overbearing. The restaurant is a bit of a tight space, but has a nice connection to the kitchen. Reservations are almost for sure a requirement.

Overall, Masala y Maíz delivers an incredible fusion of flavors, masterful execution, and a truly memorable...