Restaurant of the week: Quintonil
The talented and respected c cooker Jorge Vallejo and his wife Alexandra Flores in room, they present from Quintonil its exquisite version of Mexican gastronomy . The menu is a love letter to your country , while the excellent service, close and professional, is an open invitation to return.
The wealthy neighborhood of Polanco , in Mexico City , is the place that Jorge and Alejandra chose for their first restaurant. The name, Quintonil, is a word that comes from the Nahuatl: quilitl, vegetable, and tonilli, thing heated by the sun.
Proximity product from small producers ALWAYS
A discreet entrance leads to the living room, minimalist , with marble tables in dark colors and tables full of color. The space is flooded with natural light thanks to an overhead skylight that provides privacy without depriving diners of light.
Quintonil is one of the best restaurants in the world (the **50 Best** awards placed him as number 6 in Latin America and 22 in the world ), and the service is so attentive and friendly that within five minutes of sitting at your table the lists and labels are forgotten and one feels at home.
Vallejo , who knows the indigenous food to perfection, he prioritizes in his kitchen the local product of small farmers and vegetables , as well as the native aromatic herbs that his team grows in the roof garden . The beautiful dishes that come out of their stoves are healthy and colorful, they transmit life.
In addition to going to enjoy a technically impeccable kitchen that yields a constant tribute to the Mexican pantry and home cooking , in Quintonil you learn.
The service accompanies each dish with a explanation of the origin of the ingredients and how they have been cooked. If you want to know more and ask questions, they will give you a thoroughly detailed explanation. And the foreigner not familiar with the wealth of food that in Mexico is part of daily life, will appreciate it.
Vallejo, who grew up in the Colonia Rome , he always knew that he wanted to dedicate himself to gastronomy and began working in the industry as soon as he had the opportunity. After graduating from the Culinary Center of Mexico, he went through the Madrid restaurant Santceloni and then he cut his teeth as a cook on Princess Cruises cruise ships.
Upon his return to Mexico in 2007, he worked in the kitchens of restaurants such as Diana or Pujol. The latter, the prestigious restaurant in Enrique Olvera , it changed his life. There he met the one who would become his wife, Alejandra, a graduate in Restaurant Administration from the San Ángel Center for Higher Studies (CESSA), and with whom he would embark on the adventure of opening his own restaurant when he returned from Copenhagen after his passage through No mom.
In Quintonil the respect for indigenous foods it becomes visible in each elaboration. One of the most exciting dishes on the tasting menu is what Quintonil's chef, Klaus Mayr , informally introduced as Mexican caviar.
This time, when asked for more details, his answer, smiling, was "try it first, I'll give you more details when you've tried it". Intrigued, we closely examine the plate. With a circular shape, an almost white color and an unknown appearance, we decided to try it. soft and delicate , we hesitated a lot thinking about what it would be. Of course, there was nothing left on the plates. And soon Klaus came back, who finally got us out of doubt.
Grilled avocado tartare, escamoles and quelites chips. And what are escamoles? They are Liometopum apiculatum ant eggs, a food that was part of the daily diet of the inhabitants of Mesoamerica and that Vallejo's team cooks with mastery for modern palates.
The tasting menu , that changes according to the season , you have options like Glazed gizzard taco in piloncillo or confit beef tail in black recado, habanero chili and roasted red onions in their juice. Likewise, there is the possibility of ordering a la carte, where in addition to some of the options found on the tasting menu, there are also other dishes such as Huauzontles with Chiapas cheese and tomato sauce or the Creamy rice with cuitlacoche, poached egg, Cotija cheese and epazote.
Tartare of roasted avocado, escamoles and quelites chips
The drinks menu is up to par and includes, among others, Mexican and European wines, mezcals, tequilas, classic cocktails and also from home.
After dessert, it is worth trying the coffee pot , a coffee that they prepare in the traditional style –with spices- and that they serve in a clay pot. Likewise, their infusions, in which they use their own aromatic herbs, are delicious.
Address: Avenida Isaac Newton 55, Polanco IV Section, 11560 Miguel Hidalgo, CDMX, Mexico See map
Telephone: 52 55 5280 1660
Schedule: From 1:00 p.m. to 4:30 p.m. and from 6:30 p.m. to 10:00 p.m.