For the lucky inhabitants of this city, the cosmopolitan nature of Mexico City, seen in its streets, and social and cultural scenes, also translates into some rich culinary proposals. Fusion food, combining flavors and techniques from different cultures, countries, or regions, is a central player to the capital’s culinary agenda. To enjoy the multiculturalism of flavors, taking you between Asia and Mexico, the Caribbean to the Mediterranean, we recommend four fusion food restaurants that you can not miss.
Em
Em, from Emilia, by renowned Veracruz chef Lucho Martínez, is a restaurant specializing in Mexican, Asian, and international fusion food, with one of the best tasting menus in the city. Taking its name from his daughter, Martínez combines familiar ingredients with deep roots and prepares them in unconventional ways.
“Selecting the best products is simply the beginning of our creative process, it is a starting point that leads us to unusual decisions, which end up in dishes with soft but intense flavors, brief and lasting, new and familiar,” Em says. “Em is not a type of cuisine, it is an inquiry of its own style that seeks excellence.”
From the heat of the kitchen and served with impressive speed of service, some menu highlights include the kampachi crudo, chione clam with fish collar, smoked butter, habanero, and burnt bread, and the bean foam with green apple and black garlic.
Tonalá 133, Roma Norte, CDMX
IG. @em.rest
Tandoor
Pakistani chef, Riaz Ahmad Siddiqui, was the first to introduce Indo-Pakistani food to Mexico City in 1986. The name Tandoor means “clay oven” and it is where Siddiqui prepares his rich dishes like tandoori chicken, spicy mutton korma, and basmati rice stewed with vegetables and spices.
There are vegetarian options as well such as bhuna mushroom, which is a house recipe with mushrooms stewed in spices, or dhal makhani with mildly spiced lentils cooked in a creamy butter sauce. For dessert, we recommend their homemade artisan ice creams that include lemon, mint and ginger, chai, cardamom cream, or, if you want to try some new flavors, turmeric with chocolate chips.
Copérnico 156, Anzures, CDMX
Mochomos
Northern Mexican haute cuisine fused with the flavors of Sonora in more than 80 dishes. They specialize in meats, fish, seafood, and wines from the region.
Under the guidance of Chef Alfonso Lira Valenzuela, this extraordinary menu offers Mexico City citizens a range of starters like octopus and shrimp seasoned with house herbs and flamed with Bacanora (an agave liquor from Sonora) and rib chicharrones, deliciously marinated in black salsa and served with onion and serrano.
And because no northern meal would be complete without a good cut of meat, Mochomos’ original recipe ribeye is aged for 25 days and herb marinated. Also recommended is the goat skewer with shrimp and vegetables, bathed in a special house sauce, quintessential Mochomos seasoning and style.
There is plenty of fresh Sonoran seafood such as grilled tuna with tomato confit and a touch of chipotle cream, or a fish filet marinated in garlic and sweet soy served on a bed of creamy rice with spinach, mushrooms, and cherry tomatoes. In addition to the regional wine, Mochomos has a wine cellar with more than 120 domestic and international wine labels, as well as a cocktail menu with a Mediterranean gin.
Paseo de las Palmas 781, Miguel Hidalgo, CDMX
IG. @mochomoscdmx
Helena
For fans of Caribbean cuisine and music, a visit to Helena is a must. This restaurant fuses ingredients and flavors characteristic of Mexican cuisine with those originating from the Caribbean, the Mediterranean, and Asia. Chef Liliana Ojeda recommends the grilled shrimp, prawns, roasted octopus, anchovies, baby corn, endive, and pita bread with tzatziki sauce.
Their brunch menu has a fantastic selection of fruit bowls, toasts, sandwiches (chicken curry, grilled cheese, prosciutto), buttermilk pancakes, French toast, a seafood bar, and of course, mimosas and bellinis. In the evenings, you can enjoy Helena’s fusion food with a live DJ playing house, afro-house, and nu-disco.
Havre 42, Juárez, CDMX
IG. @helena_cdmx
