Background:
We dined at Quintonil in November of 2019 on a woefully short trip in Mexico City. However brief our stay, we made it a point to visit both Quintonil and Pujol – unfortunately, we were only able to get reservations on the same day, which resulted in another overeating situation like the Peru incident of 2017. Never forget. Nevertheless, we made the most of it and decided to stuff ourselves silly for the opportunity to eat at two of the World’s 50 Best Restaurants in a single day. We absolutely vowed we would not eat ANYTHING at all before our lunch at Quintonil which would lead quickly into dinner at Pujol with only time for a short nap in between. OH WAIT. We ate both the torta and the tacos you see pictured below. This day was guaranteed to end in gastrointestinal upset as early as 9:00 a.m.
Chilaquiles in a sandwich. Magical.
We found out after we took this picture that we were definitely not allowed to take this picture. Sorry.
Yeah. That happened. Anyway, we roll up to Quintonil about 15 minutes prior to opening, not as hungry as we should be, but definitely as excited as we should be. We were also the first to arrive, which has never happened before. Got our first ever calm exterior pic (usually we are running late, it’s raining, dark, or we just plain forget this step):
Hell yeah on time!
Nothing to see here…
Not only were we first, we also witnessed Chef and owner Jorge Vallejo and his daughter come outside to open the door and greet the guests. She was wearing an adorable chef’s hat, and it was the most precious thing we’ve ever seen. Jorge and his wife and co-owner Alejandra were even dining at the same time as us! It looked like they were having a business lunch with a few other folks, and we definitely stared at them in wonder and made it awkward for all.
Of course, we opted for the tasting menu despite our full day of eating ahead! We would never let you down. However, our explanations of exactly what was in each dish are surely lacking, because although the servers came out and explained every dish in great detail, they said so many things that we had never heard of before and couldn’t catch it all to write in our notes (much like our experience in Peru). We also didn’t want to keep them there while we asked them to repeat themselves. So there was a lot of nodding and then just going for it. The servers even brought out visual aides for some dishes, which was so great and helped somewhat.
Anyway, without further ado, here’s Quintonil’s tasting menu from Tuesday, November 26, 2019:
Eat This:
Welcome Home
I will only be welcomed home with a stack of freshly-made warm tortillas from now on, thanks. We loved that our meal started with this Mexican staple. The sauce on the left was super spicy and made with ants, which we saw (and tasted) frequently on our trip. The brown mixture in the middle was topped with huitlacoche (the fungus that grows on corn) which brought a truffle-esque kick that just took everything over the top.
It was also fun to build our own tacos while we perused the drink menu – suffice to say, we really loved this course.
Jsaon’s art! I wish I could hang it on the fridge
Milpa Alta
This course was named after one of Mexico City’s 16 alcaldías, and Milpa Alta is known for their agriculture and food – especially cactus. Once you opened the lid, dry ice smoke slowly dissipated to reveal a nopales ceviche with a crisp bite and a strong acidic finish. This was Jason’s favorite of the whole meal!
The big reveal!
Mone with Wild Mushrooms & Blue Crab
This little blue corn crab tostada was the perfect bite, and my favorite course. It was so simple, but there was a ton of flavor and mushroom umami in this tiny pocket of goodness. There was a hint of lime and chili mayo, and lest we forget that generous bite of crab! Yum.
Lobster Cocktail with guava & Coconut Foam
This was essentially lobster ceviche covered in a creamy foam. This was a light, flavorful, and visually impressive course.
Cured Trout from
Zitácuaro in Yuzu “Aquachile,” infused Oil of flowers & horseradish and an emulsion of oysters
Gah, what a fresh and colorful course! It was just bursting with flavors from the fatty trout and roe and fragrant oils.
Charred Mamey Tartare with “escamoles” and “crema De Rancho” infused in Melipona Bee Honey
Our server brought out some mamey (pictured below) for us to see. It’s a very high-sugar fruit that grows in Central America and the Caribbean, and here the sweet fruit was paired with ant eggs (escamoles), a tangy sauce, and a kiss of honey sweetness.
Mamey!
Fish “A La Tumbada”
This course was a play on a traditional stew that’s popular in the Mexican city Veracruz. Made with rice and seafood, this version included a perfectly cooked fish filet topped with the crispy skin. One of Jason’s favorites of the meal!
Atocpan-Style & a Selection of Wild Mushrooms in an Emulsion of Butter & Pitiona
We felt blessed to have two of the best moles in the world in a single day! Pairing it with buttery mushrooms and a tangy sourdough made my heart sing more than I ever thought possible, though. I am torn – I may have even liked this one better than Pujol’s?! So hard to say. But it was fan-bloody-tastic.
Roasted Cabbage, Scallops, & Artichoke Cream with “Chile Ancho”
Simple and flavorful, this dish was a great bridge between the mole and the final savory course. I’ve never had cabbage that tasted this good.
“Pibil” Duck “Panucho,” Oven-Baked Onions, & Fried Almond Puree
We loved this course. Super meaty and rich, this was another traditional dish with a twist. The tangy pickled onions put it over the top.
Dessert:
CACTUS SORBET
Not a lot of places still offer a palate cleanser, and I am always down for one. It’s an extra dessert. Just a bite or two of this barely-sweet cactus sorbet got me even more excited for the main sweet event.
Jerusalem Artichoke
With apple & buttermilk ice cream
The presentation was obviously stunning, and I loved trying Jerusalem artichoke in a sweet dish for the first time. I liked the texture play with the sugar shards, dried apple, and dried artichoke.
Drink:
I don’t know what came over me at this meal, but I was in the mood to drink. Jason had the first cocktail pictured below, and I had the next three. ALLORA. Each one was better than the last, so zero regrets. I neglected to take a photo of the cocktail menu, but know that the drinks below were all super delicious and artfully crafted, as you can see.
Jason’s Single Drink
Drink #1
Drink #2
What’s My Name Again?
Had three drinks, ready to party
Atmosphere:
Quintonil’s light, natural wood walls and high ceilings gave us major Noma vibes. Their aren’t too many tables, but they make the most of the space while still achieving an open and airy feel.
Two Tasting Meals in One Day Hospitality:
We had impeccable service at Quintonil. The way the servers bring around the ingredients to educate you during your meal is above and beyond, and we really felt that we were in someone’s home with the level of hospitality we were shown. One of the best service experiences of any of the Top 50 restaurants for sure.
Best friend!
Frankie’s Notes:
I wish I could tell you that we won’t do two tastings on the same day ever again, but we can’t make any promises; I don’t always have three cocktails at lunch, but when I do I get pretty weird; At least we walked back to our hotel from Quintonil to offset all of that eating; We’ve never eaten so many ants in our life as we did this trip, and we’re not mad about it; I hope that if Jason and I ever have a restaurant, Frankie will greet patrons at the door in a v small chef’s hat.
Rating: 5 out of 5 with 2 Michigan Pugs
