The Quintonil Experience
Mexico City's Quintonil might not have a Michelin star yet but it's among the fastest rising restaurants on many best-of lists. That includes the World's 50 Best Restaurants where Quintonil is now 11th in the world. Young chef Jorge Vallejo is among the many culinary innovators helping elevate Mexico City's gastronomy to new heights. His impressive creations are not only visibly appetizing, they're works of art that are now making foodies alter their travel plans and put Mexico City on their travel to-do list. If you're looking for a magnificent dining experience, make a visit to Quintonil.
Background
Quintonil is owned and operated by chef Jorge Vallejo, who has quite the impressive resume. Not only has he worked under Enrique Olvera (Pujol), known as one of the top chefs in North America, he's also worked under Rene Redzepi (Noma).
Vallejo opened up Quintonil in 2012 and it took a while to gain notoriety. The first six months were quiet and slow, but after the locals had a taste, the reservations started to flow steadily. Nowadays, the restaurant is not only viewed as one of the best in the city or country, it's one of the top dining spots in the world. In fact, the student has outdone the masters as Quintonil now ranks higher on the World's 50 Best Restaurant list than both Pujol and Noma.
The Atmosphere
Many restaurants of this caliber – restaurants like Le Bernardin, Amber or Arzak – have very formal settings but Quintonil is far more laid back. The atmosphere is low key and casual, while still being an elegant setting. You won't find ostentatious centerpieces or moving artwork. Rather, it feels far more approachable. That's maybe why it doesn't have a Michelin star just yet. A lot of people expect to see some kind of wow factor when they step inside these types of restaurants but at Quintonil, the 'wow' factor comes from the food, not the venue itself.
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At the same time, one of the biggest criticisms some other people have with these types of restaurants is that they're haughty, snobby or sometimes feel like they're only for the upper crust of society. Quintonil is not to be filed in that same category as it's very warm and welcoming. You're going to be relaxed whether you've eaten your way through Michelin stars before or whether this is your first time experiencing this type of menu.
The Experience
While the vibe is very easygoing, everything to do with the execution is fully focused. From the kind welcome to the attentive service, you'll quickly understand that Quintonil is a cut above.
The real highlight is a combination of two things: the creativity of the menu and the price of the experience. In terms of the menu, it is as if a skilled culinary artist is working on a limitless canvas and you've bought a ticket to the show. You're going to eat authentic Mexican, which is what underpins the entire menu. You're going to eat some very unique ingredients like escamoles, the ant larva which is also known as Mexican caviar. And you're going to leave paying around $100 USD for a tasting menu that would cost three or four times that if it was hosted in the United States or somewhere in Europe.
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This is really what makes Mexico City as one of the top culinary destinations you can visit right now: not only can you eat amazing food but the cost for Canadians and Americans – due to the exchange – makes it a great value.
What To Eat
Definitely the tasting menu. At about 2050 pesos, you're looking at just over $100 USD to be treated for anywhere from 10-15 courses. With wine pairings, it's about $180. Once again, it's worth a reminder that in New York or London, this type of dining experience would easily be double – if not triple. A tasting menu at Eleven Madison Park now is over $315.
Any dishes with authentic Mexican ingredients that I had deserved the highest superlatives. Notably, the roasted huitlachoche with a potato sauce and serrano chile was fantastic. Huitlacoche – or cuitlacoche, as it's referred to on the menu – is roughly translated as corn smut in English. It's essentially corn with fungus in it. The fungus infects the corn kernels and the result is a lovechild between corn and mushrooms, as wild as that sounds.
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Also try anything with escamoles, which is also a Mexican delicacy. The day I visited, it was served in a charred avocado tartare with herb chips. The ant larva are light-colored eggs that kind of look like pine nuts. In terms of taste, think of it as a delicate, salted buttery flavor.
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Overall, it's a really young kitchen staff as Vallejo – at 35 years old – is one of the oldest on the team. The young minds are constantly flowing with creativity, which you can really taste on the menu.