April 29th, 2012 » Interview: Andrea, Mexico City DF

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© 2012 Doni Dexter.

 
Name: Andrea Espinoza
Funniest Nickname: Andi? Unfortunately, all my nicknames are embarrassing, not funny!
Location: Mexico, Federal District, Mexico
Occupation: Communications student/vegan nail polish aficionado

Blog Name: Vegan Mexican Food
Blog WWW: www.vmexx.blogspot.com
Twitter: @darth_lorr
Facebook: /darthsideofthemoon
Pinterest: /cadavrexquis

 
Where are you based in and how long have you been living there?
I’m currently living in Xochimilco, Mexico City and have been here since January ’12. Before that, I lived here from July to December back in ’09.

 

 
How did you start as a vegan? Tell your story.
I went vegan little more than 2 years ago and was vegetarian 3 years before that. Trying to give up cheese was a struggle, but being on the Post Punk Kitchen forum and meeting other vegans helped me make the transition from vegetarian to vegan.

What inspired you to start a blog? What sort of topics do you generally about?
Other blogs, definitely! I saw how others shared their recipes and funny stories and wanted to do the same.
I generally talk about food but I like to sneak some personal experiences in there, too.

What is your favourite vegan local meal & dessert?
Tacos and pineapple tamales.

 

 
What are your favourite vegan restaurants in Mexico City and how often do you eat out in Mexico City?
Gold Taco! Not vegan, but they have decent options and The Green Corner is a close second. I eat out at least once a week.

You live in Mexico City, where tortillas are popular. Do you prefer flour or corn or blue corn? Why?
That’s a tough one! I love flour tortillas but most are made with lard and blue aren’t as common as white or yellow corn tortillas, so I’m choosing blue.

Which area of Mexico City is best for vegan food?
Coyoacán, Roma or Condesa.

Is that true that Mexico lacks groceries compared to U.S.? Got a reason?
Yes. Even though I still hear people complain, the U.S. markets are more inclusive, having options for almost everybody with some kind of dietary restriction or people with different lifestyles like us. México on the other hand, is getting there but really slowly. There are plenty of gluten-free and vegan-friendly products in health food stores but the prices are higher than usual.

What is your experience ordering vegan dishes at any restaurants in Mexico City?
Most servers will give you a weird look if you ask about ingredients or try to modify a dish to make it vegan but others will happily help you out (even if they think you’re a little crazy).

What is your favourite taco filling?
Cochinita pibil.

Do you ever cook, if so, what is your favorite style or ethnicity of cooking?
Mexican food! But I love asian-inspired food as well.

 


 
What local ingredient could you not live without?
Hot sauce.

Tell me more about your pet(s).
I have a dog called Ellie. She’s a little out of her mind but we all love her to pieces.

 


 
What vegan food adventures are on your horizon for the upcoming summer?
I’m going back to my hometown (Tijuana) to finish school and hope to discover more vegan options at omni restaurants!

 

 
Any last minute advices on visiting Mexico City?
Bring your vegan passport or dictionary because many people here just speak spanish!

 

 

 

 
Want to join Rika’s interviews? Contact me at veganmiam (at) gmail.com.

Mexico City: Orígenes OrgánicosMexico City: Nevería RoxyMexico City: Pan Comido VegetarianoMexico City: The Vegan Nutella, 70% CacaoMexico City: Mamey SapoteMexico City: Grocery Products & What I Eat iPhoto Gallery

April 29th, 2012 » Mexico City: Azul Condesa

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Located in the beautiful Condesa, Azul Condesa is known for Chef Ricardo Muñoz Zurita‘s blended contemporary and traditional Mexican cuisine. I learned about Azul Condesa through my partner, apparently my partner was looking for one of the best restaurants in Condesa, Mexico City for his “omnivore” brother who came to visit us in Mexico City DF. Azul Condesa wasn’t mentioned in the Happy Cow listings and I’ve not seen any vegan dishes relating to Azul Condesa at all, but somewhere on their Twitter or Facebook, they offer a couple of vegetarian options.

So I’ve decided to give Azul Condesa a try after inquiring about a vegan dish.

Location & Hours & Notes

• Azul Condesa Nuevo León #68 Colonia La Condesa Mexico, D.F.
• Monday through Saturday from 1:30PM – 1:30AM | Sundays 1:30PM – 6:30PM.
• Some staff speak English and Spanish, which is a good thing.
• It is important to make reservations after 3pm since the 2-story restaurant tends to get busier in the evening otherwise you may be LUCKY to get a table in time!
• It is a bit expensive to eat there if you are a local on a budget (but it’s average for me), compared to other traditional restaurants/eateries you usually eat cheaply elsewhere.
• Excellent & Attentive service, they will not bother you, but they will ensure you will have a delightful dining experience at Azul Condesa.
• They serve complimentary bread rolls basket, which are vegan

 
Passionfruit & Tamarind & Cucumber Margaritas
I was very impressed with the flavour of the Cucumber (Pepino) margarita with the chili-salt on rim. I had a traditional Apio pulque at Pulqueria place in the centre and it tasted amazing with only chili powder and salt. But Azul Condesa’s Pepino (Cucumber) margarita is fabulous and I would get it again over the other flavours I tried. At the same time, I also enjoyed the Passionfruit & Tamarind margaritas with salt on the rim. All of them cost ~$85 pesos (~$6.60 since 04/29/2012), which wasn’t too bad for three impressive cocktails!

 


 
Vegan Hibiscus Enchiladas in Chipotle Chili/Tomato Sauce (Enchiladas de Jamaica orgánica: bañadas en salsa ligera de jitomate y chile chipotle)
I never had Hibiscus flowers (Hibiscus sabdariffa L) in my vegan plates, but it was definitely worth it to try something unique and new in Mexico City DF, especially at Azul Condesa. I do really like the heat and the flavour within the tomato sauce and I could taste a bit of chipotle that gives some smoky flavour. Unfortunately, I do not like the filling, which I thought it was too sweet for a enchilada and I could taste the sweetness of the red beet or some sort of red flowers. I do appreciate the fact that Azul Condesa accomodates a vegan option for this particular dish. Fortunately, my partner liked the dish since we ordered our own vegan enchilada dishes, so I suppose everyone has a different taste. I’m not really into sweet and savory dishes at all.

 
Vegetarian Salad (NOT VEGAN), it was my partner’s brother’s dish
I would like to share a vegetarian dish for vegetarians only, not vegans, just to keep an open mind for others. That salad looked good and I think it can be served without cheese. My partner’s brother (omnivore) apparently liked it, but it was too filling due to excessive cheese. He only finished it halfway. There were hibiscus flowers in his salad as well.

 
Chocolate oaxaqueño con agua
It was the best vegan-friendly beverage ever in Mexico City. Everyone liked the richness of the raw chocolate in that drink including an omnivore who wanted more of my beverage. It was a warm beverage at first, but it tasted orgasmic! I loved that drink so much!!!!!! There’s something unique about this drink I couldn’t quite describe it in words!

 
Will I come back?
Absolutely BUENO! The service was extremely impressive. I liked the ambiance and overall dining experience. It was a fantastic visit!

 

 
To view other groceries & restaurants in Mexico City, go here.

Mexico City: Azul Condesa Part IIMexico City: Nevería RoxyMexico City: Orígenes OrgánicosMexico City: The Vegan Nutella, 70% CacaoMexico City: Mamey SapoteMexico City: Local Groceries

April 28th, 2012 » Mexico City: Yug Vegetariano Part II

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I wrote an earlier post on Mexico City DF’s Yug Vegetariano, and tried plenty of vegan dishes there afterward. Like I’d mentioned, Yug Vegetariano was the first local vegetarian restaurant I went to because it was within a short walking distance from my apartment in Zona Rosa. So I tend to eat more often there since I live closer to it. As you peruse this post, you will see photos of vegan dishes I’ve tried so far at Yug Vegetariano. If you have any questions or would like to know further information about the dishes, jot me a note anytime at veganmiam(at)gmail.com.

 
To view my first post on Yug Vegetariano, go here.

 
Location & Hours & Notes

• Varsovia 3-b Col. Juarez México D.F. . A block from Angel de la Independencia, and corner of Paseo de la Reforma.
• Monday to Friday from 7:00 am to 9:00 pm | Saturday & Sunday from 8:30 am to 8:00 pm
• Buffet from Monday to Saturday from 1pm to 5pm. I have not tried it yet! It serves a variety of salads, 3 stews, 2 soups, appetizers and desserts as well as a complimentary beverage.
• Be prepared to speak and read Spanish as much as you can since the staff speak Spanish and the menu is entirely Spanish. As long as you state the ingredients you cannot eat such as dairy, eggs, cheese, cream, and butter in Spanish, they will accommodate you quickly. It’s 100% vegetarian, but they do have plenty of vegan options to choose from.
• They have daily special combo meals from salad, soup, main dish to dessert, which are cheaper than ordering full menu items. I think it’s a good deal, but sometimes they may not have vegan options for all of them. You never know!
• Most beverages, small meals and main plates vary from $2 to $7, which is slightly cheaper than the American meals.

Complimentary Salsa & Pera Fruit Juice (Pear) Yug Vegetariano serves different types of salsa on a daily basis and it is free. Sometimes, I wanted the fresh one, sometimes my partner wanted the spiciest salsa without onions in it. The complimentary salsa varies daily. We ordered ourselves Pera Fruit Juices ($9 pesos each), which are pear juices (Freshly made).

Complimentary Bread Basket & Enchiladas De Mole The bread slices are vegan, but the rolls and sticks aren’t vegan as well as the butter dish. They are served as complimentary appetizers, which was nice, but save them for any soups! I had Enchiladas De Mole without cheese (made vegan). I thought the flavour of the mole was very delicious (slightly bitter and savory) and the enchiladas were textured soy protein & vegetable-filled corn tortillas. It also comes with flavourful, yummy refried black beans, which I enjoyed.

Carnitas vegetarianas con guacamole y frijoles refritos (Vegan Carnitas or Roasted Pork with Guacamole and Refried Beans) This was a fantastic dish I would recommend and it comes with warm corn tortillas. You can taste the creamy refried beans, guacamole (it contained too much onions for me, but sometimes they vary) and the unique carnitas, which are “literally ‘little meats,’ a type of braised or roasted (often after first being simmered) pork in Mexican cuisine” (Wikipedia). The soy carnitas aren’t that chewy, but they are a bit salty, greasy and tasty if you combine it with guacamole & refried beans & complimentary salsa in your taco. I never had that type of soy carnitas, but that is a must to try!

Milanesa Ranchera con Salsa Verde Calabacitas y Elote Acompañada de Papas (Vegetarian Breaded Steak with Green “Little Squash” Sauce and French Fries) That was a strange dish, but it was indeed unique to try a Mexican breaded ‘milanesa’, which is a lightly breaded and fried chicken steak, or a Mexican version of schnitzel. Unfortunately, it was the least liked dish at Yug Vegetariano. I did not like the fact that the squash green sauace was mushy, plus the french fries were very bland (I should have added salt in the first place). I do like the milanesa, but I’m not sure about the whole combination.

Enchiladas Verdes (Enchiladas in Green Sauce) I had a mole enchiladas last time and I wanted to try something different for enchiladas, so I had enchiladas in green sauce. I thought the enchiladas were sort of bland in such a tart, green sauce, and I could taste the lime or acidic juice in it. I didn’t really like it though. The kitchen made the first mistake by offering me enchiladas verdes with cheese, but my partner quickly pointed it out (because he’s a vegetarian) and I had the correct dish without the cheese. It’s important to check your vegan dish without cheese before eating, always inspect it, you will never know! I was lucky I didn’t try it, thanks to my partner!

Special Lunch Combination Menu I always find the special combination meal menu exciting because it’s a good deal compared to ordering a regular menu item. You get your salad, soup, main dish and dessert, plus complimentary salsa & bread and that’s called a perfect lunch! For the salad, we ordered a “Melon”, fruit salad. For the soup, we ordered Pancita de setas (Tummy mushrooms). For the main plate, we ordered Carne a la mexicana, which was the only vegan option. For the dessert, we ordered Buñuelos, which is a golden, crispy-sweet, tortilla-like fritter sprinkled with sugar. The “special” combination meal was only $67 pesos (~$5.16 since 04/28/2012)! We also ordered Pera (pear) juices for $9 pesos, which was the special deal for juices.

Pancita de Setas Soup (Tummy Mushrooms Soup) That was a very unique soup with tummy mushrooms and vegetables. The texture of tummy mushrooms was very tough and chewy, which made it look like a piece of stomach meat. The broth was a bit watery, but the soup was overall light. It was an interesting try, and definitely eat it with complimentary vegan bread slices (not the rolls or sticks) in the basket.

Carne a la mexicana (Vegan slow-stewed soy meat with black beans) I really liked the flavour in the stewed vegan soy meat as well as the black beans. It tasted very good, but I still think it needs tortillas or something else like rice to go with the dish.

Buñuelos, a golden, crispy-sweet, tortilla-like fritter sprinkled with sugar This is probably my favourite dessert at Yug Vegetariano! I love the sweet, sugary tortilla fritter and I wish I had more of them

 
To view other groceries & restaurants in Mexico City, go here.

Mexico City: Yug VegetarianoMexico City: Azul Condesa Part IIMexico City: Tacos HolaMexico City: Orígenes OrgánicosMexico City: Nirvana VegetarianoInterview: Andrea, Mexico City DF

April 28th, 2012 » Mexico City: Pan Comido Vegetariano

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Location & Hours & Notes

• Tonalá 91, Roma Norte, Cuauhtémoc, 06700 Ciudad de México, Distrito Federal, Mexico
• Tuesday to Saturday 9am – 9pm. | Sunday and Monday 9am – 5pm.
• 100% Vegetarian. Very few vegan options. They serve hamburgers, hot dogs, falafel, sandwiches and salads.
• They have a small outdoor seating area and indoor booth seating area.
• Follow them on Facebook | Twitter.

Pan Comido (Vegetariano) does offer several spots to photograph, with its beautiful decor and sitting area. It is a 100% vegetarian restaurant situated at Colonia Roma, Mexico City, DF. They do have couple of vegan options (the sort of trendier/hip cafes that offer portobello burger, etc. you will see elsewhere), but I don’t think their menu is entirely traditional. I did not try their cuisine yet, but would like to feature the restaurant here. Despite my so-so experience at Pan Comido, my vegan breakfast burrito could not be served due to unavailability, then I was given a salad choice (which was my least preferred dish). So I left since I wanted to try something unique and local (i.e., tacos, plenty of mole, enchiladas, plantain, etc.). Unfortunately I would go for the traditional eateries in Mexico City.

But I would definitely recommend any vegetarians to eat there, since it is entirely 100% vegetarian!

 


 


 

To view other groceries & restaurants in Mexico City, go here.

Mexico City: Orígenes OrgánicosMexico City: Nirvana VegetarianoMexico City: Nevería RoxyMexico City: Yug Vegetariano Part IIMexico City: Tacos HolaInterview: Andrea, Mexico City DF

April 28th, 2012 » Mexico City: Mamey Sapote

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It was my first time to try a local exotic fruit in Mexico City, DF. We bought it at Condesa market that Tuesday and it was one of the larger sizes we’ve bought: $30 pesos ($2.30 since 04/28/2012).

According to Wikipedia, “The mamey sapote (Pouteria sapota) is a species of tree native to southern Mexico. Today, the tree is cultivated not only in Mexico, but also in Central America, the Caribbean, and South Florida for its fruit, which is commonly eaten in many Latin American countries [...]The fruit is eaten raw or made into milkshakes, smoothies, ice cream and fruit bars. [...] The brown skin has a texture somewhat between sandpaper and the fuzz on a peach. The fruit’s texture is creamy and soft. A mamey sapote is ripe when the flesh is pink when a fleck of the skin is removed. The flesh should give slightly, as with a ripe kiwifruit.”

 
When I sank my teeth on the reddish-orange meat, it tasted like a roasted, soft sweet potato or yam, but at a room temperature. It was a filling local fruit, or should I call it a yummy meal? It does resemble a bit like papaya, but bigger.

 


 

 
 
To view other groceries & restaurants in Mexico City, go here.

Mexico City: Nevería RoxyMexico City: Pan Comido VegetarianoMexico City: Azul Condesa Part IIMexico City: The Vegan Nutella, 70% CacaoInterview: Andrea, Mexico City DFMexico City: Azul Condesa