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No. 9 of the World today but personally not as good as back then when it was No. 36 in 2009: Restaurant Pujol (16. November 2021)

| February 6, 2022 | 0 Comments

It’s a solid 12 years ago since I’ve been to the Pujol (which back then was No. 36 of the world). Now, it’s No. 9 of the world and it has changed quite a bit. Personally, I had high expectations since back then I had eaten maggots and ants for the first time in my life. So, I was ready to be surprised again! I was, just not how I had hoped I would be!

I went for the “Tasting Menu” (2’395 MXN) which is ‘served’ to you in an envelope for you to break open which is definitely a nice gesture.

The evening started with “botanas” (i.e., amuse bouches) which was firstly, a sope! And man, it was delicious! So my hopes were up and running!

The second course reminded me strongly of something I had at the Pujol 12 years back – but it turned out that they would not keep the ants on the carrot like back then but actually grinded them so you could not feel the texture of the ants, which kind of defies the purpose of them. So, it was good, but not as good as back then

The first course was the “ceviche de kampachi, rábano sandía, jicama, jengibre” which was served …

… with a little sauce. And I must say that the whole dish was definitely good and enjoyable. Nothing to complain about the quality of this one.

Especially if you would combine it with the ‘tostada quinoa’ which was served with it, it would make a great bite.

Next in line was the “tostada de atún, aguacate, kimchi” where you would have to spread the parsley on top with your finger …

… so it would be distributed all over. All in all, the dish was very enjoyable in terms of combination of different flavors and textures.

The next course was the “chile relleno, puré de brócoli, pulpo” which was interesting since the chile was stuffed with pulpo which was an interesting and intense combination which was balanced off by the relatively simple broccoli purree.

The fact that it was served with “tortillas” was perfect since like that you could create tasty little bites which would be very enjoyable.

The next one was “Veracruzana, huachinango, ejotes, chilpachole” which was overall good. I mean, the combination of the smoothness of the fish with the crunchiness and texture of the beans and the intensity of the sauce was good.

What I loved most was the combination of two moles. The “mole madre 2’452 días, mole nuevo”. So, basically, there would be an ‘older’ mole (the dark one) and a newer mole (the lighter one) and you would get to try both …

… and eat them with a “leave tortilla”! How interesting is that? I mean, it was like two-layered since there was the actual leave on top and there was a ‘regular’ tortilla on the bottom. And the two moles are so different in taste. While the older mole was very intense and based, the newer mole was sweeter and lighter. If you mixed them together a bit and ate them with the leave tortilla, you would have a great flavor combination.

Finally, it was time for dessert and dessert was “Nicoatole de calabaza mantequilla, sake, St-Germain” which was enjoyable, especially due to the texture of the pumpkin.

The “churro” which was huge was – to me – surprisingly delicious since it wasn’t really all too sweet which it so often is.

And finally, there was this other dessert of which I was not able to write down the name which was basically “ice cream on some apple mousse” (at least that’s what it tasted like). Simple yet enjoyable.

To finish the evening, it was perfect to have a double espresso which was, luckily, quite good.

The place itself is lovely in all terms. Outside there is a little garden which is very atmospheric and has little fireplaces which make sure it’s not only looking nice but also warm enough.

But also on the inside, it’s very nice and modernly designed so you would have a great combination of different atmospheric elements combining modern pieces with a comfortable atmosphere …

… and if you’re lucky you actually get a little preview of the kitchen which is interesting to experience how they are doing things there.

Comparing Pujol 2021 to Pujol 2009, I must say, I was a bit disappointed. With regards to the space it is definitely an upgrade to the old version although the older version was somehow more appealing in terms of creating a comfortable and personal feeling. And I admit that this is complaining on a very high level. However, the cuisine got more refined but less edgy, less surprising, so it does cater to the masses. I loved it back then when it was surprising, daring, and ready to do something new you wouldn’t find at this level of fine dining. Personally, a pity they did not manage to keep that. Still, when you’re in CDMX, Pujol is worth trying!

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Contact Details:

Restaurant Pujol

Tennyson 133, Polanco

Polanco IV Secc

Miguel Hidalgo

11570 Ciudad de México (MX)

Tel.: +52 55 55 45 41 11

E-Mail: info@pujol.com.mx

Homepage: http://www.pujol.com.mx

About the Author:

I started the blog in October 2009, while living in Milan which I definitely consider to be one of the food capitals of the world. I was in touch with food since my early childhood (as my father is a former chef). Whenever I can, I travel the world to discover new places, to meet people but mostly to try local dishes and to find hidden gems! If you know a place worth going, please drop a line to: info@thediningexperience.org. Currently, I am a member of the following food-related associations: Chevalier @Chaîne des Rôtisseurs Zurich-Ville; Membre Gourmet Dégustateur @Ordre Mondial des Gourmets Dégustateurs [OMGD]; Gesellschafter @Goldener Fisch and Member @Slowfood Convivium Zurich City.
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