A goodbye visit to the restaurant which rejected the 50 Best award but was rightfully nominated: Restaurant Masala y Maíz (1. December 2021)
The Masala y Maíz was nominated by the 50 Best for the “The Macallan Icon Latin America” award rightfully – however, they decided to reject the award. But let’s focus on the food – the process of getting a table takes a while as everything is prepared from the moment they open (i.e. 12:00 pm) and not a moment earlier. So, when we arrived 12:10 pm instead of 12:30 pm it took them a few minutes to prepare everything. Finally seated at the table, the initial process still took a while until the menu was brought.
I appreciate if you make a statement against people being treated badly and all but I find statements like on the menu here a bit inappropriate for a restaurant to be honest. However, let’s, again, focus on the food. Once you’ve placed your order, you’re brought a bit of something to nibble on, specifically “yuca chips and maíz azul” which was both very nice when you drop some lime on it as recommended by the waiter.
The first dish I had ordered, a “Paratha Quesadilla con queso Oaxaca, queso de montaña, salsa machaar, ensalada de hierbas y jitomate heirloom” (170 MXN) was absolutely amazing. The quesadilla was full of cheese, and it was still liquid. And it went so damn well with the salsa – but not only that, also the herb salad with tomatoes was actually super delicious.
The second dish we decided to go for were the “samosas de suadero y de aloo pepita (60gr)” (175 MXN) which were nice since they had kind of an Indian taste to them but went well with the old chile salsa with which they were served.
The “Infladita Chaat con pera, piña, papa, betabel, mango, pepitas, raita de mango achaar, chutney de tamarindo, chutney de epazote” (150 MXN) was fun to eat since you basically have to destroy it and mix it together which is kind of fun. Secondly, it was not only fun to eat but it was also nice since they had a lot of refreshing flavors like mango in it. All in all, definitely a great combination of flavors.
As the idea is basically to share your dishes and put them in the middle of the table, it was also time to select a few different main courses. The “tetela de jaiba suave con pachi pulusu (130gr)” (250 MXN) was served on a nice foundation of some Indian kind of purree and the crab itself was actually delicious. Again, the combination with the different herbs was refreshing and enjoyable but also seemed kind of repetitive.
The “Uttapam Gordita con barbacoa, calabaza “mantequilla” y salsa verde (100gr)” (270 MXN) looked nice and was also nice in terms of ‘idea’, however, for me personally, the meat was way too dry to really enjoy it. Unfortunately. Other than that, it was a nice combination of different flavors.
What I loved was the “Kuku Poussin (pollo crujiente con ensalada de hinojo, pera y toronja) (500gr)” (370 MXN) which is basically half a chicken which was absolutely deliciously roasted! The skin was so crunchy and nicely seasoned that it was pure pleasure to eat it. But not only that, again, the balance with the fennel, pear and grapefruit salad was just refreshing (and something else than a herb salad)!
For dessert, we tried the “nicuatole de temporada” (95 MXN) which is a traditional recipe which feels kind of like a jelly but was somewhat light and had a slightly different texture than regular jelly does. I found it quite enjoyable.
The “granita de maracuyá” (120 MXN) which is served with a bit of prosecco is definitely good on its own. I wouldn’t really add the prosecco since it doesn’t add anything to the dish – but the maracuja granita was delicious.
What I liked about the place is the way it vibes – it’s down to earth, it’s simple, and yet it provides a great combination of different flavors and textures which is very enjoyable. I especially enjoyed the combination between the Mexican and the Indian cuisine which overall made it a delightful culinary experience.
With regards to the service I have to say something though. It was good – no general complaints but somehow it felt a bit off. Like, you are trying so hard to be nice to all employees (which I believe since they all seemed very happy) but also at the same time it felt like the waiters didn’t really celebrate their job. Not saying they should but somehow you could feel it, which was a bit of a pity.
Other than a coffee needing more than 20′ to be prepared, all was exquisite. I also liked the interior which is basically two rooms and from both you can watch parts of the two tiny kitchens – loved that.
All in all, I do understand why the Masal y Maíz was nominated by The World’s 50 Best and I appreciate a restaurant making a statement but don’t entirely understand why they decided to not be listed. Well, in any case, if you’re in Mexico City, then I can definitely recommend you the Masala y Maíz. Just make sure to book well in advance since they are pretty booked out, it seems.
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Contact Details:
Restaurant Masala y Maíz
Calle Marsella 72
Juárez, Cuauhtémoc
06600 Ciudad de México (CDMX)
Tel.: +52 55 13 13 82 60
Cell: +52 55 62 27 94 68
E-Mail: hola@masalaymaiz.com
Homepage: http://www.masalaymaiz.com
About the Author: Sven
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. 
