Category Archive for Food + Theme Restaurants
Puebla, Mexico travel guide! Toyo Ito’s Museo Barroco architecture, talavera skull art, artisan shops & restaurants.
I’m back from Mexico now… and had the most magnificent time in Puebla! Only a two hour drive from Mexico City, Puebla is a peaceful artisan and food city famed for its Baroque buildings…
… as well as this masterwork of Japanese minimalist architecture (above): Toyo Ito’s Baroque art museum, Museo Internacional del Barroco!
Read on for my food / art / shopping guide to Puebla, Mexico. My favorite mems include strolling around the artist markets, eating street foods like quesadillas and tacos, and chilling poolside at Cartesiano spa wellness hotel overlooking the old Catedral. (Gracias Canirac Nacional and our new friends Maria and Miguel for making these travel experiences possible.)
Puebla is only a two hour car ride from CDMX, making it a sweet escape from hectic city life for a few days.
Treat yourself to a stay at Cartesiano Boutique & Wellness Hotel like I did. You get access to spa facilities and a quiet rooftop pool overlooking this colonial era church.
Cartesiano Hotel is located in a former convent and has a stunning garden with a labyrinth! Guests can take part in free wellness classes; we loved trying a morning moving meditation session.
Puebla’s colorful streets have a unique feel because of its history. The Spanish founded the city in 1531, and the architecture is a mix of European Baroque and Indigenous styles. Puebla is also the only major colonial city in Mexico that was not built at the site of a pre-Columbian settlement.
Puebla is also home to a masterpiece of Japanese minimalist architecture… Museo Internacional del Barroco! Architect Toyo Ito’s design looks like curved white concrete sails mirrored by water — a contemporary take on the 17th century art displayed inside.
Built in 2016, the Baroque International Museum’s maze of rooms highlights the contrast of light and dark (chiaroscuro) that fascinated Baroque artists.
Watch my IG video to see me exploring Toyo Ito’s architecture!
A swirling courtyard fountain mimics the dramatic flow of water found in many 17th century works.
I was enthralled by Toyo Ito’s use of light and curved concrete elements.
Inside the museum, you can see works of art by Pueblan artists, as well as impressive collections of Baroque works.
Come at golden hour and stay until evening to see the white sails aglow.
The whirlpool in the center of the courtyard is mesmerising — possibly my favorite space in the museum.
Toyo Ito’s wave-like shapes also pay homage to Italian architect Francesco Borromini’s facades.
Museo Barroco in Puebla is a must for those who love classic art and Japanese minimalism.
The moon came out to play… At night, the structures are illuminated with light.
I’m so happy I got to see Toyo Ito’s Baroque museum in Puebla. Check out my Instagram @lacarmina reel for a walk-through of the architecture.
I worked up an appetite, so it was taco time. Maria took us to her favorite street vendors — and Taqueria Las Ahumaderas served one of the absolute best tacos I’ve ever had.
See how the chef “werked” the grill with a hairdryer! The chopped beef was melt-in-your-mouth juicy, topped with guacamole and salsa… I could have eaten six of these carne asada tacos.
We also tried pork carnitas tacos and unique Pueblan versions, arabes and orientale (pork with Middle Eastern spices, served in pita bread).
The next day, we headed to Mercado Cholula (located near Cholula Pyramid, the largest in the world by volume). Here I had the best quesadilla of my life: a freshly made blue corn tortilla with stringy cheese, squash blossoms and huitlacoche truffles!
Cholula Market is a well-run and friendly place to try local specialties like stews and memelas poblanas (thicker masa tortillas with beans and other toppings).
You can also shop for all types of produce and ingredients, as well as healing herbs — I left with a sachet of Mexican oregano. The friendly vendors hold out samples for you to taste: Puebla’s yellow peaches were scrumptious!
One of the reasons I wanted to visit Puebla was for its famous talavera, a pottery tradition that dates back to the mid 16th century.
You can purchase talavera at various shops and markets in the city, but I wanted to visit one of the most well-regarded producers: Talavera de la Reyna, not far from Cholula Market.
I knew I was in the right place as soon as I saw this wall of black and white skulls!
My goal was to purchase a Mexican talavera skull for my apartment redecoration project (which I will reveal soon). So many one-of-a-kind handmade skulls to choose from…
Talavera de la Reyna has the highest quality ceramics, from sculptures to plates and vases. The elaborate process includes two kiln firings and hand painting, and can take months to complete.
Of course, I had to take home one of the skulls (a tribute to Mexican Day of the Dead culture) – can you guess which one?
If you visit Puebla, you can’t miss Talavera de la Reyna’s showroom and art gallery. There’s no better place to learn about the ancient ceramic tradition and find an original piece.
I’m all about hands-on activities, and was delighted to take a Mexican cooking lesson. I learned how to make mole poblano from scratch using pre-Hispanic methods in the home of Maria and Miguel’s mother! We gathered in her classic kitchen and prepped a dozen ingredients for the spicy, earthy, chocolate-y sauce, which is one of my favorite Mexican foods. A delight to then share the mole with their family along with Pueblan dishes like chalupas (a crisp tortilla with toppings).
We also had a meal to remember at El Mural de los Poblanos, known as the best traditional restaurant in Puebla. How lovely is this open space with a mural and skylight.
I devoured three types of mole on duck enchiladas, as well as fresh salads made with papalo, a peppery green leaf from this region.
I came across a witchcraft themed cafe as well, Home Witch Home, which is done up in Halloween decor for “foolish mortals.”
More authentic are the smiling sugar skulls and La Catrinas found at Perros del Mal, a buzzing mezcal bar with an impressive selection of mezcals, including artisanal versions from the Puebla area.
I had a mezcal cocktail in a talavera skull mug and shared modern Mexican plates at Attico 303, a hip restaurant in the historic district overlooking the grand Catedral de Puebla (a UNESCO heritage site). The perfect spot for dinner with a view of the central plaza.
You can’t leave Puebla without doing some serious shopping. I dropped pesos at La Cosmetiqueria, an all-natural soap and skincare store near the historic center. I found snake and pumpkin soaps for less than a dollar each (perfect gifts for Goths) and got a creamy avocado moisturizer.
“You can sit with us,” Puebla Goth edition! While there aren’t really any Gothic attractions here, you’ll find friendly skeletons all throughout the city.
I browsed the many market stalls that sold art and souvenirs, but preferred the higher quality items found in artisan boutiques, particularly in the Barrio del Artista (Artist Quarter).
Dancing calaveras and devil masks — Mexican culture has plenty of spooky elements!
My face looked like these happy skulls as I wandered around the small artisan workshops and saw them at work in the Artist’s Barrio.
Don’t you want to visit Puebla, Mexico after seeing how my trip went down? Gracias to everyone who made these travels possible. (Please click on the Puebla story highlight on my Instagram @lacarmina for more tips!)
I leave you with rainbow sugar skulls and a few press / writing updates.
Huffington Post interviewed me about travel JOMO, or the joy of missing out when on vacation. I told them: “I’m a fan of the Chinese ‘lying flat’ movement, which is about living simply and opting out of the socially conditioned trappings of hustle and work culture.” Read more of my thoughts on Huffington Post.
WIRED Magazine also interviewed this Goth gal about how to keep up a skincare / beauty routine while traveling! Of course, I went on about sun protection… See the article “How to Pack Your Beauty Routine for Travel” on Wired.
Finally, I received an assignment to write Eater’s Best Restaurants guide to Osaka, Japan. See all my food and travel writing for Eater national here. Thanks for supporting my journalism, and as always, you can catch up on my current travels and fixations on IG @LaCarmina!
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Balcón del Zócalo restaurant: Mexico City’s most innovative fine dining. Chef Pepe Salinas, Zocalo Central Hoteles.
Some career news: I’m now a food writer for Observer! I recently went to Mexico City to report on the meaningful menus by chef Pepe Salinas at Balcón del Zócalo. His artistic tastings are themed around social issues like climate collapse and women’s rights… I think you can see why I was drawn to his story!
Thanks for supporting my writing — read my Mexico City chef/restaurant feature here on Observer.
These vibrant photos are by Albert Ting of The Click Ting and @pootie_ting Instagram — so happy he accompanied me on the trip!
And watch the reel about my Balcón del Zócalo dining experience here on @LaCarmina Insta.
How gorgeous is this greenery-filled open air restaurant, located on the 6th floor of Zócalo Central Hotel?
I’m wearing a 100% mulberry silk cheongsam or qipao (traditional Chinese dress) by Beth and Brian Qipao. I’m transitioning to a nearly microplastics-free wardrobe, so this luxe floral design with a leg slit was perfect for a dinner to remember.
In my debut for Observer, I wrote about how Mexico City chef Pepe Salinas conveys a Mad Max future through fine dining. Imagine a five-star, nine-course dinner based on water scarcity… which references a Dune-like future of drinking our own urine to survive!
Every three months, chef Salinas and his R&D team create a new menu based on pressing (and sometimes divisive) topics of the day. This summer, Balcón del Zócalo’s tasting is based on Day Zero, the imminent doomsday when Mexico City’s reservoirs will run out of water.
Each course weaves in a story of The Collapse — which is happening now — through Salinas’ well-rounded flavors and textures. Trained as an artist, his dishes are works of art. This one is inspired by Lake Pátzcuaro, which is drying up due to human activity. The melon aguachile, corn toast and freeze-dried strawberries (as well as the custom plate) allude to the drought affecting the lake.
I love sardines, so this was a personal favorite… Salinas invites you to scrounge together a post-apocalyptic meal out of sardines in a glass can and dehydrated meat “crackers!” Talk about a delicious dystopian simulation.
Here, he addresses my current obsession: death by microplastics! Pepe Salinas designs and 3D prints tableware to perfectly fit his themes. The bread plate is made from discarded water bottle parts (photographer Albert Ting and I are still salivating over the incredible sourdough served at Balcon!)
The restaurant’s wine pairings bring out the umami of each dish. The Day Zero tasting isn’t all doom and gloom — it’s playful and showcases creative solutions, such as using hydroponics to grow crisp greens.
The chef is also an artist, and combines his passions by hand-drawing each menu (every guest gets to take home a copy). The tasting also involves going into the wine room for the starter (a meteorite candy with champagne and a tribute to the Aztec rain god), and later the kitchen to say hi to the team and have a palate cleanser.
I also got to visit Pepe Salinas’ experimental lab… Of course, I was drawn to this row of homemade skull liquors, and tried the one with a scorpion in it!
As I wrote in the Observer article: “Universal Flood encourages guests to simulate an eco-disaster by vigorously shaking the broth around a slab of buttery totoaba fish, causing beet gummy bears to bleed out red. Salinas focused on plant and marine ingredients—like a coconut soup with scallops, squid and spirulina that evokes life-giving amniotic fluid—to show that fine dining can be delectable and beautiful when resources are scarce.”
I smiled when the desserts came out with 3D printed axolotls (colorful, smiling endangered Mexican amphibians)!
Come watch the video footage of my dinner at Balcón del Zócalo here — you get to see the interactive elements of the tasting.
The video also gives you a tour of the magnificent restaurant, which is on the 6th floor of Zocalo Central Hoteles in Centro Historico, Mexico City.
Balcón del Zócalo’s name refers to its vast balcony overlooking the ancient square, which was originally an Aztec ceremonial space, and is now the site of the 16th-century National Palace and Metropolitan Cathedral.
Love the plants everywhere, and black and white tile floor. (My heels are Dream Pair Shoes.)
You can eat a marvelous breakfast by the balcony as well — we loved our stay in this classy hotel.
Stay at Hotel Centrales Zocalo for a boutique experience rich with character and history.
This hotel was made for me… the lobby was filled with skully elements! Photos by Albert Ting of The Click Ting / @pootie_ting on Instagram.
I adore Day of the Dead in Mexico, and the sugar skulls / spooky folklore surrounding the occasion. (See my 2019 blog about coming to CDMX around Halloween).
Cheers to Zocalo Central Hoteles for the fabulous hospitality.
The hotel and restaurant are located near Mexico City’s top museums, including the nearby Museo de Arte Popular. These towering calavera figures greeted us. Despite being dead, they’re still enjoying life to the max through song, dance, and fashion. (Sounds like some Goth friends of mine.)
Mexico City’s Museum of Popular Arts has several floors of folk art. My favorite exhibition featured Mexican devils of all sizes and shapes!
Such captivating detail in each of the horned masks.
These are humanized, comical versions of the Devil, who was introduced to the indigenous people of Mexico through Christian missionaries. Some of the works show Lucifer and his infernal court, while others show demons crying over losing their tails.
And of course, there were tons of skeletons hanging out at the museum.
Speaking of spookiness… we loved the vibe of Xaman Bar, which is inspired by ancient shaman culture! Find the hidden entrance and enter into a cavernous space filled with mysterious indigenous masks.
The menu is a Gothic dream — it references voodoo, tarot, and the occult. Of course, I went for the mezcal cocktail on the top right, called “Goodbye to Evils,” which sends the Devil packing.
Xaman Bar incorporates traditional liquors and ingredients, and elements of shamanic ritual — like a fire and smoke performance.
Spend an evening at Xaman Bar for a taste of mixology with alchemy and ritual.
One of my favorite things to do in CDMX — check out contemporary art. We wandered into a Jan Hendrix “Atlas” exhibition at the downtown Palacio de Cultura Citibanamex, and were mesmerized both by the art and setting.
The Dutch artist’s large-scale works are inspired by biology and botany.
You must see Jan Hendrix’s art in person to get the full effect of the shimmering forms and colors, such as this interactive mirrored sculpture.
On my previous trip to Mexico’s capital, I also went to the Museum of Anthropology, Museo Soumaya, Templo Mayor and more — coverage here.
Also close to Central Hotels Zocalo — a David LaChapelle photography gallery. I’m sure you recognize the iconic images of Britney Spears and Marilyn Manson by the American photographer and music video director.
If there are only two things I can do in Mexico, it would be… eat inexpensive / street food (especially tacos), and buy over the counter tretinoin (anti-aging skin product)!
I was in my happy place eating $2 cachete (cheek) tacos at Los Cocuyos Taqueria (a fav of Anthony Bourdain) and Taqueria Arandas. I also adored the quesadillas and huaraches at street stall El Huarache Loco. And I went to Farmacia Similares to get ten tubes of tretinoin 0.05 cream for $2-3 each.
Thanks to everyone who made it possible for me to visit Mexico City and report on food, art, and travel.
I hope you enjoy my debut article published by Observer about the conversation-sparking restaurant Balcón del Zócalo .
For more from Mexico City and this dining adventure, watch my reel here — and add me on @LaCarmina IG for my latest travel and food adventures!
LA CARMINA
