Eat: Maximo Bistrot
As many of you already know, I am a big David Chang fan. He can be a little bit harsh to some people and a self-described a*hole but I appreciate his honesty and passion for learning as much about where food comes from while really trying to enlighten his fans, viewers and listeners on how the intersection of history, politics, culture, and food all come together. His series on Netlix “Ugly Delicious” introduced me to Eduardo Garcia.
When we decided that we were going to Mexico City (CDMX), I knew I had to eat there. Garcia’s story is compelling, heartbreaking and inspiring. Garcia came illegally to the US at a young age. He worked in the fields harvesting fruits and vegetables and eventually worked his way into kitchens. Working his way up from the very bottom, he got involved selling drugs for many of the restaurant employees. Although he never got caught for it, he eventually turned himself in for driving 2 colleagues to rob a store. He was deported, returned again illegally upon news that his father was ill, and then eventually deported again.
Although most of his family remains in America, Garcia can never return. He opened up Maximo Bistrot which also has quite an interesting history. When the daughter of a famous politician could not get a table without a reservation (like all other patrons), she had the restaurant shut down. The community rallied behind Garcia and it was eventually re-opened.
Garcia started at Pujol and opened up Maximo Bistrot a few years later. It’s an intriguing mix of French and Mexican cuisine that has an elevated flair. Elliott and I were just taking a walk around the neighborhood after we had eaten some tamales and saw it on the street corner. We immediately knew it was meant to be to eat there.
We are both uni lovers and so the uni tostada was such a treat. Not only is it beautiful but it takes an ordinarily cheap Mexican item and turned it into a sophisticated, culinary delight.
The third photo doesn’t look like much but it was so, so tasty. It was a burnt, ashy eggplant dip that had the same texture as hummus. It was delightful. When I go back to CDMX, I cannot wait to try their whole tasting menu.
Location - Tonalá 133, Roma Nte., 06700 Cuauhtemoc, CDMX, Mexico
