Recently in the ancient city of Clermont-Ferrand in central France, an executive at the Compagnie Générale des Établissements Michelin - more colloquially known as the Michelin Tire Company - heard some startling news: there are restaurants in Latin America.
The Michelin Tire Company, you see, doesn't just sell tires. It also publishes something called the Michelin Guide - and the most famous duty of the Michelin Guide is to award stars to various restaurants around the world, in order to motivate millions of drivers (driving on, Michelin might hope, a set of sparkling new Michelin tires) to point their vehicles in the general direction of the restaurants whose culinary fare has proven itself to be outstanding enough to earn one or more (up to 3) of these coveted Michelin stars.
Across the globe, there are nearly 3,000 restaurants that have earned at least one Michelin star. France, as one might expect given that Michelin is a French company, has more Michelin star restaurants than any other country. Japan has the second most, with Italy tagging along with the third most.
But there is a problems with all of those Michelin stars: none of them belong to any restaurant in Latin America; thus none of them belong to any restaurant in Mexico. And really, that's the crux of the problem, because as any reasonably educated person on earth knows, the best food in the world happens to be found in Mexico.
And hey, that's not just me and every other educated person in the world saying that. The British magazine Restaurant maintains a curated list of the world's 50 best restaurants and it ranks Mexico City's Quintonil and Pujol as the 9th and 13th best, respectively. Taste Atlas - the online curator of traditional world cuisine - has declared that Cochinita pibil - a traditional Mayan slow-roasted pork dish - as prepared by Taqueria El Turix in Mexico City is the best traditional dish in the world. Not only that, but Taste Atlas ranks Mexico City as the best food city in the world (which, objectively, it is). Even UNESCO has gotten into the act of accepting the inescapable conclusion that Mexican food is the best in the world by declaring Mexican cuisine an "intangible heritage of humanity". Meanwhile, the French are slathering fried potatoes with mayonnaise 🙄.
OK, so back to all those Michelin people who believed until recently that Latin Americans only cooked at home. Beginning this year, that sad misconception was finally laid to rest. Michelin sent its crack team of restaurant reviewers to Mexico in order to scour the country for star-worthy dining experiences. And, starting in 2024, the guide will finally begin to award stars to restaurants in Mexico. Whoop-de-do.
In all seriousness though, I don't really go in for all this "best" list stuff. I like what I like, and I can't afford to eat in most of the world's "best" restaurants. But I have a fiduciary duty to bring to you all the news about Mexico, no matter how absurd. Truth be told, the taco stand down the street beats the pants off of any food I've ever had in France. And the people who run it are actually nice to their customers (sorry France, just some good-natured ribbing there 😉. Y’all bake some damn good bread 🥐).
FOOD!? Somebody mention "food"? Aquí estoy. Presente! Too hungry, busy and tired to philosophize or even be witty. You and Victor D. Sandiego can just be glad I am sending smoke signals that I am alive. And, it is likely the smoke is from frying something on very high heat. Sending you, two, authors warm greetings...and to your respective fans, too.
There's a restaurant here that we go to once in a while that's quite delicious. It's got "vaca" in its name, but I don't quite remember and besides, I don't want the Michelin folks dropping by because then it will get too popular and that always gets my burger brain busted (oops)
Anyway, it's a bit on the spendy side so it's a special occasion kind of place. I really love the little joints. There's one within walking distance that has the salsa made with pineapple. My favorite, yum do de yum yum. I give them more than 3 stars and they let me come in with my dog who usually accompanies me to the pickup, aka para llevar.