Following a subpar breakfast at Nico's and a week and a half in Oaxaca disappointed by a number of lackluster meals, I arrived in CDMX on Sunday afternoon in search of redemption. If there was anywhere that I could find atonement for these transgressions, I'd surely find it in the good ole Distrito Federal.
I had been to Maximo Bistrot before in the summer of 2018. I remember the meal being decent, but nothing to write home about; just a simple 6 course meal that didn't quite live up to the praises of the late Anthony Bourdain.
prix fixe menu 2018
TLR;DR tasting menu 2021
Maximo Bistrot had since moved to a bigger, better location and much like the improvements to the space, the food was followed suit to be on a whole new level. The venue looks to be a conversion of a small commercial space where the original storefront was renovated to house the entire kitchen and the back lot covered for dining.
The demographic was pretty diverse. There were young couples on dates, groups of friends brunching, a son treating his family to lunch and an elderly couple of apparent notoriety meeting someone else in high social standing. This was very much a place where I'd bring my parents or longtime girlfriend to brunch.
I really liked the pace of service; I was done with mains within an hour and out the door within 1.5 hours.
criollo corn pastries
house garlic rolls with ashed eggplant puree
The meal started with some criollo corn pastries and house bread.
The first pastry was filled with some eggplant puree at its base, topped with grilled eggplant and black truffle. It was a savory, creamy bite of umami. The second was filled with what tasted to be an avocado puree, topped with beluga caviar, some greens and a drizzle of sauce made from chilies. It tasted like a savory avocado, cornbread pie with some briny notes from the caviar.
The house bread was soft and delicious, with buttery garlic notes. It was accompanied with an ashed eggplant butter. It was a smokey spread that had light notes of eggplant and straight up ash. It was an interesting butter substitute, but not quite sure I enjoyed it; it tasted too much like ash.
green caviar
uni roll
Next came what was described as "green caviar", though it seemed to be the sweet pearls of snap peas rather than fish roe. It came in a light, sweet seafood broth that had a hint of crab or shrimp. It was followed by a house roll topped with uni, crispy garlic chips and chives. This was an awesome bite, reminiscent of the uni toast from Saison in San Francisco. Delicious garlic roll with creamy uni goodness. I could eat 10 more of these.
stuffed chicken wing
abalone, matzutaki mushroom in chicken au jus
On to the mains! The first was a chicken wing that deboned and stuffed with rice and stone crab from Campache. The wing was glazed in a vinegary sauce that was lightly sweet but not too spicy. The rice was really good, like a crab pilaf cooked in chicken stock. I liken the flavor to that of Chinese crab congee. Interesting flavor combos I was not expecting, but fantastic overall.
The second main was abalone and matzutaki mushroom in chicken au jus. This sat on top of was seemed to be more stoned crab meat. The abalone was perfectly cooked, not rubbery at all. The texture was like that of a cooked mussel or a liver pate. The matzutaki mushroom was prepared to have nearly the same consistency of the abalone but with a bit more meatiness to it. The chicken au jus took on the essence of the mushrooms and gave a kick of umami to the dish. Probably my favorite course of this meal.
mexican wagyu new york strip
lychee raspberry sorbet
lemon and yuzu tart
yoghurt and goat cheese ice cream
The final main course was mexican wagyu new york steak that was cooked to a perfect medium rare with a nice crispy sear. The sauce a gravy of its own juiced, perfectly savory with a slight sweetness. It was nice and viscous, clinging to eat bite. Mushrooms perfect once again. I wanted to lick this sauce off my plate, holy shit.
Lychee raspberry sorbet was like no other sorbet I've had. It had a hint of coconut and was more creamy than icy, perhaps made with a coconut milk base. The raspberries were lightly sweet and just a smidge tart. Cherries were not tart at all.
Yuzu tart was also not too tart or sweet and had a creamy texture of custard. Yogurt goat milk ice cream also super light and creamy, not too milky. Topped with a touch of extra virgin that added a spicy, herby flavor to the profile.
agua del dia
house rhubarb soda
Had two non-alcoholic beverages to accompany my meal. I don't quite remember what the agua del dia was. I think it might have been jicama. Not terribly memorable. The house rhubarb soda was actually really nice. A little sweet, but I liked it a lot.
They were playing a mix of groovy R&B like Angie Stone - Everyday and some upbeat, brassy tracks I couldn't quite Shazam, but I dug it and enjoyed their song selection. Overall, a fantastic meal.