Newly minted Michelin-starred chef Arturo Rivera Mart铆nez stood over an insanely hot grill Wednesday at the first Mexican taco stand ever to get a coveted star from the French dining guide, and did exactly the same thing heB次元官网网址檚 been doing for 20 years: searing meat.
Though Michelin representatives came by Wednesday to present him with one of the companyB次元官网网址檚 heavy, full-sleeved, pristine white chefB次元官网网址檚 jackets, he didnB次元官网网址檛 put it on: In this tiny, 10-foot by 10-foot (3-meter by 3-meter) business, the heat makes the meat. And the heat is intense.
At Mexico CityB次元官网网址檚 Tacos El Califa de Le贸n, in the scruffy-bohemian San Rafael neighborhood, there are only four things on the menu, all tacos, and all of which came from some area around a cowB次元官网网址檚 rib, loin or fore shank.
B次元官网网址淭he secret is the simplicity of our taco. It has only a tortilla, red or green sauce, and thatB次元官网网址檚 it. That, and the quality of the meat,B次元官网网址� said Rivera Mart铆nez. HeB次元官网网址檚 also probably the only Michelin-starred chef who, when asked what beverage should accompany his food, answers B次元官网网址淚 like a Coke.B次元官网网址�
ItB次元官网网址檚 actually more complicated than that. El Califa de Le贸n is the only taco stand among the 16 Mexican restaurants given one star, as well as two eateries that got two stars. (hint: a lot of expensive seafood served in pretty shells on bespoke plates).
In fact, other than perhaps one street food stand in Bangkok, : Half of the 100 square-foot (9.29 square-meter) space is taken up by a solid steel plate grill thatB次元官网网址檚 hotter than the salsa.
The other half is packed with standing customers clutching plastic plates and ladling salsa, and the female assistant who rolls out the rounds of tortilla dough constantly.
In a way, El Califa de Le贸n is a tribute to resistance to change. It got there by doing exactly the same four things it has been doing since 1968.
Thousands of time a day, Rivera Mart铆nez grabs a fresh, thinly sliced fillet of beef from a stack and slaps it on the super-hot steel grill; it sizzles violently.
He tosses a pinch of salt over it, squeezes half a lime on top, and grabs a soft round of freshly rolled tortilla dough onto the solid metal slab to puff up.
After less than a minute B次元官网网址� he wonB次元官网网址檛 say exactly how long because B次元官网网址渢hatB次元官网网址檚 a secretB次元官网网址� B次元官网网址� he flips the beef over with a spatula, flips the tortilla, and very quickly scoops the cooked, fresh tortilla onto a plastic plate, places the beef on top and calls out the customerB次元官网网址檚 name who ordered it.
Any sauces B次元官网网址� fiery red or equally atomic green B次元官网网址� are added by the customer. There is no place to sit and at some times of day, no place to stand because the sidewalk in front of the business was taken over by street vendors hawking socks and batteries and cell phone accessories years ago.
Not that you really would want to eat inside the tiny taco restaurant. The heat on a spring day is overwhelming.
The heat is one of the few secrets Rivera Mart铆nez would share. The steel grill has to be heated to an astounding 680 degrees (360 Celsius). Asked how it felt to get a Michelin star, he said in classic Mexico City slang, B次元官网网址渆st谩 chido B次元官网网址� est谩 padre,B次元官网网址� or B次元官网网址渋tB次元官网网址檚 neat, itB次元官网网址檚 cool.B次元官网网址�
The prices are quite high by Mexican standards. A single, generous but not huge taco costs nearly $5. But many customers are convinced itB次元官网网址檚 the best, if not the cheapest, in the city.
B次元官网网址淚tB次元官网网址檚 the quality of the meat,B次元官网网址� said Alberto Mu帽oz, who has been coming here for about eight years. B次元官网网址淚 have never been disappointed. And now IB次元官网网址檒l recommend it with even more reason, now that it has a star.B次元官网网址�
Mu帽ozB次元官网网址檚 son, Alan, who was waiting for a beef taco alongside his father, noted B次元官网网址渢his is a historic day for Mexican cuisine, and weB次元官网网址檙e witnesses to it.B次元官网网址�
It really is about not changing anything B次元官网网址� the freshness of the tortillas, the menu, the layout of the restaurant. Owner Mario Hern谩ndez Alonso wonB次元官网网址檛 even reveal where he buys his meat.
Times have changed, though. The most loyal customer base for El Califa de Le贸n originally came from politicians of the old ruling PRI party, whose headquarters is about five blocks away. But the party lost the presidency in 2018 and has gone into a steady decline, and now itB次元官网网址檚 rare to see anyone in a suit here.
And Hern谩ndez Alonso noted that his father Juan, who founded the business, never bothered to trademark the Califa name and so a well-funded, sleek taco chain has opened about 15 airy restaurants in upscale neighborhoods under a similar name. Hern谩ndez Alonso has been toying with the idea of getting the business on social media, but thatB次元官网网址檚 up to his grandkids.
By law, following the coronavirus pandemic, Mexico City restaurants have been allowed to open up street-side canopied seating areas. But El Califa de Le贸n doesnB次元官网网址檛 even have a sidewalk for customers to eat on because of all the street vendors, so customers now stand cheek-to jowl with display stands and plastic mannequins.
Asked if he would like them to make room for a street-side seating area, Hern谩ndez Alonso expressed an B次元官网网址渋f it ainB次元官网网址檛 broke, donB次元官网网址檛 fix itB次元官网网址� attitude.
B次元官网网址淎s the saying goes, why fix or change something thatB次元官网网址檚 alright? You shouldnB次元官网网址檛 fix anything,B次元官网网址� he said, motioning to the street vendors. B次元官网网址淚tB次元官网网址檚 the way God ordered things, and you have to deal with it.B次元官网网址�
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