quintonil salbut
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Quintonil (Mexico City, MX)

Quintonil opened in 2012 and quickly established itself on the world stage. The restaurant is currently ranked 22nd in the world, two spots behind fellow Mexico City restaurant Pujol. Chef Jorge Vallejo worked for three years at Pujol under chef Enrique Olvera before opening this restaurant. He also spent a short period of time working at Noma in what has been a relatively brief, but spectacular, career for the 35-year-old chef.

pujol churro
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Pujol (Mexico City, MX)

On my first trip to Mexico City, Pujol was high atop my desired restaurants to try. Reservations fill up well in advance, but I was able to get an early dinner reservation on a Friday that I would be there (OpenTable can be your friend with some persistence).

Pujol chef Enrique Olvera is the most internationally acclaimed chef from Mexico City. The chef opened Cosme in New York at the end of 2014, which was a hit from the beginning, earning the 40th spot on the top 50 restaurants in the world. Pujol, generally regarded as one of the top fine dining establishments in Mexico, is ranked #20 in the world.

salazar
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Salazar (Los Angeles, CA)

Salazar is the latest concept from Esdras Ochoa of Mexicali Taco with business partner Billy Silverman. Located in the Frogtown neighborhood just north of downtown, it’s been a big hit since opening in May.

The concept, to me, is sort of a taqueria-steakhouse mash-up. A variety of tacos are available, similar in style to the ones at Mexicali (of course), as well as large format proteins eaten with tortillas. Appetizers and sides round out the food portion of the menu. A full bar is also available with cocktails and spiked agua frescas. With a party of seven, we were able to try quite a bit of the menu during this visit.

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Javier Plascencia & Tim Hollingsworth @ Petty Cash Taqueria (Los Angeles, CA)

Javier Plascencia & Tim Hollingsworth with Petty Cash Taqueria Petty Cash Taqueria 712 S Santa Fe Ave Los Angeles, CA 90012 Dining date: 8/12/15 I’ve never been to mid-city’s Petty Cash, a modernized taqueria from chef Walter Manzke and restaurateur Bill Chait. The restaurant has been pretty popular since opening two years ago spawning this second…