The red guide continues to highlight humble street food establishments around the world. Now it's Mexico's turn, where a tiny taqueria, El Califa de León in Mexico City, has been awarded for serving the same recipes for over half a century.
Cover photo: Silvana Flores-AFP-Getty Images
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Tacos yes, pizza no. It's a mystery why the Neapolitan icon remains excluded from the Michelin guide, while humble street food establishments continue to rise, always with an endless line in front of them. The latest is El Califa de León, nothing more than a tiny taco stand, measuring three meters by three, capable of accommodating just six patrons, now overwhelmed by media fame, as reported by The Guardian.
Located in Mexico City, in the unglamorous neighborhood of San Rafael, amidst unassuming stalls. Among the locals, it was indeed well-known, regardless of a star that often continues to be overlooked. And although many have been regulars since childhood, they have never had to wait more than 5 minutes to be served, on plastic plates and without cutlery, as it has always been done.
The fillings vary: in addition to the classic meat (shin, rib or loin of beef from a top-secret source) served with guacamole, lime, and coriander, there's the kiosk's signature, a taco called Gaonera, created in honor of the bullfighter Rodolfo Ganoa in 1968, the year of its opening, and never forgotten. It contains a beef fillet so tender, it's not thinly sliced, grilled with salt and lime and served in a tortilla with red or green sauce. All prepared on the spot, as here, a chef, a meat handler, a tortilla maker, and a cashier work simultaneously, perfectly synchronized. All this for just 5 dollars. A winning formula that will not change in any way, assures the owner Mario Hernández Alonso.
This is how the Red Guide explains its choice: "This taqueria might be all bones, with barely enough space for a handful of patrons to approach the counter, but its creation, the gaonera taco, is exceptional. The sliced fillet is expertly cooked à la minute, seasoned only with salt and a splash of lime. Simultaneously, a second cook prepares excellent corn tortillas. The resulting combination is as elementary as it is pure."
Arturo Rivera Martínez, who has been working as a cook here for over twenty years, has not opted to wear the white jacket of the award ceremony, due to the temperatures in the kiosk. With some understatement, he interprets his success like this: "Our secret is simplicity. Just tortilla, green or red sauce, nothing more. This and the quality of the meat." The chef's pairing? A chilled Coca-Cola. However, some raise an eyebrow, considering that there were only 18 winners, 2 of which with the second star; or argue that it wouldn't be fair to choose just one taqueria, since everyone in Mexico has their favorite taco, often based on origin.
