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 he含羞草研究社檚 been doing for 20 years: searing meat.
Though Michelin representatives came by Wednesday to present him with one of the company含羞草研究社檚 heavy, full-sleeved, pristine white chef含羞草研究社檚 jackets, he didn含羞草研究社檛 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 City含羞草研究社檚 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 cow含羞草研究社檚 rib, loin or fore shank.
含羞草研究社淭he secret is the simplicity of our taco. It has only a tortilla, red or green sauce, and that含羞草研究社檚 it. That, and the quality of the meat,含羞草研究社� said Rivera Mart铆nez. He含羞草研究社檚 also probably the only Michelin-starred chef who, when asked what beverage should accompany his food, answers 含羞草研究社淚 like a Coke.含羞草研究社�
It含羞草研究社檚 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 that含羞草研究社檚 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 含羞草研究社� he won含羞草研究社檛 say exactly how long because 含羞草研究社渢hat含羞草研究社檚 a secret含羞草研究社� 含羞草研究社� 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 customer含羞草研究社檚 name who ordered it.
Any sauces 含羞草研究社� fiery red or equally atomic green 含羞草研究社� 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, 含羞草研究社渆st谩 chido 含羞草研究社� est谩 padre,含羞草研究社� or 含羞草研究社渋t含羞草研究社檚 neat, it含羞草研究社檚 cool.含羞草研究社�
The prices are quite high by Mexican standards. A single, generous but not huge taco costs nearly $5. But many customers are convinced it含羞草研究社檚 the best, if not the cheapest, in the city.
含羞草研究社淚t含羞草研究社檚 the quality of the meat,含羞草研究社� said Alberto Mu帽oz, who has been coming here for about eight years. 含羞草研究社淚 have never been disappointed. And now I含羞草研究社檒l recommend it with even more reason, now that it has a star.含羞草研究社�
Mu帽oz含羞草研究社檚 son, Alan, who was waiting for a beef taco alongside his father, noted 含羞草研究社渢his is a historic day for Mexican cuisine, and we含羞草研究社檙e witnesses to it.含羞草研究社�
It really is about not changing anything 含羞草研究社� the freshness of the tortillas, the menu, the layout of the restaurant. Owner Mario Hern谩ndez Alonso won含羞草研究社檛 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 it含羞草研究社檚 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 that含羞草研究社檚 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 doesn含羞草研究社檛 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 含羞草研究社渋f it ain含羞草研究社檛 broke, don含羞草研究社檛 fix it含羞草研究社� attitude.
含羞草研究社淎s the saying goes, why fix or change something that含羞草研究社檚 alright? You shouldn含羞草研究社檛 fix anything,含羞草研究社� he said, motioning to the street vendors. 含羞草研究社淚t含羞草研究社檚 the way God ordered things, and you have to deal with it.含羞草研究社�
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