Amber Alcocer One of the best things about being able to follow your favorite chefs on Instagram is that you can see where they choose to eat when they're not working. Chefs work long hours, so if they spend their valuable free time eating at a particular restaurant and posting about it, you know something special must be happening. This is exactly how I found out Makan.
Over the past few months, I kept seeing Instagram stories popping up in my feed from chefs like Elena Reygadas (Rosetta), Eduardo García Guzmán (Mámixo Bistrot) and Lucho Martínez (Em Rest) enjoying lunch or some late night food at a restaurant in Roma Norte called Makan. I was intrigued to know where it was.
I live in the Roma Norte neighborhood and spend a lot of time wandering its streets, so I wondered why I had never come across this restaurant, since I'm always looking for new and interesting places to eat. After a little research, it turned out that Makan is on the edge of Roma Norte, on the corner of Frontera and Querétaro streets, which explains why I hadn't come across him before. There are also no big signs outside and it is half hidden inside a large building.
Once we were sure we had found the right location, we walked down a hallway that took us past a cafe and art gallery to a pretty little garden, perfect for a few glasses of wine with wooden chairs and tables. bright red color. The garden is covered with clear perspex so you can enjoy the sun and fresh air without having to worry about showers during Mexico City's rainy season. There is also an indoor dining room for those who prefer to sit inside.
Makan means “eat” or “let’s eat” in Singaporean and the restaurant is the brainchild of two chefs, Mario Malváez and Maryann Yong (who is originally from Singapore). Once seated, we were shown a brief menu that consisted of 3 starters, 5 main dishes and 1 dessert of the day. We were also offered “daily specials” and the wine menu was quite impressive and varied for a relatively small restaurant.
Of the starters our favorite was the “Fish Larb”, which consists of raw sea bass, toasted rice and herbs. The meal was accompanied by small Indian toasts, which added a wonderful texture to the dish.
The first of our main dishes to arrive was the “Arroz con pollo” which may sound simple but was packed with flavour. The chicken was juicy and I could have eaten the delicious jasmine rice alone. Then came the duck, which was the star dish in my opinion. The duck was cooked perfectly and the crispy homemade noodles soaked up the rich duck jus. It was simply divine!
Once we finished our main courses and a delicious bottle of rosé wine that was recommended to us, we asked about the dessert of the day. When they told me it was “pavlova with red berries”, my heart broke because I usually find pavlova desserts a little too sweet for my taste. However, everything else had been delicious, so I reluctantly agreed to try it.
I needn't have worried. The pavlova had a delicious creamy filling that balanced the sweetness and made it one of the most enjoyable desserts I've had in a long time. I could write a few more lines about how great it was, but I think a picture says a thousand words, so why bother?…
UPDATE: Since this first visit, we have returned to Makan on a couple of other occasions to try some of their other dishes and I am happy to report that they have all been great. If you're looking for genuine Southeast Asian cuisine in CDMX, look no further than Makan.
Tips For Eating In Makan
- Makan is a relatively small restaurant with a loyal and growing fan base, so if you plan to visit on weekends or during busy periods, I would recommend making a reservation.
- It's a little tricky to locate on your first visit, so I would recommend giving yourself extra time to find it if you have a reservation.
- Makan is closed on Tuesdays.
MAKAN
Website: https://makan.mx
Location: Queretaro 11, Roma Norte, Mexico City
Telephone: 5547659626
Reservations: Call the phone.
