tikichris's Qype reviews
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Calle de Palma 23, Mexico City
tikichris
wrote on 10 November 2010
Lovely restaurant ... and very popular too! Expect to wait for a table (maybe up to an hour if you show up around the height of lunch without a rez).
Once seating you'll be asked if you'd like coffee or hot chocolate. I went with the chocolate and was most pleased (there was a free refill too!).
The menu is pretty basic but well prepared and good value for money but service was atrociously slow and uncertain during my meal. You'll find a lot of rosy reviews (NY Times, etc) online about this place. I'm not sure my experience matched up with what I've read. I had better meals nearby and on the street for cheaper and in more evocative settings. Still, it's very nice, a good place to take your mom or finicky tourists and is certainly well regarded.
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Calle de Palma 32, Mexico City
tikichris
wrote on 10 November 2010
The king of turkey! Hurray. Long live the king. This low key and long standing eatery serves a variety of (yep you guessed it) turkey dishes and more to a variety of folks passing through looking for a low cost, quality meal. The clientele during my visit were as varied as the make up of Mexico City itself. So, the restaurant is a brilliant spot for top notch people watching.
With the uniformed waiters, decades evolved streamlined service and right tasty food at good prices (I had a yummy torta with a glass of horchata) make this an easy spot to recommend while hoofing around the Centro Historico section of Mexico City.
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Plaza de la Constitucion, Cuauhtémoc , Mexico City
tikichris
wrote on 10 November 2010
I'd probably only give this three stars if it wasn't for the phenomenal Diego Rivera murals inside. I mean, it's a fascinating place to visit, full of history and an interesting exhibition but such a hassle to actually enter. No pens, no lighters, no ... you name it and no one seems to know exactly what's okay or not. There were massive queues when I was there and it took forever to get in only to be herded through the place.
Still, Rivera's murals depicting Mexican history and its struggle for independence are breathtaking, massive and well worth being jerked around to have good long look at. Everything else was just okay.
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Mexico City
tikichris
wrote on 9 November 2010
Vast and beautiful leafy and laked park with paddle boats, a zoo, lots of vendors offering everything from face painting to street food to lucha libre masks and more.
The people watching conditions are ideal.
Go on a sunny day (which shouldn't be too difficult to arrange) - preferably a weekend - and see how the people like to spend their leisure time: picnicking, walking, hanging out.
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Mexico City
Zocalo (plaza de la constitucion)
tikichris
wrote on 9 November 2010
The geographic, cultural and social epicentre of the city, the downtown plaza known simply as the Zócalo is brilliant for a summary take of all Mexico City has to offer. Steps from the Palacio Nacional with its historic and house sized murals by Diego Rivera, the Templo Mayor, the Catedral and more, it’s as must-see as they come. And around the Day of the Dead, you’ll find plenty of displays, performances and activities.
You'll also find lots of crowds. Take care and keep your valuables at home or in your hotel safe.
Great restaurants abound near this central square. A few good ones include El Rei de Pavo (yes, “The King of Turkey” – yum), the elegant (if not very efficient) local favourite El Cardinal and the down-with-the-people and the prehistoric menu items (cactus worms, ants, venison with corn fungus – don’t worry they serve more standard contemporary dishes as well) Fonda Don Chon. For tasty traditional Mexican food with a lovely sixth floor terrace view over the Zócalo and an arts and crafts shop, drop by Arte Mexicano Para el Mundo.
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Campos Eliseos # 218, DF 11560 Mexico City
InterContinental Presidente Mexico City
tikichris
wrote on 9 November 2010
The Presidente InterContinental Mexico City is where I stayed on my recent (and first ever trip to Mexico), and I’d be keen to shack up here again. I've been back about a week now and find I still miss the comfy bed of my room there. Even more so, I miss the spectacular and sweeping view from my 33rd floor room.
In the swank and sophisticated neighbourhood of Polanco with plenty of great restaurants within walking distance (I had an especially tasty meal at Villa Maria) as well as leafy and laked Chapultepec Park, the Museo Nacional de Antropologia and lots of upscale shops and galleries, the Intercontinental's location is about as glamourous as Mexico City gets (think of it as a Mexican Mayfair). Polanco is also a super convenient base for exploring the rest of town with cabs all over the place and a Metro station very near the hotel.
Service was super friendly and helpful. Breakfast was gorgeous (I could really do with another heap of sincronizadas and all the fresh juices they had on offer).
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Calle Dr. Lavista 189, 06720 Mexico City
tikichris
wrote on 9 November 2010
Lucha libre (Mexican wrestling) might not be to everyone’s tastes but for aficionados of old fashioned low brow entertainment, a series of Friday night matches at Arena Mexico is guaranteed fun.
With its bulletproof box office window, where you can only see the fingers of the person receiving your money and giving your ticket to all the hawkers and lucha fans milling about, this can seem like a dauntingly dangerous way to spend your free time. It probably kinda is, especially if your street smarts are rusty or non-existent. However, once inside you'll find the arena to be a fairly safe (a fight broke out while I was there but was squashed quickly by security) and family friendly (lots of little kids and families) environment.
Almost as entertaining as the stars of the ring are the fans in the audience, many of whom wear their own luchador masks.
300 pesos (roughly £15) will get you very good seats.
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Mexico City
Aeropuerto Internacional de la Ciudad de México
tikichris
wrote on 7 November 2010
What can I say it's a big boring international airport, but a bit more manageable and less of a hassle than, say, Heathrow and most I've had to deal with.
Plus (and a very good plus indeed) they've got tacos, ancient Aztec art and slightly more interesting tchotchkes and souvenirs/junk as well. Decent duty free as well.
If you're planning to eat before going through security, look around for the food court before settling on one of the couple of massive restaurants. Tasty tacos et al can be had at el Farolito taqueria. If at the gates for domestic flights you should be able to find some yummy comidas mexicanas pretty easily as well.
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av. Paseo de la Reforma y Calzada Gandhi, Chapultepec, Mexico City
Museo Nacional de Antropología
tikichris
wrote on 7 November 2010
A first time trip to Mexico City without a visit to this world class museum would be incomplete.
The Museo Nacional de Antropologia holds one of the largest collections (if not the largest) of Pre-Columbian Meso-American artifacts. And if that doesn't already sound like a top of the list place for you to check out then let me just say its a huge place filled with tons of awesome stuff.
From the prehistoric passage of the first inhabitants of the Americas to contemporary indigenous Mexican life, the artwork, antiquities and cultural ephemera on view at this modern and gorgeous museum are plentiful and fascinating. Most interesting for me were the pieces in the Aztec collection and the outdoor area with massive pieces and buildings in situ. I also really really loved getting up close for a long look at the ethnographic paintings of Luis Covarrubias (one of my fave painter/illustrators):
http://www.folkart-crafts.org/Dance/Template%2003.htm
Entry is around 50 pesos (roughly two quid) and well worth it!
