Teppan Grill

Sandi and I decided to have dinner at the Teppan Grill at the Hyatt Regency in Mexico City, where we were staying. She is a Hyatt member, so they issued a 15% discount at any of the hotel's restaurants. The atmosphere was striking the moment you walked in; they had a ceiling-to-floor display of fine wines. 

We were seated at the large stainless-steel table where they did the cooking. Think Benihana but without the show and a lot classier. Sandi ordered the Sirloin Steak over one marrow, spicy serrano, sesame sauce, vegetables in rice vinegar, and totopos, garlic-fried rice.

I, on the other hand, was very hungry, so I opted for the Tasting Menu, which included Roasted Edamame with chili, soy, and sesame oil. Then came the Fire Roll, which included shrimp tempura, tuna, salmon, hamachi, sea bass, asparagus, siracha mayonnaise, and eel sauce with shrimp. This arrived in foil, and the server lit a fire and swayed the foil over it. I enjoyed that one! 

After the Fire Roll came the Surf & Turf: beef tenderloin, catch of the day, shrimp, and 3 types of vegetables. Needless to say, the beef melted in your mouth, and the fish couldn't be fresher.  We were impressed with the spinach, which he rolled and cut into little squares. 

I was getting full at this point, but had something else coming. Fried rice with huitlacoche and garlic. I, of course, had Sandi try everything. 

My dessert, included in the Tasting Menu, was Coffee jelly, vanilla ice cream, and coffee liqueur, a wonderful finale. Sandi ordered something Chocolate with pears, which was delicious as well.

Teppan Grill was a great experience. We were surprised by the quality of the food, as most hotel restaurants are usually overpriced and nothing exciting. This was an exception.

Loma Linda-Reforma

This restaurant in Mexico City was recommended by my son's friend. We made reservations and had dinner there. We were ushered upstairs, which is where the vibe was! The tables in the main dining room were full. There was another area, quieter, and that's where we ended up. As we studied the menu, we both looked at each other because we smelled cigarette smoke. Turns out, this was the smoking section. We immediately asked our server if we could switch tables. The manager came by and asked if we minded going downstairs, as there were no other tables. We didn't mind. Fewer people, no smoke inhalation, so everything was dandy.

Sandi and I ordered the Loin Medallions in mustard, oak-aged sherry sauce. For our side, we were intrigued by the Souffle Potatoes, so we ordered that. The medallions were tender and juicy. The sauce complemented the flavor of the meat. The soufflé potatoes were puffed up and airy. This was more of a gimmick; it was good but not outstanding. Another side we ordered was Corn with Trufa oil and Parmesan cheese. That was outstanding. We were very happy with our meal. The service was not too good. We had to wait to even get the attention of the many servers. 

For dessert, we thought we would split an order of Crepes with Cajeta, a thickened syrup made from sweetened, caramelized goat's milk. Tasted like dulce de leche. It was way too heavy, rich, and sweet, unlike any crepe I have had before. This was a disappointment. 

The food was very good at Loma Linda, though I think they need to improve on service and maybe alter their dessert menu. 

El Zarape Tacqueria

This is by far the best El Pastor Tacos we have ever had in our lives. This was recommended by Hugo from the Concierge counter at the Hyatt Regency. We had planned to go to El Califa de Leon, a Michelin-starred taco stand, but he explained the differences and highly recommended El Zarape, which was close to the hotel. 

When Sandi and I went, we had to stand in line. Not too many seats outside were available, and they were all taken. When I finally caught the attention of one of the very busy servers, I ordered 4 orders of the El Pastor tacos for the two of us. There was a big, puffy item that was on the covered counter that looked interesting, so I ordered one to split. I asked her what it was, and she said it was a Quesadilla.

When a space was available, Sandi acquired 2 seats. We were both in 7th heaven. These tacos with pineapple were unbelievably and incredibly delicioso! We were under a red umbrella, so unfortunately, my pictures were all red. Sandi and I wanted to go back, but Hugo told us they were closed on Sundays. I asked Hugo to take pictures the next time he was there, and so he did. 

I have to mention that we tried El Califa de Leon, the Michelin-starred taco stand. We thought it had to be even better than El Zarape. Boy, were we so disappointed. They only took cash, no credit cards. We asked a local what the best thing to order was, and he suggested the Castilla Rib, so I ordered 4 for both of us. The meat was tough! We had to put a lot of the brown sauce for flavor. Apparently, they lost their star in 2026, and I can see why. Hugo was absolutely right; El Zarape Tacqueria is the best!

If you ever visit Mexico City, be sure to try the El Pastor Tacos at El Zarape.