Mexico City Restaurant Tips by morgane1692

LA VALENTINA: spend the $$$, it's a special occasion, right?

As it happened, we only learned of La Valentina from the Brazilian guy we met earlier in the day on our tour out to Teotihuacan. But it was an excellent recommendation he gave us! Iron sconces, terracotta and tilework, flickering candles, and the roving band of not-exactly-mariachi musicians. Just swat the camera girl and the weird fortune-telling-dove guy away with a wave of your hand, and you and your partner can enjoy your conversation quite nicely.

Favorite Dish: Just to be on the safe side, we had our margaritas w/o ice. That worked. They weren't any less potent and tasty, straight up like this. The blue corn empanadas were an original idea, and the medium rare steak was mmmmmm, beyond pink. Excellent! Alas, my creme brulee wasn't anything like what I've had before, more like some very nice strawberries covered with sweet frothy foam. No brulee, that I could see.

Address: Presidente Mazarik, 393 Col. Polanco

Comparison: more expensive than average

Directions: Upstairs, inside a chic-slash-upscale shopping arcade, in the verrrrry sharp Polanco neighborhood

Phone: 52-82-22-97

Price: US$31-40

Rating: 5

Theme: Mexican