HACIINTTO

Another one of SMA’s best restaurants in 2025 is Hacintto.

Meet Chef Regina Aguilar, Mixologist, Yuranzi Silva, and Sommelier, Viridiana Martinez, the 3 talented chefs behind Hacintto; a soon to be sold out and you’ll need a reservation Hacintto. Yes, that one!

We popped in again last week for another round but this time I brought the discerning palates of Chef Michael Coon, the well-known world food and travel expert who is the former Travel Director and Co-Creator of the Culinary Institute of America’s World of Flavor tours and Sebastian Acosta Quiroz, who worked with Chef Matteo Salas and often tastes those flavors that you and I never do. We all love Hacintto and I’m delighted to report that they both had the same great experience I did. With only 7 dishes on the menu, it’s an easy choice and for a later round, choose one of the daily specials; always over the top. And the special dessert? Ask for it and try to guess the ingredients because it’s a dish that will remind you that coming back tomorrow is definitely not too soon.

The Roasted vegetables: a seasonal plate of vegetables, pistachio praline, kale and homemade fried focaccia still reign supreme as one of the best vegetable dishes in SMA. The focaccia is the only bread that’s made this way in SMA. The Oxtail, Mole and Mashed Potatoes were also high on our list as was our special: the delicate Sea Bass roasted neck served with pasilla and ancho chili mayonnaise and a fine pico de gallo; one of the best dishes we’ve had this year.

The soon-to-be-famous if it isn’t already, Margaritto is made with Casa Dragones tequila blanco, lemon oil, pineapple, cucumber, chile liqueur and bitter firewater. It’s one of our new favorites created by Venezuelan born Chef and Mixologist, Yuranzi Silva. The dynamic personality on the floor is Chef and Sommelier, Viridiana Martinez, who turns everyone’s visit into an unforgettable experience. Like all the restaurants on this list, Hacintto’s prices are easy on your budget. There’s just a few places left for a special, four course menu for Valentine’s day on February 14th, just two days away, at just $750 pesos + service. Michael, Sebastian and I all agreed that we could eat the chef’s new sea bass dish every day; a fitting tribute to one of the best new restaurants in SMA.

Hacintto Insurgentes 60, Centro San Miguel de Allende Hours: Wednesday - Saturday 2:00 PM - 10:30 PM Closed: Sunday - Tuesday For Reservations Phone: 415 103 2158 Chef: Regina Aguilar Garnish Chef/Mixologist: Yuranzi Silva Sommelier, Chef and Front of the House: Viridiana Martinez

Altar

One of the best places to go in San Miguel de Allende in 2025 is Altar, the new rooftop at Doce 18 that was two years in the making and finally opened last Friday. The project was a technically difficult one from the very beginning, a work in progress, and long delays caused the original chef to back out. Thank you Majo Casas for seeing us through when in November,2024, the vision was resumed and Chef Jorge Avendano was selected as the Executive Chef; a popular choice since his cooking is well known at his other SMA establishments: Salvajes Brasserie and Bastardo Restaurante. Chef Jorge Avendano is one of the top chefs in SMA; we’ve followed his rise since 2020. Altar is his first dance with Mexican food and undoubtedly will prove to be his best restaurant yet. Jafet Flores, the former baker at MAEH Panadería and Roberto Hegel, his former Sous chef at Salvajes Brasserie make up part of his growing team. He’s still looking for qualified staff so contact rohegel@gmail.com for additional information if you’re interested. Chef Jorge Avendaño made his mark when he started cooking with French and Spanish chefs all over Europe. A graduate of Le Cordon Bleu Mexico, he worked for over 20 years in restaurants and hotels around the world. In Mexico, he was the Executive and Creative Chef at Parker and Lenox, Puebla 109, Corredor Tonala and Catalina, among others. His career changing moment was when he worked with Chef Rene Redzepi, owner of the three-Michelin star restaurant Noma in Copenhagen, Denmark. At Noma, he became an expert in many things, including fresh, seasonal produce. The dishes he creates today are unquestionably Michelin class. At Altar, there are 26 modern Mexican dishes on the menu of which 10 are vegetarian and 6 are desserts. We had lunch on opening day last Friday and were honored to be one of his first customers. In addition to the Corcholata Amuse-Bouche, we had Roasted Cauliflower with perfect Mole Coloradito, Grilled Ranch Cheese with Olive Oil and Gajillo Chile with a Drunken Sauce and mustard leaves, Drowned ShortRib Flautas with Morita Chile and Green Tomato Sauce, an exquisite Heirloom Tomato Salad with Clementine Tomatoes from Chinaberry Farms with an over the top, local blue sheep cheese made by Quesos del Rebaño from Peña de Bernal; one of our favorite producers. We also had a Pulque bread; a mild alcoholic drink made from fermented agave juice. Pulque is the main ingredient used to help soften and lighten the bread during the cooking process. Altar’s pulque bread comes with an addictive blend of butter and Hoja Santa; all locally sourced. For dessert we had a Flan; a wonderful recipe from Chef Avendaño’s mother Annie, to which the chef added a mound of 70% Tabasco Chocolate Ganache. The chocolate reminded me of the Tortino I fell in love with in Merida. It was the best chocolate we’ve ever eaten a second time around. We also had one of the delicious homemade ice creams: Lemon Pie. The entire lunch was cooked personally by the chef and was a fabulous end to the week. The following Monday, Chef Michael Coon and I shared another tasting of Pork Belly Tacos ($95 pesos each), green fava bean hummus with pitas (absolutely one of his best dishes that is vegetarian), the drowned Oaxaca Cheese Flautas with Morita Chile and green tomato sauce (which I liked better than the one stuffed with Short Rib; a total surprise for me to pick cheese over meat) and a crunchy Bunelo de Viento with both Guaba Pastry Cream and Guaba Ice Cream. There are 2 beautiful open air lounges in back you can reserve for groups of 12-15 people that also provide a glorious sunset view. The nighttime views are divine, perhaps the best in Centro SMA, and the daylight vistas may result in the longest lunch you’ve ever had. Four hours in, I was still working on dessert and counting the colonial churches on the skyline. If you hadn’t claimed it as your hometown yet you certainly will after you see these inspiring views. We’re still amazed that Chef Jorge Avendaño could put all the pieces of Altar together in less than 90 days. And when we finally convince him to take a victory lap, grab a Margarita and declare the win, we’re headed back to his kitchen to try the 16 other dishes we missed. Altar Rooftop Doce 18 Concept House Relox 18, Centro San Miguel de Allende 37700 Open daily 2:00 PM- 1:00 AM Closed Tuesday Phone: 415 216 6082 Chef: Jorge Avendaño Reservations are suggested

The Restaurant's 17 Year Anniversary

The Restaurant is celebrating its 17th Anniversary this week. No other chef has done more to shape the culinary profile of San Miguel de Allende than Chef Donnie Masterton. The Restaurant singly raised the bar to set a standard that did not exist before it opened. It’s an institution, like Burger night on Thursday, which started one year later. To the left of The Restaurant is Bar at the R, his popular bar/restaurant with a great Asian menu; one of the first in SMA. An avid music collector, Chef Donnie Masterton can often be found late night spinning vinyls with other DJ’s; his second greatest passion besides cooking. Looking back, at the age of 15 and a high school student in New York, Donnie Masterton apprenticed under chef David Bouley at New York’s Montrachet restaurant. It was there that he discovered he had an exceptional palate and was a highly accomplished multitasker; some of the qualities that are essential to being a great chef. For the next 10 years, ages 17-27, Donnie’s mentor was the James Beard award winning chef, Patrick Clark; the chef who is credited with mixing fine-dining and bistro and applying French technique to a growing American regional cuisine. Chef Masterton went on to work in many of the top kitchens in New York, Los Angeles, Washington DC and San Francisco. He became the Chef de Cuisine at Bice, Beverly Hills, The Hay Adams Hotel in D.C. and then worked at the world-renowned Tavern on the Green in Manhattan. After moving west to the Bay Area, he opened Azie, the highly publicized French Asian restaurant that got exceptional reviews from both the press and public. Masterton then opened Joachim Splichal’s Patina Restaurant at the Walt Disney Concert Hall and became the Executive Chef, running the 18,000 seat Hollywood Bowl. After opening Mumba, a famous restaurant frequented by celebrities, Chef Masterton moved his family to San Miguel de Allende in Guanajuato, Mexico, with the idea of taking a long sabbatical. Sitting on the sidelines was something new for this chef and he soon realized he was still passionate about cooking and wasn’t himself without it. He opened The Restaurant on Sollano in downtown Centro SMA; a global, comfort food restaurant with classics like his famous Shaved Brussels Sprout and Kale Salad or Miso marinated Salmon. Donnie said he had many challenges when it came to getting fresh produce and seafood back then; “you’ll get it tomorrow”could mean in a month so at that point, he planted a rooftop garden at The Restaurant and built a sustainable ranch, Ranchito El Garbanzo, outside SMA in the country, to provide for his restaurants. He was one of the first chefs in SMA to work with local farmers, ranchers, cheese makers and vineyards to seek out the highest quality ingredients. Chef Masterton has always been a perfectionist when it comes to the quality of his ingredients. Those best ingredients also redefined fast food when he opened Birdies Burgers and Taco Lab in 2016, which he wisely incorporated back into The Restaurant in 2020 when the pandemic hit. Just last month, he did a Birdies Burger pop up at Moxi in Hotel Matilda to a totally sold out crowd. He’s recognized for those pop ups around the globe including Outstanding in the Field at Coachella and in SMA, overlooking the pyramid at Canada de la Virgen. In 2020, Gunther Maier, a brilliant SMA photographer, along with Rosenda Ruiz and Alberto Cinta, directors of Gloss Media in Mexico City and I did a project for the city called Chiaroscuro: The Art of Gastronomy. Because of Chef Masterton’s long history as the head of the culinary community in SMA, he was selected to portray Jesus in the photographic recreation of The Last Supper with other SMA chefs; the signature photograph of the exhibition. As a true Maestro, almost every chef and waiter in SMA has worked for him at one time or another and every one speaks so highly of the chef and the training they received at The Restaurant to launch their own culinary careers. Chef Masterton was a guest judge for the TV show, Top Chef and collaborates with some of the best chefs in Mexico, including Enrique Olvera, Javier Placencia and Eduardo Garcia. He’s was also the founder and a producer of the highly successful SMA food festival, Sabores San Miguel. The chef is starting a new charity to support kids for culinary school scholarships and internships abroad. They will be ready to receive donations in a few weeks so look for an announcement soon. Although he works 24/7, his obvious joy comes from people not from things. He’s just a regular guy in a chef’s coat that most often says YES when someone asks him for a favor. The thing I learned most from Chef Donnie Masterton is that nice guys do finish first. We have so much love and respect for you chef. 204 months later, you’re still the best thing that’s happened to the culinary scene in SMA. Thank you for 17 years of great food and memories at The Restaurant. The Restaurant Diez de Sollano y Dávalos 16. Col. Centro. 37700 San Miguel de Allende, Guanajuato. Mexico. Hours: Tuesday - Wednesday 12:00 Noon - 10:00 PM Thursday - Saturday 12:00 Noon - 11:00 PM Sunday 11:00 AM - 10:00 PM Phone: 415 154 7862 Chef: Donnie Masterton

La Azotea's New Menu

One of the best places to go in 2025, we adored La Azotea from day one; almost 14 years ago. La Azotea is one of the much loved restaurants in SMA’s culinary narrative; home to the famous Jicama taco. With a recent menu makeover from Chef Arturo Sandoval, one of the top chefs in the city, it’s now one of the best bar menus in SMA. Two of the finest bites in SMA are both on La Azotea’s menu. The Bao Bun, formerly a huge hit at sister restaurant Atrio, has been added to La Azotea’s offerings under the name “Bacon Bath” and although we seriously love the name, no one could remember who called it that in the first place. The Jicama Taco, the most famous taco in SMA, now comes in a bite size version. You can ask for it, like I did, but the regular size is still the only one listed on the menu for obvious reasons. Wouldn’t it be great if this menu came with a scratch n’ sniff element because there are many other dishes on the menu that are new or have been redone including the Shrimp fritters, Crispy Tuna, Croquettes and the Pizza. The pizzas now come in four flavors; our favorite is the Caramelized onion and truffle honey; a mouthful of savoriness you wouldn’t forget. Also, the new Esquites recipe has roasted garlic, mayonnaise and a remarkable macha sauce; another makeover we heartily applaud. If you want a shot of tequila before noon, go for it but Happy Hour is still Monday through Thursday from 5:00 PM – 7:00 PM, making this stop one of the most affordable adventures in SMA. The bonus: a back patio view of some of SMA’s most endearing sunsets. La Azotea Umaran 6, Centro Sunday – Thursday 12:00 Noon – 1:00 AM Friday and Saturday 12:00 Noon – 2:00 AM Reservations: (415) 688 1405 / 06 Chef: Arturo Sandoval

Cumpanio 14 Year Anniversary

Chef Ana Martinez of Cumpanio is Mexico’s Julia Child with her own set of passions for cooking FRENCH; my favorite food. Cumpanio’s 14 year anniversary meal last week was French and priced at just $600 pesos + service. Like most people, we think price is important but, truth be told, we value quality over price and at Cumpanio, you’ll always get the highest quality; it’s a given. The first course was Gugers and biting into these cheese puffs was like biting into a cloud. I never do this but I ate them all; not a single one for the 5 other people that were about to sit down at my table. The waiter brought several fresh bowls and flashed a smile, almost as if to say “I know; I just did the same thing.” Don’t get me near the Gugers again. I’m officially addicted to wine bread. I wasn’t too sure but it’s fabulous; both in a Foie gras dish and the salad with goat cheese. Foie gras is a popular, well-known delicacy in French cuisine with a flavor so rich and buttery it’s not like ordinary duck or goose liver. It was served with a butter and red wine reduction. The dressing on the salad was a chive and sherry vinaigrette and a perfect complement for the greens. Both dishes were C'est excellent. The Coq au Vin was cooked the old fashioned, French way and yes, I ate every single bite. You’re allowed to love more than one version of Coq au Vin; in fact, did you know it’s mandatory if you’re a lover of French food? Panio’s split-top French roll was just right for dunking and this bowl required two. There was also an oyster served as the second course and a beautiful French apple tart for dessert. The after dinner drink: the tastiest expresso with milk and Chocolate Truffles with Whiskey and Tequila; one of the best chocolates in SMA that I’ve loved since we first ate them on SMA day one. 4,745 days later, we’re still as passionate about them as the first day we ate them. Talk about living out one of your favorite pastimes, the following day we went back for breakfast to take in all of the smells that come with sitting in a bakery all morning. It was heavenly. The Coco, café and leche condensada is my favorite new coffee drink. I had it hot and never loved it but when they served it cold, all of the flavors came pouring out. It was worth the $75 peso price tag. Choripan Con Huevo or bread, poached egg, red salsa and chorizo was spicy but not too spicy at $180 pesos. This is on our best list of breakfast dishes in SMA. I first tasted the Kouign-Amann back when Panio started baking them in 2017 and credit this caramelized pastry with getting me through what seemed like a really long pandemic; priced at $42 pesos. If you haven’t had one yet you’ve missed 7 years of craving what my inveterate sweet tooth tells me is the best pastry in SMA. It’s even better with a scoop of homemade ice cream on top. Cumpanio is near the top of our list of the best places to eat in 2025. Cumpanio has more of our favorite everyday dishes on their menu than any other restaurant in SMA. In this post alone there are so many of them and every time we go back, we discover more. Cumpanio is also the place where we connect to be with the people we love - to enjoy the sweetness of doing nothing; a philosophy that has been embraced by many cultures, including the Mexicans and it’s what we do best on the back patio at Cumpanio every Saturday morning. Cumpanio at Correo #29 / Hours: 8 AM – 9 PM Monday – Thursday, Friday – Saturday 8 AM – 10 PM - Sunday 8 AM – 8 PM. There’s also a Cumpanio in the Antea Lifestyle Center in Querétaro. Panio Atelier at Salida a Celaya #67-69 / Hours: 7:30 AM – 9:00 PM. Closes 7:00 PM Sunday Panio at Relox #12 / Hours: 9 AM – 8 PM Panio Courier at Correo #29 / Hours: Daily 8 AM – 8 PM Panio Firefly at La Luciérnaga / Hours: 7:30 AM – 9 PM. Closes 7:00 PM Sunday. Hortus at Portal de Guadalupe #12 / Hours: 8 AM - 9 PM. Closes 10:00 PM on both Friday and Saturday. Closed Tuesday. WhatsApp order number: 415 101 3003