“You’re coming the 15th, right?” Richi quickly mumbled through his black, cotton cubrevoca. As general manager, he had to hover table to table, making sure every guest was pleased. Although it was his job to chit chat, I think he especially liked us and that it was our combined charm that invited him to linger around our table for the majority of our stay. I like to feel special whenever the opportunity is presented.
“Claro que sí, is there going to be dancing?” I responded. He couldn’t see my sweet smile, but my eyes gathered in their corners and did the job.
“Come with me, let me show you upstairs” Gio and I quickly got up from the table in order to keep up with Richi.
Our outdoor seating was beautiful and effortlessly modern. The three sided building stood out against the used cement. It’s white brick contrasted against the wooden tables with leather finished seats. A simple, organic menu that specialized elevated versions of Mexico’s classic dishes:
Tostadas, Esquites, Ceviche, Filete de Res, Tacos, and so much more deliciousness.
Richi gestured for us to continue through the restaurant, towards the only acute angle in the building. A charming, unique feature of the building. A small bookcase was embeded into the walls holding a random array of novels in German, Spanish, and English. One space stood empty, holding an unmemorable, framed painting that Gio didn’t even notice (he notices ~everything~) that mischievously hid the secret entrance. Richi pushed the hidden door to reveal the magical rabbit hole. Alice had her wonderland; I had a metal spiral staircase that overlooked the glass windows leading up to an open roof that showcased Roma Norte. And Richi was there! I think mine was better.
Small wooden lanterns gently swung above our heads and I could hear the distant merchant chant of the colchones and microondas lady.
“We are going to have the outdoor bar open, great music, and dancing up here where you can see the fireworks go off around the city”. Our faces lit up. A four course meal influenced by classic Mexican cuisine, with a matched beverage pairing, dancing, and a roof to watch the fireworks?! I decided to pass off Richi’s amazing selling and persuasion skills as a friends invitation to a night I could not miss. We made our reservations and said our goodbyes, promising a great night on the 15th of September.
When we arrived, Richi greeted us and mentioned he saved our special table where we sat for the first time 5 days prior. My heart melted. The ultimate customer service comes from genuine friendship. We also befriended the servers who kindly greeted us again. Our first taste was a nice little welcome drink with tastes of citrus and ginger, a perfect way to refresh the palette to prepare for the first meal.
The first course was a crema de huitcacoche, or cream of corn mushroom, soup. Within the soup were dollops of earthy, tangy, melted cheese that played harmoniously with the smokiness and smoothness of the mushroom soup. Buttery pieces of toasted croutons were delicately placed along with the espoma de champolines, a light, mushroom foam. The tastes complimented each other, while the textures fought to get my attention. Only the first course and my interest was peaked.
Paired was a chupito tasting of the Mezcal Amores. The strong earthiness of the liquor woke my taste buds after the rich and soulful soup.
Following, the second course consisted of a tangy, bright, crunchy tostada filled with salipicon de hongos ensaladas. The crispy tortilla elegantly held thin slices of avocado that added a creamy texture to the salipicon (which tasted so fresh that we questioned if it was mushrooms or fish). The sal, lime, creamy avocado, and tostada crunch made this second course extremely light and playful in color and taste.
(see later photo with Chef Marco Cruz to view how the second course was prepared)
To join the playdate was a refreshing cerveza clara. I don’t know much about beer, as I have just joined the brewery bandwagon, but our server, Beatrice, said that it was a pilsner called Pulque Pencalarga. So I trusted her.
They were not holding back on the main course. A warm, bowl of pozole. The name is for a traditional soup or stew that originates from Nahuat, a Uto-Aztecan language spoken in various forms from pre-Hispanic times. The meal would originally be made with sacrificed human flesh and was eaten on special occasions. Thankfully, this pozole was made with grano de maíz, salsa de chile oxcillo , mariscos de camarón, pulpo, almeja, and mejillón (shrimp, octopus, clams, and mussles). Accompanied was complementos that could be added to taste, but if you´re like me, I dumped everything I could in the stunning bowl.
Upon first taste, I asked Gio for his thoughts.
“fucking volcanic” — Giovan J. Michael
And I agree. The tomato base was incredibly rich, complex, yet gave me a home-made feeling only a grandmother’s cooking accomplishes. It was “Just spicy enough. Like a girlfriend. Fun enough to keep me intrigued, but not too spicy to hurt me” said Gio. And I could not put it more eliquently.
Before our final meal, we received the last drink of the night. A lactose-intolerants worst nightmare: a cocktail made with whisky, liquor de cocoa blanca, and sweet, condensed milk, topped with nutmeg and cinnamon. It quickly soothed the spice from the pozole and was an ideal way to introduce sweetness into my palette to prepare me for the desert.
A creme brûlée made with oja santa. The herb is used in Santa Cruz towards the south of Mexico. It had hints of mint and eucalyptus, adding both curiosity and color to the custard. On top laid a soft scoop of creamy, honey icecream. And garnished with dollops of a sweet, lemon cream, and sliced grapes.
By this point, we were both ridiculously drunk and absolutely devoured this amazing dish. It was an amazing meal that didn’t leave me feeling stuffed and uncomfortable; rather, I felt utterly content and happy.
My deepest gratitude and respect to Chef Marco Cruz, a talented chef who masterfully showcased the beauty of Mexican cuisine on one of it’s most important days: La Día de Independencia. Tres Tonalá exceeds expectations with it’s customer service, venue, food, cocktails, and most especially, the secret door.
If you find yourself wondering the streets of Roma Norte in CDMX, be sure to check out Tres Tonalá. Or visit their website beforehand to view their menu, hours of operations, location, and contact to make a reservation.
Keep eating,
Tatiana B.
