Palate Log: From The Corner

This happened to me with the beans I enjoyed a few days ago at a restaurant whose name I still doubt because of how simple it sounds, called La Esquina, located on Veracruz Street with Sinaloa on the border of the Condesa and Roma neighborhoods.

These beans are served with high-quality bluefin tuna and Calabrian chili, creating a remarkable interplay of textures and flavors. The beans are cooked al dente, while the tuna is served raw with a touch of parsley on top. The Calabrian chili, a hot pepper native to Italy, adds smoky and salty notes, giving this dish a fresh flavor in this historic colony.

The elegance of the space is remarkable. The white walls, the carefully selected flowers, the wooden tables, and the white tablecloths create a serene aesthetic in an area that is later disrupted by so many bland and uninspired openings.

Here, the waiters' elegant uniforms and the well-maintained bar, helmed by the young Luis, a familiar face in the area, harmonize with the restaurant's soundtrack: timeless Mexican music from the 1950s. This is the era when a trio of musicians made generations of pink-tied, black-suited, and cocktail-dressed patrons sigh as they frequented the grand restaurants of that time. In a way, La Esquina is a young soul with an old one, where Michael Crespo's cuisine delivers a rich tapestry of Italian flavors with a few personal touches, transporting us to the creative space of a chef with a broad vision.

The simplicity of the sardines with braised fennel and the pasta dishes, especially the spaghetti alla Nerano, are must-tries at a restaurant that also boasts a good selection of wines, which perfectly complement the well-thought-out cuisine. Perhaps my only reservation regarding the wines is the price, as I still believe that a high-priced wine can be expensive when the cost of a single bottle is equivalent to the entire meal for two people. But beyond prices and costs, there is a good wine selection here.

One dish that surprised everyone at the table was Ribollita, with its vegetables cooked in various ways, its bread, and a pleasant touch of olive oil. The word, which literally means "recooked," originates in the Italian region of Tuscany. Being a humble dish, it can have many variations of ingredients, with stale bread being the only constant component. The legumes, the cooking process, and the warm, hot temperature make this dish a great option to order on cold or rainy days.

I had tried the veal polpette with mashed potatoes on other occasions and found comfort in this dish. However, on the day of my visit, the chef announced a dish not on the menu: a pork shank whose preparation made the afternoon at the table. The sauce and the cooking worked their magic on the palate, quickly drawing you in to try more. Before we knew it, time seemed to stand still, and the clatter of cutlery on the plate resembled an irrational battle to taste more without sharing. It was as if gluttony had taken hold of the diners.

But as in Italian operas, there comes a moment where the aria, the essential musical piece with its solo voice expressing its deepest feelings and thoughts, Chef Crespo delivers a tres leches dessert that holds an infinity of emotions, making the enjoyment extensive and leading me to recommend this sweet treat with its eternal flavor that you must order in this gastronomic space.

It's a rainy February afternoon, the company is wonderful, and the conversation flows naturally, blending yesterday's anecdotes with today's stories. This elegant space with its fine cuisine was definitely needed in this part of the city. The details elevate the experience, and despite the rain, this day feels sunny at the table.

We will return on other occasions looking for more new dishes, as it seems that the quick mind of a calm chef still has much to offer at the tables of La Esquina.