There are several well-known chefs in Mexico City that have changed the gastronomy scene in the country and the vision of it internationally during the last 15 years. Some of these chefs are Enrique Olvera from Pujol, Elena Reygadas from Rosetta and Mikel Alonso from Biko.
There are also other young chefs that have become popular during the last few years, one of them being Daniel Ovadia the creator of Paxia. Daniel Ovadia started his culinary career at the young age of 21 opening Paxia, a restaurant that pays tribute to the traditional Mexican cuisine with an international touch. Ovadia originally wanted to open Paxia with an Italian – Mediterranean concept, but as many say, things happens for a reason: he met Titita Ramirez Degollado a well-known Mexican chef and owner of El Bajío restaurant chain, who happened to be a friend of Daniel’s grandmother. They started talking about his plan to open a restaurant and she mentioned he should bet on Mexican cuisine as no young chef had done before, and so he did. That is how he started his successful career as a chef, over the years opening a number of restaurants from Paxia (San Angel and Santa Fe), to Peltre and Mora Blanca.
His most recent creation is Nudo Negro, located in La Roma neighborhood in Mexico City. This project, something completely different to what Mexico had seen before took him two years before it opened its doors. The place underwent a name change from the original one, it was going to be called Hilo Negro (Black Thread) and finished of with the name Nudo Negro (Black Knot).
The menu is based on the science of flavors and the whole concept of the restaurant is to share. The restaurant, which is not ridiculously expensive, has an average check of $350 MXN per person or $23 USD. It is important to mention that this is not a Mexican restaurant but more of an international fusion. During the last few months this restaurant has had a fair amount of coverage within the Mexican press and the foodie community. A few weeks ago I decided it was time to try it and see what Chef Ovadia had to offer in this new restaurant. As I mentioned, the dishes are designed to be shared among your party, which is something I personally love because you get to try different plates. The waiter suggested we order one plate per person as the portions are abundant, so we got three different ones. As a starter we got the grilled eggplant with tjine, served with the entire eggplant and cut it in front of us, and then served the tjine sauce on top. It is accompanied with home-made pita bread. This is a healthy dish and the flavor is just amazing.
As main course we got to try the duck dumplings and the beef kebab. The dumplings came with mushrooms and a peanut sauce which was delicious. The kebab was served with tzatziki sauce and balsamic vinegar. The interesting mix of flavors and the presentation of all the dishes make this restaurant extremely unique. For dessert we ordered a green tea cake with hibiscus sauce and lychee ice cream.
If you are looking for a unique gastronomical experience in Mexico City and like to experiment with diverse dishes and flavors Nudo Negro is a must. The best part is that the restaurant is casual and simple and I assure you will enjoy your meal and have a great time.
