🦗 Lunch in Polanco: Chapulín Restaurante
| Location: | Chapulín (Inside the InterContinental Presidente) |
| What I Ordered: |
Guacamole ($180 MXN) Tortilla Soup ($170 MXN) Shrimp Crust Taco ($105 MXN) Rib-Eye Cachetada Taco ($270 MXN) |
| The Verdict: | A seafood triumph! The shrimp taco completely stole the show. |
After a total food-coma breakfast at Lilōu, I spent a bit of time hanging out in the lobby waiting for our room to be cleaned, and then immediately treated myself to a one-hour nap. By the time I woke up, it was 4:00 in the afternoon and the perfect time to continue my culinary mission within the InterContinental Presidente hotel walls.
Next stop: Chapulín Restaurante.
Right as I walked up, I was greeted by the friendliest front staff. They have a gorgeous kitchen viewing window where they make everything fresh, and I was immediately offered a warm, fresh corn tortilla right out of the window. Wow. Sheesh. Talk about next-level hotel hospitality!
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| The beautiful kitchen window where fresh, warm tortillas are offered right at the entrance. |
As soon as I sat down, I was looked after by a wonderful server named Amando. He highly recommended the Rib-Eye Cachetada Taco ($270 MXN), so I added that to my list along with the Shrimp Crust Taco ($105 MXN), the Tortilla Soup ($170 MXN), and a fresh order of Guacamole ($180 MXN).
The house tostadas and trio of salsas arrived almost instantly. The salsa lineup was incredible: a deep, dark black salsa with a serious kick of spice, a red salsa with medium heat, and a bright green salsa that was beautifully tart.
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| Crispy tostadas paired with an incredible trio of hot, medium, and tart salsas. |
Shortly after, Amando surprised me with a complimentary Taco Dorado. It was a rolled taco filled with tender chicken and coated in a spicy, savoury sauce.
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| The surprise complimentary Taco Dorado is crispy, spicy, and delicious. |
Then, the true tableside show began. They brought out a traditional volcanic stone molcajete bowl to mash the Guacamole fresh right in front of me. Combining perfectly ripe, creamy avocados with fresh onions and tomatoes, it was truly next level. It tasted absolutely brilliant smeared on a crunchy tostada.
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| Fresh, ultra-creamy guacamole mashed tableside in a volcanic stone bowl. |
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| The perfect crunchy bite: fresh guacamole spread over a crispy tostada. |
Next arrived the Tortilla Soup. It was lovely, warm, and comforting, though it wasn't quite as flavourful as I usually prefer. It leaned slightly closer to a thick stew consistency, whereas I tend to enjoy a more fluid, soupy texture. However, adding a spoonful of the fiery red salsa into the broth was a complete game-changer as it injected a brilliant dimension of flavour that completely woke the dish up.
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| A comforting, stew-like Tortilla Soup, perfectly enhanced with a touch of red salsa. |
Normally, since I am in Mexico City, I gravitate heavily toward al pastor tacos. However, since Chapulín boasts a seafood raw bar, I decided to venture down the maritime route and order the Shrimp Crust Taco. Wow, am I glad I did! The shrimp were beautifully plump, exceptionally fresh, coated in a luscious spicy mayo, and nestled under a blanket of perfectly melted cheese. I highly, highly recommend this one!
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| The absolute standout of the afternoon: the plump, cheesy Shrimp Crust Taco. |
On the meatier side of things, the Rib-Eye Cachetada Taco arrived, and it was massive. It was so large I couldn't even tell where the tortilla ended and the meat began! The rib-eye was incredibly tender and pulled apart with ease, topped with a beautiful pile of sweet, sautéed onions.
At a certain point, the cut of beef felt a bit too rich, fatty, and greasy on its own, so I dressed it up with a splash of their tart green salsa. It worked like absolute magic to cut through the richness and balance the flavors. That said, as I alternated bites, the shrimp taco still remained my definitive favourite of the two.
By the time the plates were cleared, I was incredibly full. I think I am officially calling a defeat on my grand hotel food-tour mission. I am going to have to skip dinner entirely tonight, meaning I won't quite hit the trifecta of breakfast, lunch, and dinner at the InterContinental. My stomach just can't keep up!
Right as we were settling the bill, they brought out one final, delightful surprise: a beautifully unique glass blowfish bowl filled with three different types of traditional Mexican sweets. They were all wonderful, but I absolutely adored the soft, chewy coconut candy.
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| The whimsical blowfish bowl packed with traditional sweet treats to end the meal. |
It was a spectacular, heavy lunch that officially initiated full food coma mode part two. Time to slide back upstairs and enjoy doing absolutely nothing for the rest of the night!
Do you prefer a classic rich rib-eye taco, or do you tend to lean toward a fresh, cheesy seafood taco? Have you ever had your guacamole mashed fresh right at your table? Let me know in the comments below!
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