Alta cocina mexicana - how delicious!

Because we were doing reasonably well with our cash while in D.F., vergueishon and I decided to go out to eat at a moderatly-priced restaurant--charging to the credit card of course (tehe). Thumbing through our Lonely Planet guide, we looked up a few options, placing at the top of our list this restaurant called La Tecla which sorta translates to "The Button". The food was described as alta cocina mexicana ("high mexican cuisine") and the prices were given as ranging from US$3-10. We located the place pretty easily (take the #3 Metro line--the pink one--towards Observatorio and get off at the stop Insurgentes. Walk south on Ave. Oaxaca to Durango, which is sorta confusing to find but people can point it out to you) and went inside. The place looked very nice and since we really wanted to what alta cocina mexicana would taste like, we decided to eat there and after a few awkward minutes of waiting for someone to seat us we were taken to our table.

For an appetizer we ordered caracol con cilantro, cebolla y chile ("conch meat with cilantro, onion and chiles") which they prepared right in front of us and was pretty tasty, though vergueishon thought the ingrediantes could have been mixed better. For dinner, he had magret de pato en salsas de tamarindo y mango ("steaklets of duck in tamarind and mango sauces") while I had the filete de róbalo sobre lasaña con ricota y flor de calebaza en reducción de alcachofa ("fillet of white bass fish on top of lasana with ricotta cheese and pumpkin flowers in an artichoke reduction sauce"). For desert we split a guanabana mousse with mango salsa. Needless to say, all the food was exceptionally delicious and simply amazing with a beautiful presentation. We accompanied the dinner with an excellent cabernet from Concha y Toro.

The total cost in the end, inlcuding tip? Only US$43. Thats right. We only spent $43 total on one of the most enjoyable and savory meals I have ever head. Given the quality of the food, the excellent presentation and the wonderful price, I have to say that this is one of my favorite restaurants. Ever.