(CNN) — A small taco stand in Mexico with only four options on its menu was awarded a star from the prestigious Michelin Guide.
Taquería El Califa de León, located in the San Rafael neighborhood of Mexico City, was one of the establishments awarded one or two stars in the first Michelin Guide to Mexico, published earlier this week, becoming the first Mexican taco stand to receive this distinction.
Chef Arturo Rivera Martínez, who has been serving customers at Taquería El Califa in León for at least two decades, received the chef’s famous white Filipina on Wednesday while serving his popular tacos.
“The secret is the simplicity of our taco,” Rivera Martínez told the Associated Press. “It just has a tortilla, red or green sauce, and that’s it. That, and the quality of the meat.”
León’s Taquería El Califa, which is only about 3 meters wide, has been around for more than 50 years and is known for its Gaonera taco, apparently named after Mexican bullfighter Rodolfo Gaona.
“This taqueria may not have much space, just for a small group of diners, but its creation, the Gaonera taco, is exceptional,” reads the Michelin Guide website.
“The beef filet, cut into thin slices, is prepared to order, seasoned only with salt and a squeeze of lemon.”
“At the same time, a second cook prepares the excellent corn tortillas. The resulting combination is elemental and pure.”
When asked what drink he would recommend to diners to pair the “exceptional” tacos, Rivera Martínez told reporters: “I like a Coca-Cola.”
In addition to the aforementioned Gaonera taco, customers can choose three other meat-filled variants, including a steak (beef fillet) filling, served on a plastic plate for about 85 pesos (US$5).
“With meat and tortillas of this caliber, the duo of homemade sauces is hardly necessary,” says the Michelin Guide.
The restaurant Quintonil, by chefs Jorge Vallejo and Alejandra Flores, with two stars, and Rosetta, by chef Elena Reygadas, with one star, were other establishments included in the first Michelin classification for Mexico.
Focusing on Mexico City, Oaxaca, Baja California, Los Cabos and Nuevo León, Michelin Guide inspectors scoured the country in search of the best culinary experiences.
“What a joy to honor the uniqueness of the Mexican gastronomic landscape in Mexico City,” Gwendal Poullennec, international director of the Michelin Guide, said in a statement.
“The first and very promising selection is an illustration of how the country is showcasing its regions, with its cultures and traditions that are as distinctive as they are distinguishable.”
In 2016, chef Chan Hon Meng’s stall in Singapore became the first street food establishment to be recognized by the distinguished guide.
Source: cnnespanol
