1 00:00:02,523 --> 00:00:06,397 [dramatic music] 2 00:00:06,440 --> 00:00:07,398 [upbeat music] 3 00:00:07,441 --> 00:00:08,747 [horn honking] 4 00:00:08,790 --> 00:00:10,705 - It's crazy. It's crowded. 5 00:00:10,749 --> 00:00:12,490 It's noisy, and I love it. 6 00:00:12,533 --> 00:00:16,233 Mexico City, I'm proud to call you my second home. 7 00:00:16,276 --> 00:00:19,323 ♪ ♪ 8 00:00:19,366 --> 00:00:22,239 Every time I see this view, my heart skips a beat. 9 00:00:22,282 --> 00:00:23,805 ♪ ♪ 10 00:00:23,849 --> 00:00:25,764 We're here! 11 00:00:25,807 --> 00:00:28,114 Tenochtitlan, Mexico City. 12 00:00:28,158 --> 00:00:31,291 So many emotions, because there's so much history 13 00:00:31,335 --> 00:00:33,772 in this exact spot. 14 00:00:33,815 --> 00:00:36,905 It all started here in Tenochtitlan, 15 00:00:36,949 --> 00:00:39,604 capital of the mighty Aztec empire, 16 00:00:39,647 --> 00:00:42,172 until the Spanish invaded 500 years ago 17 00:00:42,215 --> 00:00:46,089 and changed its name to Mexico City. 18 00:00:46,132 --> 00:00:48,830 The amount of churches you can see from up here-- 19 00:00:48,874 --> 00:00:50,963 there's 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7. 20 00:00:51,006 --> 00:00:52,182 Seven in one block. 21 00:00:52,225 --> 00:00:54,749 That's called the Spanish conquest. 22 00:00:54,793 --> 00:00:55,750 [sizzling] 23 00:00:55,794 --> 00:00:57,274 Over time, 24 00:00:57,317 --> 00:01:00,451 new spices and ingredients started to appear, 25 00:01:00,494 --> 00:01:03,454 carried across continents by traders and travelers 26 00:01:03,497 --> 00:01:05,804 from faraway lands. 27 00:01:05,847 --> 00:01:06,761 I don't know the secret to happiness. 28 00:01:06,805 --> 00:01:08,154 All I know is, 29 00:01:08,198 --> 00:01:09,634 every time I eat Mexican food, I'm happy. 30 00:01:09,677 --> 00:01:11,026 - Yeah. - [laughs] 31 00:01:11,070 --> 00:01:13,812 I'm Eva Longoria, born and bred in Texas, 32 00:01:13,855 --> 00:01:17,642 with Mexican-American roots, which makes me a Texican. 33 00:01:17,685 --> 00:01:20,819 I'm exploring Mexico to see how the people, their lands, 34 00:01:20,862 --> 00:01:23,778 and their past have shaped a culinary tradition 35 00:01:23,822 --> 00:01:27,173 as diverse as its 32 states. 36 00:01:27,217 --> 00:01:30,481 Mexico City is going through a major makeover, 37 00:01:30,524 --> 00:01:33,353 shedding its old reputation to emerge 38 00:01:33,397 --> 00:01:35,790 as one of the world's greatest food destinations. 39 00:01:35,834 --> 00:01:38,053 ♪ ♪ 40 00:01:38,097 --> 00:01:39,881 - I love that Mexican food is now that. 41 00:01:39,925 --> 00:01:41,622 It's not only, like, Taco Tuesday. 42 00:01:41,666 --> 00:01:45,713 - Natives of Mexico City are nicknamed chilangos. 43 00:01:47,454 --> 00:01:48,760 - Yeah? 44 00:01:48,803 --> 00:01:50,153 It used to be an insult. 45 00:01:50,196 --> 00:01:52,503 But now that the capital is flourishing, 46 00:01:52,546 --> 00:01:54,374 it's worn with pride. 47 00:01:54,418 --> 00:01:56,333 This is the chilango in the family. 48 00:01:56,376 --> 00:01:58,291 - Yeah! 49 00:01:58,335 --> 00:02:00,815 - Chilangos love their food fiery. 50 00:02:00,859 --> 00:02:02,252 So be warned. 51 00:02:02,295 --> 00:02:03,818 Those innocent-looking salsas 52 00:02:03,862 --> 00:02:05,168 you see everywhere... 53 00:02:05,211 --> 00:02:06,647 I'm gonna get in trouble with that. 54 00:02:06,691 --> 00:02:08,083 They can be hot. 55 00:02:08,127 --> 00:02:09,389 Adds a kick. [laughs] - Oh! 56 00:02:09,433 --> 00:02:12,262 - But for a wannabe chilanga like me... 57 00:02:12,305 --> 00:02:13,350 More salsa! 58 00:02:13,393 --> 00:02:14,873 Never too spicy. 59 00:02:14,916 --> 00:02:17,832 [steady music] 60 00:02:17,876 --> 00:02:25,057 ♪ ♪ 61 00:02:28,669 --> 00:02:32,543 [light music] 62 00:02:32,586 --> 00:02:34,545 I've had a home here in Mexico City 63 00:02:34,588 --> 00:02:38,288 ever since I fell in love with a chilango. 64 00:02:38,331 --> 00:02:40,594 Pepe and I got married almost a decade ago, 65 00:02:40,638 --> 00:02:43,510 and we spend as much time here as we can. 66 00:02:43,554 --> 00:02:46,861 Every time I'm in Mexico, this is my daily ritual. 67 00:02:46,905 --> 00:02:48,820 Every morning, I wake up, and I do this. 68 00:02:48,863 --> 00:02:50,735 My favorite place ever. 69 00:02:50,778 --> 00:02:52,302 Hola! 70 00:02:52,345 --> 00:02:54,782 The enticing smell of this bakery 71 00:02:54,826 --> 00:02:56,697 can lure anybody in. 72 00:02:56,741 --> 00:02:58,699 [both speaking Spanish] 73 00:02:58,743 --> 00:02:59,918 Wow. 74 00:03:01,267 --> 00:03:03,443 I always time my arrival 75 00:03:03,487 --> 00:03:05,793 to when they're coming out of the oven. 76 00:03:05,837 --> 00:03:09,754 Sweet, fluffy, and topped with crunchy sugar, 77 00:03:09,797 --> 00:03:11,451 I just can't resist. 78 00:03:11,495 --> 00:03:13,018 Muchas gracias. 79 00:03:13,061 --> 00:03:14,846 Oh, my God. It's warm. 80 00:03:14,889 --> 00:03:16,456 This is a concha. 81 00:03:16,500 --> 00:03:18,458 Mmm. 82 00:03:18,502 --> 00:03:21,331 Oh, my God. [laughs] 83 00:03:21,374 --> 00:03:24,421 I don't think anything makes me happier. 84 00:03:24,464 --> 00:03:28,120 ♪ ♪ 85 00:03:28,163 --> 00:03:30,253 Sitting over a mile above sea level 86 00:03:30,296 --> 00:03:32,603 in the center of Mexico, 87 00:03:32,646 --> 00:03:35,736 this sprawling metropolis is the country's capital. 88 00:03:35,780 --> 00:03:37,129 [lively music] 89 00:03:37,172 --> 00:03:39,523 Over centuries, it's held a magnetic appeal 90 00:03:39,566 --> 00:03:41,438 for immigrants, 91 00:03:41,481 --> 00:03:43,091 drawing them in from all over the world 92 00:03:43,135 --> 00:03:44,702 to make it their home, 93 00:03:44,745 --> 00:03:47,792 bringing a wealth of culinary influences with them. 94 00:03:47,835 --> 00:03:50,795 In the last 70 years, its population has exploded 95 00:03:50,838 --> 00:03:53,624 from 3 million to 22 million. 96 00:03:53,667 --> 00:03:57,062 And if chilangos were a food, they'd be a taco. 97 00:03:57,105 --> 00:04:00,979 They are the lifeblood here... 98 00:04:01,022 --> 00:04:03,460 the perfect fuel to eat on the go 99 00:04:03,503 --> 00:04:06,027 when powering through this crazy, busy city. 100 00:04:06,071 --> 00:04:11,337 ♪ ♪ 101 00:04:13,339 --> 00:04:15,167 Hola! - Hi, Eva. Nice to meet you! 102 00:04:15,210 --> 00:04:17,082 - Gabriela Rentería is a journalist 103 00:04:17,125 --> 00:04:19,084 who writes about tacos. 104 00:04:19,127 --> 00:04:21,478 I mean, talk about a dream job. 105 00:04:21,521 --> 00:04:23,436 You're never not happy eating a taco. 106 00:04:23,480 --> 00:04:24,829 I'll say that. - Never. Like, never. 107 00:04:24,872 --> 00:04:26,134 And you never get enough. 108 00:04:26,178 --> 00:04:28,354 [upbeat music] 109 00:04:28,398 --> 00:04:29,660 - We're in the historic center, 110 00:04:29,703 --> 00:04:30,965 the oldest part of town, 111 00:04:31,009 --> 00:04:33,664 built around the city's most famous landmark, 112 00:04:33,707 --> 00:04:34,839 the Zócalo. 113 00:04:34,882 --> 00:04:37,581 ♪ ♪ 114 00:04:37,624 --> 00:04:40,627 Here, you're never more than a block away from a taqueria. 115 00:04:40,671 --> 00:04:42,542 ♪ ♪ 116 00:04:42,586 --> 00:04:44,675 - This is the city of tacos. - The city of tacos. 117 00:04:44,718 --> 00:04:47,286 - Yeah, because you can find every taco, 118 00:04:47,330 --> 00:04:50,333 no matter our budget, no matter our taste. 119 00:04:50,376 --> 00:04:51,682 - No matter where you live. - Yeah. 120 00:04:51,725 --> 00:04:53,510 Taco is democratic. 121 00:04:53,553 --> 00:04:55,512 - There are dozens of taco varieties 122 00:04:55,555 --> 00:04:56,991 in Mexico City, 123 00:04:57,035 --> 00:04:59,298 the most famous being al pastor. 124 00:04:59,342 --> 00:05:01,866 Oh! I can smell it already. 125 00:05:01,909 --> 00:05:03,302 - Yes. 126 00:05:03,346 --> 00:05:05,739 - Made of slow-cooked pork on a spit. 127 00:05:05,783 --> 00:05:07,045 - Hola, Daniel. 128 00:05:07,088 --> 00:05:09,787 - Hola. - [speaking Spanish] 129 00:05:09,830 --> 00:05:10,875 - Oh, my God. 130 00:05:10,918 --> 00:05:12,224 Look at those cooked onions. 131 00:05:12,267 --> 00:05:13,356 - It's amazing. 132 00:05:13,399 --> 00:05:15,183 And the flavor, the smell. - Wow. 133 00:05:15,227 --> 00:05:16,881 ♪ ♪ 134 00:05:16,924 --> 00:05:19,405 The onions and pork are covered in salsas 135 00:05:19,449 --> 00:05:20,841 and wrapped in a tortilla 136 00:05:20,885 --> 00:05:23,191 to hold in all those amazing juices. 137 00:05:23,235 --> 00:05:26,020 ♪ ♪ 138 00:05:26,064 --> 00:05:27,544 both: Gracias. 139 00:05:27,587 --> 00:05:28,936 ♪ ♪ 140 00:05:28,980 --> 00:05:30,460 - Okay, more salsa. 141 00:05:30,503 --> 00:05:32,940 I'm gonna get a T-shirt that says, "More salsa!" 142 00:05:32,984 --> 00:05:37,858 ♪ ♪ 143 00:05:37,902 --> 00:05:39,207 - Wow. 144 00:05:39,251 --> 00:05:40,818 - It's ultra-tasty. 145 00:05:40,861 --> 00:05:42,646 - Oh, my God. Wow. 146 00:05:42,689 --> 00:05:45,170 This cooked onions in the grease 147 00:05:45,213 --> 00:05:46,389 that's falling from the pork... 148 00:05:46,432 --> 00:05:47,781 - Yeah, it's amazing, the flavor. 149 00:05:47,825 --> 00:05:50,088 - It's like a game changer. 150 00:05:50,131 --> 00:05:52,743 So how did tacos al pastor land in Mexico? 151 00:05:59,140 --> 00:06:00,490 It used to be lamb. - Right. 152 00:06:00,533 --> 00:06:02,405 In the Middle Eastern places, this is a lamb spit. 153 00:06:02,448 --> 00:06:03,928 I think it's really interesting 154 00:06:03,971 --> 00:06:06,757 that one of the most famous tacos of Mexico 155 00:06:06,800 --> 00:06:08,411 is from somewhere else. 156 00:06:12,327 --> 00:06:14,155 - People bring-- - Bring a lot of things. 157 00:06:14,199 --> 00:06:16,419 - Bring their flavors from their country. 158 00:06:19,813 --> 00:06:20,771 - I do? - Yeah. 159 00:06:20,814 --> 00:06:23,295 - Oh, good. I'm doing it right? 160 00:06:23,338 --> 00:06:26,429 Elbow up? [laughs] 161 00:06:26,472 --> 00:06:29,301 Chilangos take their tacos very seriously, 162 00:06:29,344 --> 00:06:30,868 with passionate opinions 163 00:06:30,911 --> 00:06:32,913 about where to find the perfect ones. 164 00:06:32,957 --> 00:06:35,873 ♪ ♪ 165 00:06:35,916 --> 00:06:37,788 I'm on my way to meet a taco authority 166 00:06:37,831 --> 00:06:40,094 who's gonna show me his new favorite. 167 00:06:40,138 --> 00:06:43,184 ♪ ♪ 168 00:06:43,228 --> 00:06:44,708 So I'm meeting my friend Ricardo. 169 00:06:44,751 --> 00:06:46,405 He's the reason I even know Mexico City. 170 00:06:46,449 --> 00:06:48,276 The first time I ever came to Mexico City 171 00:06:48,320 --> 00:06:50,191 was because of my friend Ricardo. 172 00:06:50,235 --> 00:06:52,150 And he's also the guy 173 00:06:52,193 --> 00:06:53,456 who introduced me to my husband. 174 00:06:53,499 --> 00:06:56,154 He always knows the new hot spot. 175 00:06:56,197 --> 00:06:58,330 Like, if it just opened, he's already been. 176 00:06:58,373 --> 00:07:00,680 And today, he's showing me a new taco place, 177 00:07:00,724 --> 00:07:04,467 and I am always up for a new taco place. 178 00:07:05,685 --> 00:07:06,643 - Hola. 179 00:07:07,905 --> 00:07:09,907 [laughs] 180 00:07:09,950 --> 00:07:11,125 - How long have I been coming to Mexico City? 181 00:07:11,169 --> 00:07:12,387 - For 17 years now. 182 00:07:12,431 --> 00:07:13,606 - That's how long we've known each other. 183 00:07:13,650 --> 00:07:15,434 Don't you think the food scene has changed? 184 00:07:15,478 --> 00:07:16,870 - Oh, it's changed a lot. 185 00:07:16,914 --> 00:07:18,350 Everything's changed. 186 00:07:18,393 --> 00:07:19,699 - Well, remember when I would come, 187 00:07:19,743 --> 00:07:21,005 and I said the only thing I want to eat... 188 00:07:21,048 --> 00:07:21,875 - Tacos? - Is tacos. 189 00:07:21,919 --> 00:07:23,355 - Yeah. 190 00:07:23,398 --> 00:07:24,225 - And we would go to all the little stands. 191 00:07:24,269 --> 00:07:25,662 - Yeah. 192 00:07:25,705 --> 00:07:27,185 - But now it's like tacos have gotten fancy. 193 00:07:27,228 --> 00:07:29,796 - And now this place is like it's a high-end chef... 194 00:07:29,840 --> 00:07:31,929 - Yeah. - Doing, like, street tacos. 195 00:07:31,972 --> 00:07:33,191 Why don't we go eat some tacos? 196 00:07:33,234 --> 00:07:34,235 - Yeah, let's go check it out. 197 00:07:34,279 --> 00:07:35,454 - Yeah. - I'm so excited. 198 00:07:35,498 --> 00:07:36,673 So this is new tacos? - Yeah. 199 00:07:36,716 --> 00:07:38,588 - The trendier-- - The better. 200 00:07:38,631 --> 00:07:40,111 - The better. [laughter] 201 00:07:40,154 --> 00:07:41,939 [upbeat music] 202 00:07:41,982 --> 00:07:43,723 Tacos Los Alexis 203 00:07:43,767 --> 00:07:46,596 is sizzling hot in the taco world right now. 204 00:07:46,639 --> 00:07:48,162 Hola! - How are you? Welcome! 205 00:07:48,206 --> 00:07:49,207 - Hi. - Welcome. 206 00:07:49,250 --> 00:07:50,382 - This is Alexis. - A pleasure. 207 00:07:50,425 --> 00:07:53,385 Alexis Ayala. - Eva. Nice to meet you! 208 00:07:53,428 --> 00:07:57,041 Its owner, Alexis, uses his five-star culinary training 209 00:07:57,084 --> 00:08:00,174 to transform traditional recipes from his childhood 210 00:08:00,218 --> 00:08:03,003 into gourmet tacos to die for. 211 00:08:03,047 --> 00:08:04,614 ♪ ♪ 212 00:08:04,657 --> 00:08:06,746 - My mother was from North Mexico, 213 00:08:06,790 --> 00:08:08,922 and my father was from Mexico City. 214 00:08:08,966 --> 00:08:12,230 This represents my two parts of life, norteño and chilango. 215 00:08:12,273 --> 00:08:14,580 - So you're a chilango. - Yeah, I'm a chilango. Yeah. 216 00:08:14,624 --> 00:08:16,190 - So what are we eating today? 217 00:08:16,234 --> 00:08:17,844 - A cheese chicharrón. 218 00:08:17,888 --> 00:08:21,065 - A cheese chicharrón. - Chicharrón de queso. 219 00:08:21,108 --> 00:08:24,242 I can't wait to try Alexis' vegetarian version 220 00:08:24,285 --> 00:08:26,592 of northern-style chicharrón, 221 00:08:26,636 --> 00:08:29,290 which swaps the usual crispy fried pork skin 222 00:08:29,334 --> 00:08:31,466 for crispy fried cheese. 223 00:08:31,510 --> 00:08:33,294 I already love it, 'cause it has cheese. 224 00:08:33,338 --> 00:08:35,079 - Cheese. 225 00:08:35,122 --> 00:08:39,387 - It's topped with a savory delicacy called huitlacoche, 226 00:08:39,431 --> 00:08:42,913 Mexico's answer to truffle. 227 00:08:42,956 --> 00:08:44,001 What is huitlacoche? 228 00:08:44,044 --> 00:08:45,785 - Huitlacoche is the-- 229 00:08:45,829 --> 00:08:47,265 - Oh, look at you! 230 00:08:47,308 --> 00:08:48,832 You have a corn tattoo! - Yeah. 231 00:08:48,875 --> 00:08:50,007 - Wow. - Wow. 232 00:08:50,050 --> 00:08:51,399 - That is, uh--that's Mexican. 233 00:08:51,443 --> 00:08:52,487 - He's the king of huitlacoche. - Yeah. 234 00:08:52,531 --> 00:08:54,141 - And so the huitlacoche is where? 235 00:08:54,185 --> 00:08:56,317 - It grows--it's a fungus that grows around the maize. 236 00:08:56,361 --> 00:08:57,841 - On the corn. 237 00:08:57,884 --> 00:08:59,320 - Yeah, so it has this delicious flavor, 238 00:08:59,364 --> 00:09:00,974 and we make a lot of dishes with huitlacoche. 239 00:09:01,018 --> 00:09:03,237 It's, like, very traditional, very endemic. 240 00:09:03,281 --> 00:09:06,197 [light music] 241 00:09:06,240 --> 00:09:09,200 - Alexis's secret is to allow the cheese to brown 242 00:09:09,243 --> 00:09:13,334 until it's firm enough to roll around the huitlacoche. 243 00:09:13,378 --> 00:09:15,293 - And then we finish it with a raw salad. 244 00:09:22,256 --> 00:09:24,519 We have the glory here. 245 00:09:24,563 --> 00:09:25,564 Enjoy, my friends. - Wow. 246 00:09:25,608 --> 00:09:26,826 Thank you so much. - Wow. 247 00:09:26,870 --> 00:09:28,306 I can't even-- I can't pick it up. 248 00:09:28,349 --> 00:09:30,830 ♪ ♪ 249 00:09:30,874 --> 00:09:32,136 Mmm. 250 00:09:32,179 --> 00:09:37,358 The filling and this salad on top--oh, my God. 251 00:09:37,402 --> 00:09:38,969 Oh, my God. 252 00:09:39,012 --> 00:09:42,015 - So good. 253 00:09:42,059 --> 00:09:45,279 - Another place that you've brought me to that is amazing. 254 00:09:45,323 --> 00:09:46,541 - Amazing. - [laughs] 255 00:09:46,585 --> 00:09:48,805 Muchas gracias. - Gracias. 256 00:09:48,848 --> 00:09:51,546 ♪ ♪ 257 00:09:53,853 --> 00:09:55,812 [dramatic music] 258 00:09:55,855 --> 00:09:59,076 [light music] 259 00:09:59,119 --> 00:10:01,078 - Every time I land in Mexico City, 260 00:10:01,121 --> 00:10:02,732 the heart beats to a different drum. 261 00:10:02,775 --> 00:10:04,690 [laughs] 262 00:10:04,734 --> 00:10:08,999 For a city that is very big, it feels very intimate. 263 00:10:09,042 --> 00:10:10,130 You find your spots, 264 00:10:10,174 --> 00:10:12,132 and it starts to become smaller. 265 00:10:12,176 --> 00:10:13,960 [whistle blasting] 266 00:10:14,004 --> 00:10:15,658 Gracias. 267 00:10:15,701 --> 00:10:22,055 ♪ ♪ 268 00:10:22,099 --> 00:10:24,014 [soft music] 269 00:10:24,057 --> 00:10:27,887 Leafy, laid-back Roma is the Bohemian part of town. 270 00:10:27,931 --> 00:10:29,106 ♪ ♪ 271 00:10:29,149 --> 00:10:30,673 Once a wealthy district, 272 00:10:30,716 --> 00:10:34,633 it fell on hard times after an earthquake in 1985. 273 00:10:34,677 --> 00:10:36,722 ♪ ♪ 274 00:10:36,766 --> 00:10:39,072 Today, it's popular with artists and expats 275 00:10:39,116 --> 00:10:42,641 and home to some of the best places to eat in the city. 276 00:10:42,685 --> 00:10:44,730 ♪ ♪ 277 00:10:44,774 --> 00:10:45,818 And I'm here to visit 278 00:10:45,862 --> 00:10:47,646 one of my favorite restaurants, 279 00:10:47,690 --> 00:10:49,953 Contramar. 280 00:10:49,996 --> 00:10:51,781 Wow! 281 00:10:51,824 --> 00:10:53,086 [laughs] - Hi. 282 00:10:53,130 --> 00:10:54,566 - Hola. - Hola. 283 00:10:54,609 --> 00:10:57,047 - Its owner, the legendary Gabi Cámara, 284 00:10:57,090 --> 00:10:59,179 is as famous as her restaurant 285 00:10:59,223 --> 00:11:00,920 and a good friend of mine. 286 00:11:00,964 --> 00:11:02,574 - This is fish from all over Mexico. 287 00:11:02,617 --> 00:11:04,924 This is super fresh, delicious, from different coasts. 288 00:11:04,968 --> 00:11:07,231 - So they speak Spanish. - They all speak Spanish. 289 00:11:07,274 --> 00:11:09,015 I think they've traveled. I think they've traveled. 290 00:11:09,059 --> 00:11:10,408 - What are you making me? 291 00:11:10,451 --> 00:11:12,715 - I'm making you pescado a la talla. 292 00:11:12,758 --> 00:11:15,848 - Pescado a la talla is Gabi's signature dish. 293 00:11:15,892 --> 00:11:17,937 Today, she's making it with cabrilla, 294 00:11:17,981 --> 00:11:19,722 a Mexican sea bass. 295 00:11:19,765 --> 00:11:21,375 ♪ ♪ 296 00:11:21,419 --> 00:11:23,638 - You can really feel the firmness of the meat. 297 00:11:23,682 --> 00:11:25,292 It's gonna be delicious. 298 00:11:25,336 --> 00:11:28,165 - Before Contramar, it was almost impossible 299 00:11:28,208 --> 00:11:29,514 to find restaurants in the capital 300 00:11:29,557 --> 00:11:32,038 serving fresh Mexican fish. 301 00:11:32,082 --> 00:11:36,086 Crazy, considering the country has 9,000 miles of coastline. 302 00:11:36,129 --> 00:11:37,914 ♪ ♪ 303 00:11:37,957 --> 00:11:39,437 You started the fish movement. 304 00:11:39,480 --> 00:11:42,440 - Many people were eating fish on the coasts, 305 00:11:42,483 --> 00:11:45,356 but here in the city, you know, everybody wanted 306 00:11:45,399 --> 00:11:48,925 turbot from Britain and French oysters. 307 00:11:48,968 --> 00:11:50,753 But though it sounds absurd, 308 00:11:50,796 --> 00:11:53,233 to make a restaurant with only Mexican fish 309 00:11:53,277 --> 00:11:55,932 was super, super revolutionary. 310 00:11:55,975 --> 00:11:57,847 ♪ ♪ 311 00:11:57,890 --> 00:11:59,239 Okay, so now our fish is ready, 312 00:11:59,283 --> 00:12:00,197 and we're gonna make the salsas. 313 00:12:00,240 --> 00:12:01,285 And we're gonna make 314 00:12:01,328 --> 00:12:02,590 the garlic and parsley sauce. 315 00:12:02,634 --> 00:12:05,071 Fresh parsley and garlic, olive oil, 316 00:12:05,115 --> 00:12:06,072 a little bit of spices. 317 00:12:06,116 --> 00:12:08,901 [whirring] 318 00:12:08,945 --> 00:12:11,556 - Nice and green. 319 00:12:11,599 --> 00:12:13,863 Oh, my God, that looks so good. 320 00:12:13,906 --> 00:12:16,256 - It comes from an Italian salsa verde. 321 00:12:16,300 --> 00:12:17,562 My mother is from Italy. 322 00:12:17,605 --> 00:12:21,305 My grandmother made the best salsa verde. 323 00:12:21,348 --> 00:12:24,787 And now, red palla. 324 00:12:24,830 --> 00:12:26,397 [upbeat music] 325 00:12:26,440 --> 00:12:28,747 - Fresh and fiery, the salsas 326 00:12:28,791 --> 00:12:30,705 are a celebration of Gabi's heritage, 327 00:12:30,749 --> 00:12:33,404 green for Italy and red for Mexico, 328 00:12:33,447 --> 00:12:35,275 with four types of chilis. 329 00:12:35,319 --> 00:12:36,755 ♪ ♪ 330 00:12:36,799 --> 00:12:38,365 - We're gonna put all of this in the blender. 331 00:12:38,409 --> 00:12:40,628 This has the cloves. - So interesting. 332 00:12:40,672 --> 00:12:42,282 Cloves is such an interesting ingredient. 333 00:12:42,326 --> 00:12:44,154 - Well, you know, Mexican food 334 00:12:44,197 --> 00:12:46,330 is a combination of foods 335 00:12:46,373 --> 00:12:47,984 and ingredients from everywhere. 336 00:12:48,027 --> 00:12:49,333 - All over the world. 337 00:12:49,376 --> 00:12:51,509 - Because first, we had the Indigenous cultures, 338 00:12:51,552 --> 00:12:53,206 all throughout the Americas, 339 00:12:53,250 --> 00:12:55,774 and then the Europeans come. 340 00:12:55,818 --> 00:12:57,820 You have all these extra ingredients 341 00:12:57,863 --> 00:12:59,169 from Europe and Asia. 342 00:12:59,212 --> 00:13:01,301 ♪ ♪ 343 00:13:01,345 --> 00:13:03,477 - Red and green. - Red and green. 344 00:13:03,521 --> 00:13:05,566 But now what we're gonna do 345 00:13:05,610 --> 00:13:08,656 is we're gonna use the green sauce 346 00:13:08,700 --> 00:13:12,965 and put it on one side. - Yeah. 347 00:13:13,009 --> 00:13:15,620 Wow, you really coat it. I mean, you drown it. 348 00:13:15,663 --> 00:13:17,535 - You do the red, my darling. 349 00:13:17,578 --> 00:13:18,841 Please. - Oh, God. 350 00:13:18,884 --> 00:13:20,538 I don't want to mess it up. - No, you won't. 351 00:13:20,581 --> 00:13:21,974 - Well, I never thought I'd be painting 352 00:13:22,018 --> 00:13:24,542 the colors of the Mexican flag on a fish. 353 00:13:24,585 --> 00:13:27,240 But there's a first time for everything. 354 00:13:27,284 --> 00:13:30,026 - It's gonna go straight into the fire. 355 00:13:30,069 --> 00:13:31,244 - Oh, my gosh. 356 00:13:31,288 --> 00:13:32,811 - Close this. 357 00:13:32,855 --> 00:13:34,378 - Oh, wow! 358 00:13:34,421 --> 00:13:36,162 - And it cooks on the skin side to begin with. 359 00:13:36,206 --> 00:13:38,730 - Uh-huh. - It stays nice and moist. 360 00:13:38,773 --> 00:13:40,079 Time to flip this. 361 00:13:40,123 --> 00:13:42,342 Ah. 362 00:13:42,386 --> 00:13:44,170 - Ooh! That's so beautiful! 363 00:13:44,214 --> 00:13:45,476 - Okay. 364 00:13:45,519 --> 00:13:46,869 - Oh, you put the thing like that. 365 00:13:46,912 --> 00:13:47,913 That's so smart. - Oh, yes. 366 00:13:47,957 --> 00:13:51,699 And then you turn it over. 367 00:13:51,743 --> 00:13:53,527 - Oh... 368 00:13:53,571 --> 00:13:55,312 ooh! 369 00:13:55,355 --> 00:13:58,010 My goodness. 370 00:13:58,054 --> 00:13:59,185 - Okay. 371 00:13:59,229 --> 00:14:02,319 So this is our pescado a la talla, 372 00:14:02,362 --> 00:14:03,581 red and green. 373 00:14:03,624 --> 00:14:05,583 And I feel it's very much like me, right? 374 00:14:05,626 --> 00:14:07,237 It's like my Mexican side, my Italian side. 375 00:14:07,280 --> 00:14:08,412 - Oh, nice! 376 00:14:08,455 --> 00:14:10,718 This is Gabi's identity in a dish. 377 00:14:10,762 --> 00:14:11,545 - [laughs] 378 00:14:11,589 --> 00:14:13,243 Pescado a la talla. 379 00:14:13,286 --> 00:14:14,244 [upbeat music] 380 00:14:14,287 --> 00:14:15,288 - I'm not surprised 381 00:14:15,332 --> 00:14:17,595 Contramar is always packed. 382 00:14:17,638 --> 00:14:20,685 With dishes like fresh tuna tostadas, 383 00:14:20,728 --> 00:14:23,383 mouthwatering shrimp aguachile, 384 00:14:23,427 --> 00:14:25,429 and whitefish ceviche, 385 00:14:25,472 --> 00:14:27,039 I'm lucky to get a table here. 386 00:14:27,083 --> 00:14:29,302 ♪ ♪ 387 00:14:29,346 --> 00:14:32,392 Because I have a date with one sexy chilango... 388 00:14:32,436 --> 00:14:34,133 ♪ ♪ 389 00:14:34,177 --> 00:14:35,743 My husband, Pepe. 390 00:14:35,787 --> 00:14:37,049 [laughs] 391 00:14:37,093 --> 00:14:39,095 Que romantico! - Que romantico! 392 00:14:39,138 --> 00:14:41,836 Forgive me for interrupting this romantic moment. 393 00:14:41,880 --> 00:14:44,535 [laughter] 394 00:14:44,578 --> 00:14:46,102 - To get us in the mood, Gabi starts 395 00:14:46,145 --> 00:14:49,279 with Pepe's favorite, red clam ceviche. 396 00:14:49,322 --> 00:14:51,934 ♪ ♪ 397 00:14:51,977 --> 00:14:54,023 Wow. Mmm. 398 00:14:54,066 --> 00:14:56,373 - One of our first dates was here at Contramar. 399 00:14:56,416 --> 00:14:58,592 - We had so much fun, because we were, like, just dating, 400 00:14:58,636 --> 00:15:00,420 and we had to be smooshed into the-- 401 00:15:00,464 --> 00:15:02,901 really tight into the bar. 402 00:15:02,945 --> 00:15:05,121 I mean, first of all, you were impressed with my Spanish. 403 00:15:05,164 --> 00:15:06,687 [laughter] 404 00:15:06,731 --> 00:15:08,254 No. - When I started to date Eva, 405 00:15:08,298 --> 00:15:09,690 she goes, "I'm Mexican!" 406 00:15:09,734 --> 00:15:11,649 I said, "You're a Mexican that doesn't speak Spanish?" 407 00:15:11,692 --> 00:15:13,303 [laughter] "I speak Spanish!" 408 00:15:13,346 --> 00:15:14,913 Okay. Cool. 409 00:15:14,957 --> 00:15:16,741 - Ven, Mauricio! 410 00:15:18,134 --> 00:15:21,050 Gabi's boyfriend, Mauricio, drops by. 411 00:15:21,093 --> 00:15:22,312 He and Pepe were friends 412 00:15:22,355 --> 00:15:24,227 way before I moved to Mexico City. 413 00:15:24,270 --> 00:15:25,489 [speaking Spanish] 414 00:15:25,532 --> 00:15:27,099 You're like chilango, chilango. - Yeah. 415 00:15:27,143 --> 00:15:28,971 Were you born in Mexico City? - He was born-- 416 00:15:29,014 --> 00:15:30,973 - Oh, so was Mauricio. You are the two chilangos. 417 00:15:31,016 --> 00:15:33,801 Before, it wasn't an honor to be called a chilango. 418 00:15:33,845 --> 00:15:35,629 It was-- - It still is not. I mean, I-- 419 00:15:35,673 --> 00:15:37,196 I feel honored to be a chilango, 420 00:15:37,240 --> 00:15:38,328 but at the end... - Yes. 421 00:15:38,371 --> 00:15:40,156 - If you go out of Mexico City, 422 00:15:40,199 --> 00:15:42,158 people don't like us as much, 423 00:15:42,201 --> 00:15:43,637 because they think that we're in the place 424 00:15:43,681 --> 00:15:45,204 that everything happens. 425 00:15:45,248 --> 00:15:46,597 That's what we think. - Yes. 426 00:15:46,640 --> 00:15:48,468 - But you can be an adopted chilanga. 427 00:15:48,512 --> 00:15:49,992 - Honorary chilanga. - True. 428 00:15:50,035 --> 00:15:51,558 - Cheers for that. - Cheers for that. 429 00:15:51,602 --> 00:15:54,213 - Cheers. - Ole! 430 00:15:54,257 --> 00:15:55,519 - Pescado a la talla. 431 00:15:55,562 --> 00:15:57,434 - I may just be an honorary chilanga, 432 00:15:57,477 --> 00:16:01,003 but look at this Mexico City classic I've helped make. 433 00:16:01,046 --> 00:16:03,744 ♪ ♪ 434 00:16:03,788 --> 00:16:04,789 Wow. 435 00:16:04,832 --> 00:16:07,618 You can taste all of the chilis, 436 00:16:07,661 --> 00:16:09,446 the garlic, the salt. 437 00:16:09,489 --> 00:16:11,143 Oh, my God. 438 00:16:11,187 --> 00:16:12,840 Let me taste-- let me taste the green side. 439 00:16:12,884 --> 00:16:14,016 [laughs] 440 00:16:14,059 --> 00:16:15,452 - Oh, the green side is amazing. 441 00:16:15,495 --> 00:16:17,628 - Mmm. 442 00:16:17,671 --> 00:16:19,630 People know Mexico as tacos, tequila, 443 00:16:19,673 --> 00:16:21,066 tacos, tequila, tacos, tequila. 444 00:16:21,110 --> 00:16:22,589 This changes that idea. 445 00:16:22,633 --> 00:16:25,505 And I feel like Contramar has turned it on its head 446 00:16:25,549 --> 00:16:28,030 and said, "This is Mexican food." 447 00:16:28,073 --> 00:16:29,857 - I love that Mexican food is now that! 448 00:16:29,901 --> 00:16:31,946 It's not only, like, Taco Tuesday. 449 00:16:31,990 --> 00:16:33,687 - It's--it's so much more than that. 450 00:16:33,731 --> 00:16:34,862 I don't know the secret to happiness. 451 00:16:34,906 --> 00:16:36,081 All I know is, 452 00:16:36,125 --> 00:16:37,561 every time I eat Mexican food, I'm happy. 453 00:16:37,604 --> 00:16:39,824 - Yeah. But it's true! 454 00:16:39,867 --> 00:16:41,478 - But it's true! 455 00:16:41,521 --> 00:16:42,522 ♪ ♪ 456 00:16:42,566 --> 00:16:43,784 - Beautiful. 457 00:16:43,828 --> 00:16:44,872 - For me, Contramar captures 458 00:16:44,916 --> 00:16:47,571 the spirit of Mexico City. 459 00:16:47,614 --> 00:16:49,616 As chilangos have grown in confidence, 460 00:16:49,660 --> 00:16:51,096 so has their cuisine. 461 00:16:51,140 --> 00:16:52,402 ♪ ♪ 462 00:16:52,445 --> 00:16:54,795 Besides, is there a better place 463 00:16:54,839 --> 00:16:56,406 to fall in love with your husband? 464 00:16:56,449 --> 00:16:59,626 ♪ ♪ 465 00:17:02,107 --> 00:17:04,066 [dramatic music] 466 00:17:04,109 --> 00:17:07,069 [soft music] 467 00:17:07,112 --> 00:17:14,250 ♪ ♪ 468 00:17:17,253 --> 00:17:19,690 - Imagine if they would blindfold you, 469 00:17:19,733 --> 00:17:23,346 and then drop you off here. 470 00:17:23,389 --> 00:17:24,999 - "Guess where you are." - "Guess where you are." 471 00:17:25,043 --> 00:17:28,264 It would be impossible for you to say, 472 00:17:28,307 --> 00:17:29,656 "I'm in Mexico City." 473 00:17:29,700 --> 00:17:32,094 - This would be impossible to guess Mexico City. 474 00:17:32,137 --> 00:17:33,921 - Right? Yeah. 475 00:17:33,965 --> 00:17:37,447 ♪ ♪ 476 00:17:37,490 --> 00:17:38,970 - This feels like another world. 477 00:17:39,013 --> 00:17:42,147 But can you believe we're still in Mexico City? 478 00:17:42,191 --> 00:17:45,933 This is the dreamy district of Xochimilco, 479 00:17:45,977 --> 00:17:48,501 a mystical network of waterways 480 00:17:48,545 --> 00:17:49,937 built by the Aztecs. 481 00:17:49,981 --> 00:17:51,287 ♪ ♪ 482 00:17:51,330 --> 00:17:52,636 - So this used to be a lake. 483 00:17:52,679 --> 00:17:54,333 The Aztecs built it, 484 00:17:54,377 --> 00:17:57,771 Chinampas, which is little islands, 485 00:17:57,815 --> 00:17:58,772 to grow food. 486 00:17:58,816 --> 00:18:00,644 ♪ ♪ 487 00:18:00,687 --> 00:18:02,428 - I can't think of a better guide 488 00:18:02,472 --> 00:18:03,473 to these island farms 489 00:18:03,516 --> 00:18:06,737 than Eduardo García, or Lalo, 490 00:18:06,780 --> 00:18:09,131 one of Mexico's superstar chefs. 491 00:18:09,174 --> 00:18:13,178 ♪ ♪ 492 00:18:13,222 --> 00:18:16,138 [upbeat music] 493 00:18:16,181 --> 00:18:18,531 ♪ ♪ 494 00:18:18,575 --> 00:18:20,533 Lalo's gourmet restaurant, Máximo Bistrot, 495 00:18:20,577 --> 00:18:22,883 is in the heart of the city, 496 00:18:22,927 --> 00:18:26,713 and it marries French and Mexican cuisine 497 00:18:26,757 --> 00:18:29,151 using fresh produce from island farms 498 00:18:29,194 --> 00:18:31,153 here in Xochimilco. 499 00:18:31,196 --> 00:18:34,330 ♪ ♪ 500 00:18:34,373 --> 00:18:36,158 Ah. So this is it. - This is it. 501 00:18:36,201 --> 00:18:37,507 This is Arca Tierra. 502 00:18:37,550 --> 00:18:39,117 - This farm provides Lalo 503 00:18:39,161 --> 00:18:41,511 with some of the vegetables for his seasonal menu. 504 00:18:41,554 --> 00:18:42,860 [both speaking Spanish] 505 00:18:42,903 --> 00:18:44,601 It's run by his friend Lucio, 506 00:18:44,644 --> 00:18:47,038 an archeologist turned farmer. 507 00:18:47,081 --> 00:18:49,171 - Right now, we have some parsley, 508 00:18:49,214 --> 00:18:50,868 some herbs around here, 509 00:18:50,911 --> 00:18:53,349 some chard, and the brassicas. 510 00:18:53,392 --> 00:18:55,264 - I feel like I'm in a bowl 511 00:18:55,307 --> 00:18:56,787 of a really big salad right now. 512 00:18:56,830 --> 00:18:59,093 [laughter] 513 00:18:59,137 --> 00:19:02,009 - So for chefs, it's really like a paradise 514 00:19:02,053 --> 00:19:04,142 to come here and harvest. 515 00:19:04,186 --> 00:19:05,709 - So you come here, and you get inspired 516 00:19:05,752 --> 00:19:06,884 by what's growing, normally? 517 00:19:06,927 --> 00:19:08,015 That's how you decide what to cook? 518 00:19:08,059 --> 00:19:09,147 - Basically, I come here, 519 00:19:09,191 --> 00:19:11,845 and I gather what I'm in the mood for, 520 00:19:11,889 --> 00:19:13,456 whatever looks good to my eyes. 521 00:19:13,499 --> 00:19:16,023 And I take it back. - Yeah. 522 00:19:16,067 --> 00:19:17,460 - You don't have something fixed, though, in your mind? 523 00:19:17,503 --> 00:19:19,070 - No, no, no, no. 524 00:19:19,113 --> 00:19:22,769 That's what's so beautiful and stressful about my job. 525 00:19:22,813 --> 00:19:24,858 Because that makes it even more stressful. 526 00:19:24,902 --> 00:19:26,033 ♪ ♪ 527 00:19:26,077 --> 00:19:27,905 - Lalo always lets Mother Nature 528 00:19:27,948 --> 00:19:30,516 dictate which produce to pick. 529 00:19:30,560 --> 00:19:32,344 And I think she's just had a word. 530 00:19:32,388 --> 00:19:35,217 - You're gonna have verdolaga today. 531 00:19:35,260 --> 00:19:36,392 - And what is it? 532 00:19:36,435 --> 00:19:37,697 - In English, it's purslane. 533 00:19:37,741 --> 00:19:39,308 - Purslane. - Yeah. 534 00:19:39,351 --> 00:19:40,787 As soon as it starts to rain, 535 00:19:40,831 --> 00:19:42,049 you'll see this grow everywhere. 536 00:19:42,093 --> 00:19:43,616 - How do you know you're not getting a weed? 537 00:19:43,660 --> 00:19:45,575 - Well, we probably are, but we'll clean it. 538 00:19:45,618 --> 00:19:46,924 - Oh, we probably are. 539 00:19:46,967 --> 00:19:48,839 - And honestly, there's no agrochemicals here, 540 00:19:48,882 --> 00:19:50,101 no fertilizer. 541 00:19:50,144 --> 00:19:51,972 So even if we do eat a little bit of weed, 542 00:19:52,016 --> 00:19:54,061 I mean, it'd still be good for us. 543 00:19:54,105 --> 00:19:55,672 ♪ ♪ 544 00:19:55,715 --> 00:19:56,977 - What does it taste like? 545 00:19:57,021 --> 00:19:58,501 - To me, it's-- 546 00:19:58,544 --> 00:19:59,719 - It tastes like watercress. 547 00:19:59,763 --> 00:20:01,243 - It does have that texture. 548 00:20:01,286 --> 00:20:02,592 - Mm-hmm. - But you know what? 549 00:20:02,635 --> 00:20:04,637 This--our ancestors here in Mexico 550 00:20:04,681 --> 00:20:05,725 have been eating this 551 00:20:05,769 --> 00:20:07,597 for hundreds and hundreds of years. 552 00:20:07,640 --> 00:20:09,903 You can have it in a salad. You can cook it. 553 00:20:09,947 --> 00:20:13,080 Probably one of the most healthy food you can eat. 554 00:20:13,124 --> 00:20:15,518 After this, it's gonna be your favorite. 555 00:20:15,561 --> 00:20:16,867 - Everything. 556 00:20:16,910 --> 00:20:17,955 - You know what? 557 00:20:17,998 --> 00:20:20,392 I want to do a roasted beet salad. 558 00:20:20,436 --> 00:20:22,133 We're ready for lunch. - [laughs] 559 00:20:22,176 --> 00:20:24,396 - So we're gonna cook with it. - Okay. 560 00:20:24,440 --> 00:20:26,790 ♪ ♪ 561 00:20:26,833 --> 00:20:28,661 The farm has an outdoor kitchen 562 00:20:28,705 --> 00:20:31,055 where Lalo is showing me how he cooks the beets. 563 00:20:31,098 --> 00:20:33,144 Even their names sound delicious; 564 00:20:33,187 --> 00:20:35,712 white sugar beets, red bull's blood, 565 00:20:35,755 --> 00:20:37,714 and candy stripe. 566 00:20:37,757 --> 00:20:39,933 We leave the beets to roast slowly 567 00:20:39,977 --> 00:20:41,979 and fry onions, garlic, and tomatoes 568 00:20:42,022 --> 00:20:44,503 as a base for the purslane. 569 00:20:44,547 --> 00:20:46,853 - Now we're going to add our verdolagas, purslane. 570 00:20:46,897 --> 00:20:48,812 - Oh, my gosh. - Okay. 571 00:20:48,855 --> 00:20:50,466 And then we're gonna cover it. 572 00:20:50,509 --> 00:20:53,033 ♪ ♪ 573 00:20:53,077 --> 00:20:54,992 - Where did your passion for cooking come from? 574 00:20:55,035 --> 00:20:57,342 - I started cooking out of pure necessity. 575 00:20:57,386 --> 00:21:00,127 When I was a kid, my family and I were migrant workers. 576 00:21:00,171 --> 00:21:01,694 My father did it for 30 years. 577 00:21:01,738 --> 00:21:03,566 I never went to school. 578 00:21:03,609 --> 00:21:05,132 I needed to find a job 579 00:21:05,176 --> 00:21:07,265 to support the family with my father. 580 00:21:07,309 --> 00:21:08,527 [soft music] 581 00:21:08,571 --> 00:21:10,181 - When Lalo was eight years old, 582 00:21:10,224 --> 00:21:13,271 he and his family left their home in North Mexico 583 00:21:13,315 --> 00:21:15,578 in search of a better life in the States. 584 00:21:15,621 --> 00:21:17,101 ♪ ♪ 585 00:21:17,144 --> 00:21:18,929 They worked without documentation 586 00:21:18,972 --> 00:21:22,149 as migrant fruit pickers around Florida. 587 00:21:22,193 --> 00:21:25,501 When he was 15, Lalo got his first job in a restaurant. 588 00:21:25,544 --> 00:21:27,154 ♪ ♪ 589 00:21:27,198 --> 00:21:31,333 - So I found a job washing dishes at a restaurant 590 00:21:31,376 --> 00:21:33,596 that required no education. 591 00:21:33,639 --> 00:21:36,860 I had a fake green card that said I was 18. 592 00:21:36,903 --> 00:21:38,340 So they hired me, and I was-- 593 00:21:38,383 --> 00:21:40,516 I've always been a very good worker. 594 00:21:40,559 --> 00:21:42,953 That's just what-- something that I have. 595 00:21:42,996 --> 00:21:45,608 Fast and whatever was-- needed to be done, I-- 596 00:21:45,651 --> 00:21:47,087 - Resourceful. Initiative. 597 00:21:47,131 --> 00:21:48,393 Yeah. - Yeah. 598 00:21:48,437 --> 00:21:51,875 Because I had the mentality of making money, 599 00:21:51,918 --> 00:21:55,226 making money, for... - Surviving. 600 00:21:55,269 --> 00:21:57,054 - For survival. - Yeah. 601 00:21:57,097 --> 00:22:00,231 - So after a few years working there, 602 00:22:00,274 --> 00:22:03,539 I started to have friends, wannabe gangsters. 603 00:22:03,582 --> 00:22:05,671 And I wanted to be a wannabe gangster. 604 00:22:05,715 --> 00:22:09,109 I went to jail for four years. 605 00:22:09,153 --> 00:22:12,852 And when I came out, I was deported. 606 00:22:12,896 --> 00:22:14,376 But I didn't stay in Mexico. 607 00:22:14,419 --> 00:22:15,986 I went back to the States, 608 00:22:16,029 --> 00:22:17,553 looked for a job in the kitchen. 609 00:22:17,596 --> 00:22:20,033 My boss saw something in me, 610 00:22:20,077 --> 00:22:22,253 and she told me, "You have a gift. 611 00:22:22,296 --> 00:22:23,863 You can do this for a living." 612 00:22:23,907 --> 00:22:26,692 And that kind of sank in, you know? 613 00:22:26,736 --> 00:22:28,172 And I was like, "This is what I want to do." 614 00:22:28,215 --> 00:22:29,956 And with time, I just fell in love with it. 615 00:22:30,000 --> 00:22:31,131 - Yeah. - And here I am. 616 00:22:31,175 --> 00:22:33,264 - Wow, that's amazing. 617 00:22:33,307 --> 00:22:34,918 I'm gonna cry. [laughs] 618 00:22:34,961 --> 00:22:37,137 - Don't. It's a happy story. 619 00:22:37,181 --> 00:22:38,878 - It is a happy story, but it just shows you, 620 00:22:38,922 --> 00:22:40,140 like, you just need one person 621 00:22:40,184 --> 00:22:41,620 to give you permission to be great. 622 00:22:41,664 --> 00:22:43,013 - Yeah. 623 00:22:43,056 --> 00:22:45,450 I think they're ready. - Okay. 624 00:22:45,494 --> 00:22:47,104 - Let's taste it. 625 00:22:47,147 --> 00:22:48,279 - Mmm. - Mmm. 626 00:22:48,322 --> 00:22:50,455 - Oh, my gosh. I love it. 627 00:22:50,499 --> 00:22:52,979 - Imagine this with Parmigiano-Reggiano 628 00:22:53,023 --> 00:22:54,241 on the top. - Mmm. 629 00:22:54,285 --> 00:22:55,895 It does have the texture of a pasta. 630 00:22:55,939 --> 00:22:57,157 - Right? - Yeah. 631 00:22:57,201 --> 00:22:58,855 Like a vegetarian pasta. 632 00:22:58,898 --> 00:23:00,596 - I love it. - Oh, my God. 633 00:23:00,639 --> 00:23:01,901 I love it. 634 00:23:01,945 --> 00:23:03,903 - No calories. - No calories? 635 00:23:03,947 --> 00:23:05,383 - No saturated fat. 636 00:23:05,427 --> 00:23:07,516 Maybe a few calories from the olive oil. 637 00:23:07,559 --> 00:23:09,256 - And it's so filling. 638 00:23:09,300 --> 00:23:12,303 - But anyways, with our beets, they're ready too. 639 00:23:12,346 --> 00:23:14,958 - Oh, that's so beautiful. 640 00:23:15,001 --> 00:23:16,699 Look at the rainbow of color! 641 00:23:16,742 --> 00:23:18,918 Oh, that's the best spoonful right there. 642 00:23:18,962 --> 00:23:21,051 Just one hour ago, 643 00:23:21,094 --> 00:23:22,966 this produce was in the ground. 644 00:23:23,009 --> 00:23:25,664 And now Lalo is laying his roasted beets 645 00:23:25,708 --> 00:23:28,014 on a bed of freshly picked arugula. 646 00:23:28,058 --> 00:23:30,495 It doesn't get more farm-to-table than this. 647 00:23:30,539 --> 00:23:32,454 - We have a little bit of mint, and we're done. 648 00:23:32,497 --> 00:23:33,585 - That's it? 649 00:23:33,629 --> 00:23:35,544 ♪ ♪ 650 00:23:35,587 --> 00:23:37,067 Oh, this is so beautiful. 651 00:23:37,110 --> 00:23:39,504 I would eat here every day. - For sure. 652 00:23:39,548 --> 00:23:41,332 - This is when you know it's a healthy meal. 653 00:23:41,375 --> 00:23:43,160 It has all the colors of the rainbow. 654 00:23:43,203 --> 00:23:44,466 Ven, Lucio! 655 00:23:44,509 --> 00:23:46,598 Mmm. - [speaking indistinctly] 656 00:23:46,642 --> 00:23:47,860 - You plant, and he cooks? 657 00:23:47,904 --> 00:23:49,296 Is that the deal? - That's the deal. 658 00:23:49,340 --> 00:23:50,820 [laughter] 659 00:23:50,863 --> 00:23:52,169 ♪ ♪ 660 00:23:52,212 --> 00:23:53,997 - Mmm. - Mmm. 661 00:23:54,040 --> 00:23:56,826 - The beets and that sweetness. 662 00:23:56,869 --> 00:23:58,001 Mmm. - Mmm. 663 00:23:58,044 --> 00:23:59,306 - Oh, my gosh. Oh, my God. 664 00:23:59,350 --> 00:24:01,483 This might be the best salad I've ever had. 665 00:24:01,526 --> 00:24:06,009 ♪ ♪ 666 00:24:06,052 --> 00:24:07,314 It's interesting, 'cause we've both been 667 00:24:07,358 --> 00:24:09,229 on a journey of, like, leaving our roots, 668 00:24:09,273 --> 00:24:11,014 and then coming back, and this, for me, 669 00:24:11,057 --> 00:24:14,278 has been a rediscovery of my Mexicanness. 670 00:24:14,321 --> 00:24:16,846 But for you, what have you discovered about yourself 671 00:24:16,889 --> 00:24:18,674 or about Mexican culture? 672 00:24:18,717 --> 00:24:20,110 - The migrants who go to the U.S., 673 00:24:20,153 --> 00:24:22,547 they always look for the American dream. 674 00:24:22,591 --> 00:24:25,594 But what I discovered when I was deported to Mexico 675 00:24:25,637 --> 00:24:29,206 is that I found that American dream in Mexico. 676 00:24:29,249 --> 00:24:32,992 I learned that our culture is amazing. 677 00:24:33,036 --> 00:24:35,604 You know what brings people to Mexico? 678 00:24:35,647 --> 00:24:36,648 The food culture. 679 00:24:36,692 --> 00:24:37,997 I fell in love with it. 680 00:24:38,041 --> 00:24:41,305 It's been an amazing journey for me. 681 00:24:41,348 --> 00:24:42,915 I needed to be here. 682 00:24:42,959 --> 00:24:44,569 - The universe was telling you, "This is where you belong." 683 00:24:44,613 --> 00:24:45,570 - Yes. - Yeah. 684 00:24:45,614 --> 00:24:47,311 ♪ ♪ 685 00:24:47,354 --> 00:24:49,400 I really connect with Lalo's story. 686 00:24:49,443 --> 00:24:51,968 For me, rediscovering my Mexican heritage 687 00:24:52,011 --> 00:24:54,013 and making a home here 688 00:24:54,057 --> 00:24:57,582 gives me a sense of belonging, just like him. 689 00:24:57,626 --> 00:25:00,237 - Like, I consider myself to be 690 00:25:00,280 --> 00:25:03,893 an extremely lucky person that I am here. 691 00:25:03,936 --> 00:25:05,808 ♪ ♪ 692 00:25:05,851 --> 00:25:07,766 - Thank you so much for cooking. 693 00:25:07,810 --> 00:25:08,898 - Gracias. 694 00:25:08,941 --> 00:25:11,030 ♪ ♪ 695 00:25:13,729 --> 00:25:15,731 [dramatic music] 696 00:25:15,774 --> 00:25:19,386 [upbeat music playing] 697 00:25:19,430 --> 00:25:21,563 - I love that that music's coming out of a pharmacy. 698 00:25:21,606 --> 00:25:23,390 [laughs] 699 00:25:23,434 --> 00:25:26,132 [upbeat music] 700 00:25:26,176 --> 00:25:29,222 Here's my tip for driving in Mexico City: 701 00:25:29,266 --> 00:25:32,922 always add an extra hour onto your travel time. 702 00:25:32,965 --> 00:25:34,445 There's always traffic in Mexico City. 703 00:25:34,488 --> 00:25:36,055 ♪ ♪ 704 00:25:36,099 --> 00:25:37,927 There's not a time of day or day of week 705 00:25:37,970 --> 00:25:40,190 that there isn't traffic. 706 00:25:40,233 --> 00:25:42,540 I mean, there's millions and millions of people 707 00:25:42,584 --> 00:25:46,762 coming in and out of the city, working all over the city. 708 00:25:46,805 --> 00:25:48,024 That means traffic. 709 00:25:48,067 --> 00:25:50,940 ♪ ♪ 710 00:25:50,983 --> 00:25:52,419 I'm in just one 711 00:25:52,463 --> 00:25:54,770 of the 6 million cars on the move, 712 00:25:54,813 --> 00:25:56,598 or rather, not moving. 713 00:25:56,641 --> 00:25:58,121 But I'm used to it. 714 00:25:58,164 --> 00:25:59,731 Traffic jams are a way of life here. 715 00:25:59,775 --> 00:26:02,429 Just getting to work is a job in itself. 716 00:26:02,473 --> 00:26:05,128 No wonder this city is known as "the monster." 717 00:26:05,171 --> 00:26:07,130 ♪ ♪ 718 00:26:07,173 --> 00:26:09,088 Beautiful Mexico. 719 00:26:09,132 --> 00:26:10,089 ♪ ♪ 720 00:26:10,133 --> 00:26:13,745 [horns honking] 721 00:26:13,789 --> 00:26:16,661 ♪ ♪ 722 00:26:16,705 --> 00:26:18,228 So how do you feed a city this big? 723 00:26:18,271 --> 00:26:20,447 With hundreds of markets, 724 00:26:20,491 --> 00:26:23,625 like the Jamaica Market near the historic center 725 00:26:23,668 --> 00:26:26,062 where I'm meeting food blogger Anais. 726 00:26:26,105 --> 00:26:29,674 [both speaking Spanish] 727 00:26:29,718 --> 00:26:31,328 By Mexico City standards, 728 00:26:31,371 --> 00:26:33,460 this market is considered pretty small, 729 00:26:33,504 --> 00:26:35,941 but it's still the length of a city block. 730 00:26:35,985 --> 00:26:38,161 Wow, this is huge. - Yeah. 731 00:26:38,204 --> 00:26:40,163 - Is this your favorite market to come to? 732 00:26:40,206 --> 00:26:41,860 - This is, yeah, my favorite market. 733 00:26:41,904 --> 00:26:44,080 This is just one of the 300 markets 734 00:26:44,123 --> 00:26:45,124 that we have in the city. 735 00:26:45,168 --> 00:26:46,822 - 300. - 300. 736 00:26:46,865 --> 00:26:47,997 - People come here for groceries, 737 00:26:48,040 --> 00:26:49,302 not the supermarket? 738 00:26:49,346 --> 00:26:50,739 - I think you have a little mix of both. 739 00:26:50,782 --> 00:26:53,829 Prepackaged stuff, you get those in the supermarket, 740 00:26:53,872 --> 00:26:55,004 and you come here for fresh stuff. 741 00:26:55,047 --> 00:26:56,440 - Oh, my God! 742 00:26:56,483 --> 00:26:58,181 This is, like, the most beautiful stall! 743 00:26:58,224 --> 00:26:59,486 - Look at the chilis. 744 00:26:59,530 --> 00:27:01,445 How long it takes-- do you think it takes? 745 00:27:01,488 --> 00:27:03,447 Yeah, exactly. - Look at this! 746 00:27:03,490 --> 00:27:04,840 Habaneros! 747 00:27:04,883 --> 00:27:06,711 ♪ ♪ 748 00:27:06,755 --> 00:27:09,627 Many stallholders use this amazing produce 749 00:27:09,671 --> 00:27:11,542 to create street food to die for. 750 00:27:11,585 --> 00:27:13,544 I challenge anyone not to be tempted 751 00:27:13,587 --> 00:27:16,460 by these mouthwatering dishes. 752 00:27:16,503 --> 00:27:18,027 Wow. What is it? 753 00:27:18,070 --> 00:27:19,898 - It's a green chorizo stand. 754 00:27:19,942 --> 00:27:21,857 - Green chorizo. - Yeah. 755 00:27:21,900 --> 00:27:23,206 It's amazing. 756 00:27:23,249 --> 00:27:24,424 And it's green because of all the things 757 00:27:24,468 --> 00:27:26,339 they put in, they mix with the meat. 758 00:27:26,383 --> 00:27:29,255 The put, like, poblano pepper, serrano pepper, spinach. 759 00:27:29,299 --> 00:27:30,474 - And how do you eat it? 760 00:27:30,517 --> 00:27:31,867 - In a taco. You can eat it in a taco. 761 00:27:31,910 --> 00:27:34,957 [speaking Spanish] 762 00:27:39,526 --> 00:27:41,746 - [gasps] Look at all these salsas. 763 00:27:41,790 --> 00:27:43,617 - We need our toppings. - Oh, my God. 764 00:27:43,661 --> 00:27:45,489 I'm gonna get in trouble with that serrano. 765 00:27:45,532 --> 00:27:48,405 And I'm gonna do green salsa. 766 00:27:48,448 --> 00:27:50,624 All right. Here goes my--it's hot. 767 00:27:50,668 --> 00:27:52,235 - Ready? 768 00:27:53,453 --> 00:27:56,065 - Mmm. Mmm! 769 00:27:58,023 --> 00:27:59,546 It's almost refreshing. 770 00:27:59,590 --> 00:28:00,896 - Right? 771 00:28:00,939 --> 00:28:02,549 - Now I feel like I'm being healthy. 772 00:28:02,593 --> 00:28:04,638 - You have your salad you've thrown in there. 773 00:28:04,682 --> 00:28:07,554 - Other than the chorizo part, it's a super healthy taco. 774 00:28:07,598 --> 00:28:08,555 - [laughs] 775 00:28:08,599 --> 00:28:09,469 ♪ ♪ 776 00:28:09,513 --> 00:28:10,819 - It's hard to fathom 777 00:28:10,862 --> 00:28:13,604 how you keep Mexico City's 300 markets 778 00:28:13,647 --> 00:28:16,259 stacked high with the freshest produce. 779 00:28:16,302 --> 00:28:17,782 Well, it works like this. 780 00:28:17,826 --> 00:28:19,697 Every day, tens of thousands of vendors 781 00:28:19,741 --> 00:28:21,568 bring fresh food into the capital 782 00:28:21,612 --> 00:28:24,310 from the surrounding countryside, 783 00:28:24,354 --> 00:28:27,923 some of them traveling hundreds of miles. 784 00:28:27,966 --> 00:28:29,751 Luci is one of them. 785 00:28:29,794 --> 00:28:32,449 She lives in Toluca, west of Mexico City, 786 00:28:32,492 --> 00:28:34,581 where she grows produce and prepares ingredients 787 00:28:34,625 --> 00:28:37,454 to bring into the market... 788 00:28:37,497 --> 00:28:40,631 a round trip of roughly six hours. 789 00:28:40,674 --> 00:28:45,114 ♪ ♪ 790 00:28:45,157 --> 00:28:46,942 [both speaking Spanish] 791 00:28:46,985 --> 00:28:49,031 - This is the amazing Luci. 792 00:28:49,074 --> 00:28:50,119 She's like... - She's super fast. 793 00:28:50,162 --> 00:28:51,947 - A master. She's super fast. 794 00:28:51,990 --> 00:28:53,775 ♪ ♪ 795 00:28:53,818 --> 00:28:56,473 - Luci's the queen of tlacoyos, 796 00:28:56,516 --> 00:28:59,041 a favorite Mexico City street food. 797 00:28:59,084 --> 00:29:01,652 - It's an oval-shaped patty, and it's stuffed with, 798 00:29:01,695 --> 00:29:03,872 usually, beans, fava beans, or cheese. 799 00:29:03,915 --> 00:29:05,438 She puts the fava bean inside, 800 00:29:05,482 --> 00:29:06,918 and this is where-- like, the tricky part. 801 00:29:06,962 --> 00:29:10,792 She has to keep the oval shape, keep the filling inside, 802 00:29:10,835 --> 00:29:12,097 and the same thickness. 803 00:29:12,141 --> 00:29:13,533 - Oh, my God. She did that so fast. 804 00:29:13,577 --> 00:29:15,797 You--I don't know how you guys are gonna film that. 805 00:29:15,840 --> 00:29:17,189 She went... 806 00:29:26,372 --> 00:29:28,070 - Otherwise, it doesn't taste the same. 807 00:29:28,113 --> 00:29:29,811 - So she brings the carbon from... 808 00:29:29,854 --> 00:29:30,899 - Yes. 809 00:29:30,942 --> 00:29:31,900 - Her town? - Yeah. 810 00:29:31,943 --> 00:29:34,816 - [speaking Spanish] 811 00:29:39,951 --> 00:29:42,432 - This is definitely food made with love, 812 00:29:42,475 --> 00:29:44,913 right down to Luci's green salsa, 813 00:29:44,956 --> 00:29:48,568 cooked cactus, and cheese. 814 00:29:48,612 --> 00:29:50,092 - [speaking Spanish] - Oh, my God. 815 00:29:52,703 --> 00:29:54,661 - It smells so good. 816 00:29:54,705 --> 00:29:56,185 I'm gonna wait for you to get yours. 817 00:29:56,228 --> 00:29:58,361 - Yeah? - Yes. 818 00:29:59,318 --> 00:30:01,930 [both speaking Spanish] 819 00:30:01,973 --> 00:30:03,279 - Tlacoyo cheers. 820 00:30:03,322 --> 00:30:04,410 It's really hot, but temperature-hot. 821 00:30:04,454 --> 00:30:06,195 - It's hot! - Yeah. All right. 822 00:30:09,981 --> 00:30:11,330 - Mmm. 823 00:30:11,374 --> 00:30:12,766 Wow! - Mmm. 824 00:30:13,942 --> 00:30:15,508 - Oh, my God. 825 00:30:15,552 --> 00:30:16,770 Wow. 826 00:30:18,294 --> 00:30:21,253 [light music] 827 00:30:21,297 --> 00:30:23,168 This is so good. 828 00:30:23,212 --> 00:30:24,561 Spicy. 829 00:30:24,604 --> 00:30:26,128 - It is, and you got a lot. 830 00:30:26,171 --> 00:30:27,259 - I like it. 831 00:30:30,436 --> 00:30:31,873 To me, these markets are like 832 00:30:31,916 --> 00:30:34,658 little magical cities within a city. 833 00:30:34,701 --> 00:30:38,227 Their culture is woven into the fabric of the capital, 834 00:30:38,270 --> 00:30:39,968 thanks to vendors like Luci, 835 00:30:40,011 --> 00:30:43,797 who treat their customers and food with true devotion. 836 00:30:43,841 --> 00:30:48,411 ♪ ♪ 837 00:30:50,935 --> 00:30:52,894 [dramatic music] 838 00:30:52,937 --> 00:30:55,592 [soft music] 839 00:30:55,635 --> 00:30:57,768 - Mexico City's rich mix of cultures 840 00:30:57,811 --> 00:31:00,249 is a result of centuries of immigration. 841 00:31:00,292 --> 00:31:02,773 But it's also the crossroads 842 00:31:02,816 --> 00:31:05,341 for many migratory routes to the United States. 843 00:31:05,384 --> 00:31:07,299 ♪ ♪ 844 00:31:07,343 --> 00:31:08,953 I've come to Tacubaya, 845 00:31:08,997 --> 00:31:11,564 only 5 miles from the historic center, 846 00:31:11,608 --> 00:31:13,262 but it feels like a world away. 847 00:31:13,305 --> 00:31:15,090 ♪ ♪ 848 00:31:15,133 --> 00:31:18,223 I'm here to visit a remarkable refugee shelter 849 00:31:18,267 --> 00:31:21,966 where cooking is at the heart of communal living. 850 00:31:22,010 --> 00:31:22,967 ♪ ♪ 851 00:31:23,011 --> 00:31:25,230 [knocking] 852 00:31:26,275 --> 00:31:28,016 both: Hola! 853 00:31:28,059 --> 00:31:31,280 [both speaking Spanish] 854 00:31:31,889 --> 00:31:33,195 - Gracias. 855 00:31:44,902 --> 00:31:48,732 - Gabriela Hernández Chalte is a force of nature. 856 00:31:48,775 --> 00:31:51,691 She started Casa Tochan over a decade ago 857 00:31:51,735 --> 00:31:55,130 to offer shelter to refugees fleeing their homelands. 858 00:32:02,093 --> 00:32:04,139 - Wow. 859 00:32:04,182 --> 00:32:06,924 Gaby encourages her guests to paint the walls 860 00:32:06,968 --> 00:32:09,883 with their personal stories and hopes for the future. 861 00:32:46,398 --> 00:32:48,313 [bright music] 862 00:32:48,357 --> 00:32:49,836 - The residents love cooking dishes 863 00:32:49,880 --> 00:32:53,492 from their homeland to share with their housemates. 864 00:32:53,536 --> 00:32:56,321 Hola. [speaking Spanish] - Hola. Yaciel. 865 00:32:56,365 --> 00:32:59,107 [both speaking Spanish] 866 00:32:59,150 --> 00:33:01,718 - Cubano! A Cuban in Mexico. 867 00:33:01,761 --> 00:33:03,807 So what did we put in the pot first? 868 00:33:12,120 --> 00:33:13,295 - Uh-huh. 869 00:33:13,338 --> 00:33:14,426 What was your journey? 870 00:33:14,470 --> 00:33:16,254 You came from Cuba to here? 871 00:33:27,657 --> 00:33:29,398 - What made you want to leave Cuba? 872 00:33:42,802 --> 00:33:43,934 - Do you like Mexican food? 873 00:33:43,977 --> 00:33:44,935 - Sí. 874 00:33:49,548 --> 00:33:52,595 - It looks to me like Yaciel's Cuban fricassee 875 00:33:52,638 --> 00:33:54,336 is also going to pack a punch. 876 00:33:54,379 --> 00:33:55,598 Yeah. 877 00:34:03,997 --> 00:34:07,262 - For the pressure, so we can eat faster. 878 00:34:07,305 --> 00:34:09,220 ♪ ♪ 879 00:34:09,264 --> 00:34:11,266 Finally, time to eat, 880 00:34:11,309 --> 00:34:14,356 and the rich aroma of the pork smells divine. 881 00:34:14,399 --> 00:34:16,488 Yay, bravo, chef! 882 00:34:26,107 --> 00:34:27,978 - They go hand in hand. They go hand in hand. 883 00:34:32,852 --> 00:34:34,854 - Nicaragua. I love Nicaragua. 884 00:34:46,518 --> 00:34:47,650 - Uh-huh. 885 00:34:50,043 --> 00:34:52,959 [all speaking Spanish] 886 00:34:57,355 --> 00:34:58,356 Mmm. 887 00:34:58,400 --> 00:34:59,966 Wow. 888 00:35:00,010 --> 00:35:01,490 This is so good! 889 00:35:01,533 --> 00:35:02,926 I can't believe we made this. 890 00:35:02,969 --> 00:35:04,275 [laughs] 891 00:35:04,319 --> 00:35:05,624 Okay, you made it. You made it. 892 00:35:05,668 --> 00:35:07,844 But this is so good. 893 00:35:07,887 --> 00:35:09,498 What do you think of the food? 894 00:35:09,541 --> 00:35:11,282 Do you miss your food from your country? 895 00:35:11,326 --> 00:35:14,416 [speaking Spanish] 896 00:35:25,122 --> 00:35:26,384 - Sí. - Sí. 897 00:35:36,133 --> 00:35:39,049 - [speaking Spanish] 898 00:35:49,494 --> 00:35:50,626 Sí. Gracias. 899 00:35:55,326 --> 00:35:57,589 - Gracias. Gracias. 900 00:35:57,633 --> 00:35:58,895 [soft music] 901 00:35:58,938 --> 00:36:01,811 - I love that Casa Tochan 902 00:36:01,854 --> 00:36:04,161 really focuses on food, 903 00:36:04,205 --> 00:36:05,771 reminding them of their country 904 00:36:05,815 --> 00:36:06,816 and what they've missed. 905 00:36:06,859 --> 00:36:08,731 This house is full of light, 906 00:36:08,774 --> 00:36:09,862 and it's full of love, 907 00:36:09,906 --> 00:36:11,299 and it's full of hope. 908 00:36:11,342 --> 00:36:14,650 And I think food has a big part to do with that. 909 00:36:14,693 --> 00:36:17,305 [laughter] 910 00:36:17,348 --> 00:36:23,746 ♪ ♪ 911 00:36:26,314 --> 00:36:28,316 [dramatic music] 912 00:36:28,359 --> 00:36:29,317 [upbeat music] 913 00:36:29,360 --> 00:36:30,753 - Hola! - Hola! 914 00:36:30,796 --> 00:36:33,886 [speaking Spanish] 915 00:36:35,105 --> 00:36:36,106 - Gracias. 916 00:36:37,629 --> 00:36:39,196 This is El Moro. 917 00:36:39,240 --> 00:36:41,154 It's an institution in Mexico City. 918 00:36:41,198 --> 00:36:45,768 It's--you have to come here when you're in Mexico City. 919 00:36:45,811 --> 00:36:48,118 Churros and chocolate are a dream come true 920 00:36:48,161 --> 00:36:50,251 for my four-year-old son, Santi. 921 00:36:50,294 --> 00:36:52,557 - Yeah! 922 00:36:52,601 --> 00:36:53,689 - This one, but softly. 923 00:36:53,732 --> 00:36:55,212 Soft, soft, soft! 924 00:36:55,256 --> 00:36:56,431 Slow. 925 00:36:56,474 --> 00:36:58,433 This is the chilango in the family. 926 00:36:58,476 --> 00:37:00,217 When it comes to food, 927 00:37:00,261 --> 00:37:02,132 we all have our guilty pleasures. 928 00:37:02,175 --> 00:37:04,526 For my son, it's chocolate and churros. 929 00:37:04,569 --> 00:37:06,179 [laughter] 930 00:37:06,223 --> 00:37:08,834 And for me, it's anything Japanese. 931 00:37:08,878 --> 00:37:10,706 So I'm excited to try something new: 932 00:37:10,749 --> 00:37:13,230 Japanese-Mexican cuisine, 933 00:37:13,274 --> 00:37:16,625 pioneered by Chef Edo López in Mexico City's Little Tokyo. 934 00:37:16,668 --> 00:37:17,582 - Welcome to Mexico. 935 00:37:17,626 --> 00:37:19,454 Have a seat. 936 00:37:19,497 --> 00:37:21,107 - I've never been to Little Tokyo. 937 00:37:21,151 --> 00:37:22,283 - Really? - Yes. 938 00:37:22,326 --> 00:37:23,806 - Well, we call it Little Tokyo 939 00:37:23,849 --> 00:37:26,678 because there's a lot of Japanese places around it. 940 00:37:26,722 --> 00:37:28,506 - Uh-huh, but are you of Japanese descent? 941 00:37:28,550 --> 00:37:29,899 - My grandfather 942 00:37:29,942 --> 00:37:32,293 and my family lived in Japan for a long time. 943 00:37:32,336 --> 00:37:33,468 - Really? - Yeah. Yeah. 944 00:37:33,511 --> 00:37:35,774 But I was raised and born in Tijuana. 945 00:37:35,818 --> 00:37:38,168 I'm very proud Mexican, very, very proud. 946 00:37:38,211 --> 00:37:41,867 And I try to bring this love with food to Mexico. 947 00:37:41,911 --> 00:37:42,955 You know? - You want to show them 948 00:37:42,999 --> 00:37:44,740 both your cultures. - Yeah. 949 00:37:44,783 --> 00:37:46,829 ♪ ♪ 950 00:37:46,872 --> 00:37:49,179 - I had no idea that in the late 19th century, 951 00:37:49,222 --> 00:37:53,749 thousands of Japanese people came to Mexico to work, 952 00:37:53,792 --> 00:37:56,534 many of them putting down roots here. 953 00:37:56,578 --> 00:38:00,408 And now Edo is reviving this Japanese-Mexican link 954 00:38:00,451 --> 00:38:02,105 through his cuisine. 955 00:38:02,148 --> 00:38:05,021 - So what do you think if we go to eat yakitori? 956 00:38:05,064 --> 00:38:07,632 - I'm in. I'm in. - Cool. It's around the corner. 957 00:38:07,676 --> 00:38:08,677 - All right. 958 00:38:08,720 --> 00:38:11,680 [lively music] 959 00:38:11,723 --> 00:38:14,509 ♪ ♪ 960 00:38:14,552 --> 00:38:16,815 I've asked my friend Ricardo to join us 961 00:38:16,859 --> 00:38:20,036 at Edo's innovative restaurant, Hiyoko. 962 00:38:20,079 --> 00:38:22,517 And this time, I'm the one showing him 963 00:38:22,560 --> 00:38:24,432 the latest dining sensation. 964 00:38:24,475 --> 00:38:26,477 ♪ ♪ 965 00:38:26,521 --> 00:38:29,567 I'm so excited, 'cause Ricardo has shown me Mexico City, 966 00:38:29,611 --> 00:38:30,873 and now I get to show him something. 967 00:38:30,916 --> 00:38:32,701 You didn't know about this! - Never. 968 00:38:32,744 --> 00:38:35,834 All my friends have come, and I've never been here. 969 00:38:35,878 --> 00:38:37,445 - Something to drink? You want some sake first? 970 00:38:37,488 --> 00:38:38,620 - Of course. - Water? 971 00:38:38,663 --> 00:38:39,795 - You don't know my friend Ricardo. 972 00:38:39,838 --> 00:38:41,405 - We like it. - [laughs] 973 00:38:41,449 --> 00:38:42,711 - Okay. So-- 974 00:38:42,754 --> 00:38:44,669 - So how do you say "salud" in Japanese? 975 00:38:44,713 --> 00:38:45,844 - Kanpai. - Kanpai. 976 00:38:45,888 --> 00:38:47,368 - Kanpai. - Kanpai. 977 00:38:47,411 --> 00:38:49,631 ♪ ♪ 978 00:38:49,674 --> 00:38:51,589 Oh, my God. What is that? 979 00:38:51,633 --> 00:38:53,461 - It's tapioca. - Tapioca. 980 00:38:53,504 --> 00:38:55,332 - And squid ink. 981 00:38:55,376 --> 00:38:57,203 - This is genius. 982 00:38:57,247 --> 00:39:00,990 Edo uses tapioca pearls, popular in Japanese cooking, 983 00:39:01,033 --> 00:39:04,254 in place of corn to make his signature tostadas, 984 00:39:04,297 --> 00:39:08,127 which he tops with grilled chicken and serrano chili. 985 00:39:08,171 --> 00:39:11,522 - So we have yakitori tapioca tostada. 986 00:39:11,566 --> 00:39:12,741 - Arigato. 987 00:39:12,784 --> 00:39:14,525 ♪ ♪ 988 00:39:14,569 --> 00:39:16,440 Look at that. 989 00:39:16,484 --> 00:39:18,007 ♪ ♪ 990 00:39:20,270 --> 00:39:21,793 Mmm. 991 00:39:21,837 --> 00:39:23,969 Sweet and savory. 992 00:39:24,013 --> 00:39:25,101 - Savory. It's very savory. 993 00:39:25,144 --> 00:39:26,276 - But you know what I like? 994 00:39:26,319 --> 00:39:27,538 The take on the Mexican tostada. 995 00:39:27,582 --> 00:39:28,757 - Yeah, right? - Yeah. 996 00:39:28,800 --> 00:39:30,976 - Like, has the chili at the end, like-- 997 00:39:31,020 --> 00:39:33,457 - Kanpai. - Kanpai. 998 00:39:33,501 --> 00:39:34,937 [light music] 999 00:39:34,980 --> 00:39:37,461 - I'm really curious to try this next dish, 1000 00:39:37,505 --> 00:39:40,856 a classic skewer with a very Mexican touch. 1001 00:39:40,899 --> 00:39:43,336 - So chicken breast with onions. 1002 00:39:43,380 --> 00:39:46,601 And then top it with a powder of chicatana ants. 1003 00:39:46,644 --> 00:39:48,472 Do you know the chicatana? - What? 1004 00:39:48,516 --> 00:39:50,039 ♪ ♪ 1005 00:39:50,082 --> 00:39:53,477 Eating large flying ants isn't some crazy new trend. 1006 00:39:53,521 --> 00:39:56,175 This goes way back to pre-Hispanic times, 1007 00:39:56,219 --> 00:39:58,003 and they're still a delicacy today, 1008 00:39:58,047 --> 00:39:59,875 thanks to their distinctive taste. 1009 00:39:59,918 --> 00:40:01,659 Itadakimasu. - Itadakimasu. 1010 00:40:01,703 --> 00:40:05,663 ♪ ♪ 1011 00:40:05,707 --> 00:40:08,057 - Mmm. Oh, yeah. That-- 1012 00:40:08,100 --> 00:40:10,059 those ants are pretty smoky. - Right? 1013 00:40:10,102 --> 00:40:12,714 - You taste the smoky ants? - Yeah. It's really good. 1014 00:40:12,757 --> 00:40:15,412 You get the best ratio of onion and ants 1015 00:40:15,456 --> 00:40:17,806 in the same bite. [laughter] 1016 00:40:17,849 --> 00:40:19,982 - You do love your ants. - I do love my ants. 1017 00:40:20,025 --> 00:40:22,201 - And just when I'm about to burst, 1018 00:40:22,245 --> 00:40:24,290 it's time for the main course. 1019 00:40:24,334 --> 00:40:29,513 - So today will be rice and grilled duck donburi. 1020 00:40:29,557 --> 00:40:31,776 - Like, the best part of the meal comes last. 1021 00:40:31,820 --> 00:40:33,691 - Yes. - So what, is this an egg yolk? 1022 00:40:33,735 --> 00:40:34,823 - Egg yolk. 1023 00:40:34,866 --> 00:40:38,304 ♪ ♪ 1024 00:40:38,348 --> 00:40:41,003 - Can I applaud now? 1025 00:40:41,046 --> 00:40:44,876 - So...and you're gonna have it also with soup. 1026 00:40:44,920 --> 00:40:46,661 - This is like a chicken broth. - Yeah. 1027 00:40:46,704 --> 00:40:48,140 - Do I pour it on there? - No, no, no. 1028 00:40:48,184 --> 00:40:49,664 Just, like, on the side. - Oh, on the side. 1029 00:40:49,707 --> 00:40:51,013 - And you can--like a tea. 1030 00:40:51,056 --> 00:40:54,146 You can, like-- and it's very aromatic. 1031 00:40:54,190 --> 00:40:55,583 - I'm gonna pour my broth in it. 1032 00:40:55,626 --> 00:40:56,758 Can I do that? - Yeah. 1033 00:40:56,801 --> 00:40:58,194 If you want to, of course. 1034 00:40:58,237 --> 00:40:59,412 - Okay. So yeah. 1035 00:40:59,456 --> 00:41:00,457 I'm gonna mix the egg. 1036 00:41:00,501 --> 00:41:02,154 - Yeah. - How's that? 1037 00:41:02,198 --> 00:41:04,113 By mixing the Mexican chicken broth 1038 00:41:04,156 --> 00:41:05,549 with the Japanese rice, 1039 00:41:05,593 --> 00:41:07,943 I've just created my very own fusion dish. 1040 00:41:07,986 --> 00:41:09,727 - Thank you. It's beautiful. Thank you. 1041 00:41:09,771 --> 00:41:11,163 - Mmm. - Really beautiful. 1042 00:41:11,207 --> 00:41:14,427 - That chicken broth is so light. 1043 00:41:14,471 --> 00:41:16,560 - So I'm gonna do your style. Let me check. 1044 00:41:16,604 --> 00:41:17,648 Yeah, so the egg-- 1045 00:41:17,692 --> 00:41:18,823 - Do my style. 1046 00:41:18,867 --> 00:41:19,781 See, the egg cooks a little bit. 1047 00:41:19,824 --> 00:41:20,912 - Yeah. 1048 00:41:22,827 --> 00:41:24,002 - Look at that. - Mmm. 1049 00:41:24,046 --> 00:41:26,091 - Right? - Thank you for coming in. 1050 00:41:26,135 --> 00:41:28,006 Kanpai. Salud. - Kanpai. 1051 00:41:28,050 --> 00:41:29,530 - We're confused now-- [all speaking at once] 1052 00:41:29,573 --> 00:41:31,227 Gracias. 1053 00:41:31,270 --> 00:41:32,533 - I love how Edo's cuisine 1054 00:41:32,576 --> 00:41:34,230 captures the spirit here. 1055 00:41:34,273 --> 00:41:36,580 Like so much of the food from Mexico City, 1056 00:41:36,624 --> 00:41:39,801 it takes influences from all over the world, 1057 00:41:39,844 --> 00:41:45,241 transforming it into something uniquely chilango. 1058 00:41:45,284 --> 00:41:47,373 I'm proud to be part of this great city, but... 1059 00:41:47,417 --> 00:41:48,592 Wow. 1060 00:41:48,636 --> 00:41:49,941 I don't know if I can ever call myself 1061 00:41:49,985 --> 00:41:51,900 a chilanga. 1062 00:41:51,943 --> 00:41:53,641 I think somebody has to anoint me. 1063 00:41:53,684 --> 00:41:57,296 I think there's a ceremony, and I'm crowned chilanga. 1064 00:41:57,340 --> 00:41:58,733 But I don't think so. 1065 00:41:58,776 --> 00:42:00,125 Not until I speak better Spanish 1066 00:42:00,169 --> 00:42:01,866 will I be able to be a chilanga. 1067 00:42:01,910 --> 00:42:03,215 [laughs] 1068 00:42:03,259 --> 00:42:05,740 ♪ ♪