Páramo

Speakeasies are our kind of thing. So, imagine how excited we were to discover that restaurants were joining the movement. 

When we arrived, we thought we’d be greeted by a sign or a crowd or something that would give away this new spot’s location, but there was nothing. In fact, we were about to leave when a server popped out and guided us through a door that’s kept ajar just to the right of El Parnita. Up the dimly lit stairs to what would’ve been the second story of a cozy, warmly-lit house at some point is Paramo.

We went straight through to the covered patio surrounded by brick walls, hanging plants, and wooden shelves with lit votive candles to assist the multicolored rope lighting hanging across the ceiling. There’s a fancy bar area and this place is only open at night. However, we were disappointed to learn that there are no house cocktails.

There’s only one starter so we went with that: The Cobia pellizcadas (corn masa cakes). These Campeche-native delights consist of Mezcal-sautéed Cobia mixed with pancetta, beans, and corn served on three crispy corn cakes – douse them in the charred green, the adobo red, or onion and oil salsas – this dish is spot-on.

Next, we heeded our server’s recommendation and tried the pork knuckle tacos. These suckling pig confit morsels were delightfully carnitas-esque and toasty. Then, we had the emalaura; a shrimp, manchego, butter and peppers mix, and the Xochimilco suadero confit – which had some hard bits and had to be saved by the delicious hibiscus and Oaxaca cheese follow-up. The hibiscus taco was exquisitely simple, served with a sweet-and-sour mango salsa on a handmade tortilla.

Tacos, drinks, old-school tunes, and table games at a nocturnal restaurant sounds like a party to us. Paramo has been unveiled as the semi-hidden spot that we need to visit even on Sundays.