Literature and Food / El Prendes in "Arráncame la Vida" by Ángeles Mastretta

But before Adamo Boari designed it and the legendary Juanga concert, there was a forgotten restaurant overshadowed by the sound of the city's grandeur and the muses that watch from the summit of the Palace. In 1892, “Prendes” opened its doors, a restaurant aiming to evoke the memory of Asturias, the birthplace of its founders. When the construction of the magnificent Bellas Artes began in 1918, the restaurant had to relocate to 16 de Septiembre Street, still in Mexico City's Historic Center.

With "Arráncame la Vida" now on Netflix

Ángeles Mastretta describes Catalina amidst luxury and intrigue, mixed with the strict etiquette of early 20th-century dining. The struggle to finish the enormous steak and the tempting chocolate cake, which accompanied the laughter of the diners, were the only troubles for our character before her husband, General Andrés Ascencio, became her greatest prison.

But Prendes was more than just delicious food. It was a cauldron of rumors from high society, still influenced by the French-style Porfirio Díaz era that many missed, though they wouldn't admit it. Conversations in lofty tones, scandalous laughter, and secrets whispered across the tables. It was like being at the galaxy's center where everything happened and nothing escaped notice.

Catalina remembers Prendes as if it were yesterday. The revolving door, a portal to another world, welcomed her with an air of sophistication that made her hold her head high and exude elegance. The waiters, impeccable in their attire, moved with the protocolary elegance of yesteryear.

Ironically, in 2016, it reopened its doors inside a more contemporary palace, one of shopping, perfumes, and yellow credit cards. Prendes moved to Polanco, to the “palace of palaces,” to continue its legacy with dishes like black butter brains, escamoles a la hidalguense, and maguey worms—all from the original menu.