Iconic Restaurants / La Fonda del Recuerdo, a traditional haven with music and food from Veracruz
Now located in the Cuauhtémoc neighborhood, this restaurant brings the flavors of Veracruz to life with a menu of traditional Jarocho dishes.
By Alejandro Pohlenz
I remember La Fonda del Recuerdo, which was located at Bahía de las Palmas 37, in the Verónica Anzures neighborhood. It seems to me that all the tourists in CDMX made a mandatory stop at this typical Veracruz restaurant that came to have three floors, with jarocho groups, harps and marimbas on each one. It ranked second on the list of best restaurants in the Verónica Anzures neighborhood (on Infoisinfo). In my opinion, this restaurant simply became too massive (and noisy).
The history of La Fonda del Recuerdo
This place is older than me (which is saying something). It has been 68 years since Don Pedro Lara acquired a small fonda with 12 tables. Here I reproduce a part of the text from the official site: "its dishes combine the coastal flavor with traditional (jarocho) recipes." Today, Leobardo Lara, son of the founder, is the commander-in-chief of the kitchen. A few years ago they changed location: now they are located in Río Lerma, in a smaller place than the previous one and on a street full of restaurants. Its ceilings are decorated with cut paper and its chairs and tables are in the colonial-Mexican style. It is not the same anymore, it does not feel so massive, although the jarocho ensembles persist.
The super versatile menu
La Fonda del Recuerdo serves breakfast. The menu presents packages and something they call "mounted breakfasts and barbacoa". The first refers to "mounting" the protein on a picada, a tlacoyo, a petrolera (which resembles huaraches) or a gorda. The same applies to barbacoa. You can also try the bomba jarocha (a concha filled with beans!), enchiladas, chilaquiles, enfrijoladas, Aztec huaraches, molletes, tamales... Anyway, everything that is made with corn or wheat dough.
For lunch, the plato jarocho stands out, which includes a small picada, tamale, sope and empanada: like a "sampler" of tortilla variants. There is a wide variety of cocktails, the plato huasteco (with cecina and chile relleno), octopus chicharrón, all the moles in the universe, arrachera, red snapper, and fish fillet stuffed with seafood. It is essential to try the "Toritos", a typical alcoholic beverage from Veracruz, creamy and with a flavor of dulce de leche, peanut and vanilla. As a corollary, I must comment that the atmosphere of the new Fonda del Recuerdo has nothing to do with the special vibe that the Anzures branch did have.
- What we love and you should try: the plato jarocho.
- What we don't like so much: the roasted oysters.
- Address: Calle Río Lerma 170, Cuauhtémoc, CDMX
- Hours and days of operation: Monday, from 8:00 a.m. to 6 p.m., Tuesday and Wednesday, from 8:00 a.m. to 7 p.m., Thursday and Friday, from 8:00 a.m. to 10 p.m., Saturday, from 9:00 a.m. to 10 p.m., Sunday, from 9:00 a.m. to 6 p.m.
- Ideal for: breakfast and lunch
- Payment: cash and cards.
- Accessibility: yes.
- Parking: no
- Reservations: no.
- Telephone: 55 8112 7476
- Nearby public transportation: Metrobús Reforma - get off at El Ángel.
- Pet Friendly: I don't know.
- Suitable to go with children: yes.
- Vegan options: yes.
