Cochon: imaginative cuisine in unpretentious yet stylish ambience

When someone mentions French food, we tend to think of a fancy place with a sophisticated atmosphere that requires gentlemen to wear a jacket and, of course, has high-prices. None of these clichés are true when it comes to Cochon, a nice joint with a specialty that comes full of possibilities: the Planchette.

Well-located in Colonia Americana—walking distance from Avenida Chapultepec and the U.S. Consulate—Cochon is headed by Tapatio chef Diego Quirarte. Educated in finance and gastronomy, Quirarte has a passion for good food and wine. The simple but hip black-and-white decor includes some innovative recycling ideas with main courses served on rustic ceramic tiles as plates.

After a few years working for respected chefs in Guadalajara, Quirarte started his own venture, an unpretentious yet stylish restaurant with a unique multi-faceted product. Quirarte describes his Planchette as a “big tapa”: a thick slice of artisan bread providing the base for several layers of flavor. The idea of the dish evokes the concept of deconstructed food, breaking down a dish down to its core elements and presenting them in a new form. Thus changing the eating experience while preserving the flavors and textures.

In this way, Quirarte presents a full meal over a bread base. Take, for example, their veggie selection—the Portobello Planchette—served with marinated, grilled mushrooms, mozzarella cheese, roasted peppers and sun-dried tomatoes then covered with an organic salad and pesto.

The house specialty is the Cochon (that’s French for pig) Planchette, a delicacy of slow-roasted pork slices marinated in fine herbs and topped with a bacon marmalade, Dijon mustard and mizuna, or Japanese greens. Other approaches include the Atun Fresco Planchette, a thick tuna steak grilled with a crust of sesame and a garlic and chili twist, topped with mashed yams and coriander foam. The Lamb Arrachera choice comes with cardamom and mint mayonnaise, chimichurri (Argentinian pesto), a chipotle sauce and mizuna. There’s also the barbecued octopus with rustic mashed potatoes and organic salad.

To complete the experience, Cochon offers a variety of entrées and salads with the same imaginative vision, such as the Tartar Tuna Ceviche (68 pesos) with green apples; ukoy (a Filipino garlic sauce) and greens; or the De Verano Salad (64 pesos), an assortment of organic greens with pears, peaches, brie cheese, candlenuts and a delicious vinaigrette.

They also have an ample selection of Mexican artisan beers and a good variety of Mexican and international wines.

House-made dessert choices include butterfat ice cream with chocolate powder and a red-berry compote (32 pesos); and a superb mascarpone cheesecake topped with strawberry ginger compote and peanut praline (37 pesos).

Cochon Gastrobar
General Coronado 5, Colonia Americana, 

Guadalajara, (33) 3825-2864.  Cash only

Le Bistro keeps European flavors true to form

Cedric Defayes got out of banking business in 2009 and returned to Guadalajara to eventually open a bistro with friends he made 10 years before during a stint here as a student.  The steely blued-eyed native of the Alps region of Switzerland serves up European cuisine in his Le Bistro, Le Cava & Le Jardin, just half a block off Avenida Chapultepec.

Le Bistro’s menu is a mixture of French, German, Italian and Spanish recipes, many culled from his childhood cooking with his great aunt and mother, others from Swiss friends with whom he met frequently to cook and drink wine.

Fondues are a house speciality and the base is a mixture of gouda, gruyere and cream cheeses. One variety is tomato centric, others include one loaded with basil pesto, another with mushrooms,  and one with curry, garlic and cumin. A best seller is the fondue with a mixture of gruyere, brie and blue cheeses.

Menu options include vegetarian or meat lasagna, quiche Loraine, spinach quiche, rib eye topped with Cafe de Paris butter (anchovies, spices, curry and garlic) and au gratin potatoes and a plate of tapas-like small flakey pastry served with brie, smoked salmon, serano ham. Daily specials on the board the day we went included  a German-style pork shank or saurkraut with white veal sausage. Other sausages include Polish, schübling and wiener.

Defayes declines to Mexicanize his food and doesn’t serve any chile unless it is asked for. His one deviation from this is a delicious pan de elote dessert. All the desserts are made in house, although the croissants and bread are purchased from a bakery that is up to European standards and tastes. Those with a sweet tooth can enjoy carmelized apple pie, chocolate volcano cake and coconut paradise among other options with a rich, dark Chiapas coffee.

Defayes has a decent wine cellar with more than 30 vintages from around Europe, South America and Mexico. He personally likes Cabernet from Santo Tomas, Baja California’s oldest winery. He also carries a variety of Mexican craft beers and considers many of the Wiess (wheat) brews made here as superior to those found in Germany. During the colder months Glühwein, a spiced hot wine with a cabernet base is available. Monday to Thursday a 3 x 2 offer on almost all beverages is in force from 5 to 9 p.m.

Once a month, Le Bistro hosts guest chefs to cook up special dishes from a specific European Country. Russia’s cuisine will be featured November 12 and 13. A four course meal will be enhanced by traditional and modern Russian music. Special dishes will be offered during the yuletide season and they can host your Christmas party or Posada there as well.

The restaurant has three different areas to choose from: the main Bistro with a view of bustling Avenida Lopez Cotilla, a patio with lots of greenery called El Jardin, and La Cava which is where many couples enjoy a romantic dinner. Hours are Monday to Friday, 5:30 p.m. to midnight and Saturday 1:30 p.m. to 1 a.m. Sunday a brunch is served from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. for only 79 pesos including one coffee.

Lopez Cotilla 1480, Tel. 3615-1800, e-mail: lebistrogdl@hotmail.com 

facebook.com/lebistrogdl 

www.lebistrogdl.com

Chez Chouchou: Revisiting the French Connection

Guadalajara’s trendy Colonia Americana is home to an excellent but inexpensive French restaurant, which we visited again recently, some 6 months after our last review. A collaborative venture between three Mexicans and a Frenchman with contrasting but complementary backgrounds, Chez Chouchou, opened last December, serves a range of gourmet meals, fine French wines and creative and original cocktails.

“Our main goal is to bring a different concept of French cuisine. When you think of French cuisine you automatically think ‘It’s expensive,’ but you can eat here without spending a lot,” says Jonathan Patiño, one of the restaurant’s four founders.

Duck tamale with avocado sauce

Parisian Antoine Pluchet designed the interior of Chez Chouchou opting for a vintage boutique style, reinforcing the inexpensive vibe with home-made adornments and unpretentious paper place mats.

“We wanted a place where you can chill and have a good time,” Patiño says. “If you’re not that hungry you can have a glass of a good wine and if you are hungry then you can enjoy what we have to offer.”

Tuna in red wine

There is plenty to enjoy. The starters include a wonderful French onion soup, goats’ cheese empanadas, mushroom crepes, asparagus with Serrano ham and parmesan, and pear salad with spinach and caramelized nuts. Two new appetizers include a cheese plate with imported brie and camembert and duck confit panuchos (similar to what Jalisco denizens call sopes, but thinner).

It gets even better, with the main courses including salmon, duck a l’orange, ratatouille with rice, a gourmet hamburger, cheese and eggplant ravioli, chicken and mushroom casserole, and Seared Tuna steak with alioli sauce among other items.

The duck a l’orange has proven the most popular dish, Patiño says. “We make the sauce a little bit different,” he explains. “This is French-Mexican cuisine, not your common French cuisine. We add chile morita to give it that little touch of extra flavor.”

Asparagus au gratin with spanish serrano ham

We tried the fresh steamed mussels (a baker's dozen of local or Chilean mollusks) served with white wine, butter and melted brie cheese, served with perfect hand cut French fried potatoes, and had no complaints.

Another favorite for two is the Raclette, a cheese from the Alps served in an electric fondue machine and accompanied by Serrano and turkey ham, cooked potatoes and vegetables and their excellent bread. The bread, acquired from Guadalajara French bakery Ohlala, deserves mention. It is nothing like the Mexican French-style bread, you find in most corner shops. It has a firmer crust, with little air pockets throughout and goes wonderfully with the imported cheeses here.

For dessert, Patiño recommends the “perfect” profiteroles, although this writer can attest to the quality of the creme brulée flambeed with tequila. Sweet crepes are also available. Two newer options include tarta tartin, a caramelized apple tart from Normandy, and canelé, a sweet bread with lots of cinnamon and butter from Bordeaux. Both are served with vanilla ice cream. Their fine coffee is a three-way blend from Chiapas, Oaxaca and Veracruz.

Choux á la crême pâtissiere

Patiño is proud of the wine list, with bottles ranging from 240 to 590 pesos. The house Merlot, which costs 60 pesos for a glass or 210 pesos for a bottle, is excellent. As Patiño says, “usually house wines are pretty dull but this one has lots of flavor and aroma.” According to partner Raul Rivas Ramos their best (though not most expensive) wine is Pomerol, a vintage from Bordeaux's Chateau la Renaissance. It goes well with the duck, other meat entrees and cheeses. Other options include wines from France, Spain, Australia, Mexico and California.

With studies in mixology from the London Shaker bar school, Patiño has devised a range of intriguing cocktails, including the Spring Paris, a mix of white and red vermouth infused with rosemary and grapefruit and mandarin soda, and the Mango Chouchou, a blend of sparkling wine, mango extract, cucumber, cranberry and ginger. A new option here is Strawberry Chou, liquor de cassis with a French sparkling beverage called “Monin” in strawberry flavor.

“I’m very creative in what I do,” Patiño says, explaining that he aims to bring “incredible mixology” to Guadalajara, a city largely bereft of quality cocktail bars. Bottled beer from Modelo and Minerva brewery are also available.

To keep things fresh, the staff are always modifying the menu and introducing new dishes, including the daily special, served from 2 p.m. to 4 p.m., including a starter, main course and coffee for 95 pesos,. The quality of the special is sure to bring customers back to explore what else is on offer.

The service when we ate there was prompt but not effusive, the music: low volume jazz and European big band and seating options included hard backed chairs and a cushioned sofa-like booth with pillows. They now offer a menu in English and a few of the servers speak some English.

This restaurant is not trying to impress you, but make you feel at home. This is not a fast food restaurant; the dishes are all prepared from scratch when you order them. All the ingredients are brought in daily and may run out. 

Prices of starters run from 49 to 120 pesos and main courses from 60 to 175 pesos. Chez Chouchou has seen an uptick in expat dinners from the U.S. consulate and lakeside visitors on day shopping trips. Their TripAdvisor rating is 6 out of 386 restaurants in Guadalajara and many of the positive comments were in French. 

Pedro Moreno 1290 in Guadalajara’s Colonia Americana. 
Open Tuesday to Saturday, 2 p.m. to 11 p.m.; Sunday: 1 to 4 p.m. 
Telephone: (33)3825-0218. Credit cards are accepted except for American Express.
Facebook

Primer Piso: The true house of jazz in GDL

After a long career in the media and art world, Eduardo Diaz Barraza, a middle aged tapatio was taking a trip across France when the idea of a new venture hit him. The cozy bars in Paris enchanted him, and once back in Guadalajara he dedicated himself to find the perfect place to start his own jazz bar, the first one in the city since the closing of the legendary Copenhagen 77 more than a decade ago.
 

Despite an appreciative, but small audience for jazz in Guadalajara, (well-known figures as Dizzy Guillespie, Lionel Hampton and Woody Shaw have performed in Teatro Degollado), the path for jazz musicians here has always been rocky. Once in a while a new venue opens its stage for jazz nights or simple jams, but for many years, no place in town had five jazz performances a week.

Since opening six years ago, Primer Piso Copas & Cafe has been the undisputed house of jazz in Guadalajara.  It has been a launch platform for several popular bands including Jazz Break, San Juan Project, Trokker and KM Big Band. The city’s most respected and skilled performers and band leaders call it home — Willy Zavala, Klaus Mayer, Omar Ramirez, divas like Abi Vazquez, Monica Zuloaga and Ana Sandoval and a flock of newcomers that foreshadow a new golden era for jazz in Guadalajara.

The sophistocated baroque decor, by local architect Luis Othon Villegas, (self-defined as retro, glam, and vintage) contrasts with the sober 1950’s building where the bar is located (on the second floor). A wall of windows offers marvelous views of the surroundings, including the magnificent university auditorium and the gothic Expiatorio. In the last year, success forced Diaz to extend the emporium to the second floor, adding to Primer Piso an art gallery and a pleasant smoking area.

Open Tuesday to Saturday from 7 p.m., Primer Piso whips up gourmet specialties beginning at 7:30 p.m. from the chef’s gastro-bar menu, along with a regular menu that includes tapas, salads, sandwiches and sweets. The barman is able to prepare most cocktail orders. Tuesdays drinks and beer are two for one all night. Live music usually starts about 9 p.m. 

To see who’s playing see their website: www.primerpisobar.com. 

 PRIMER PISO COPAS Y CAFE

Pedro Moreno 947, corner of Escorza. (just one block off Av. Juarez)

Colonia Americana. Tel. (33) 3825-7085. 

Open Tuesday to Saturday from 7 p.m. to 3 a.m.

Fonda Portugesa: Lisbon revisited

A soccer player for a semi-pro league in northwestern Portugal fell victim to ojos tapatios more than a decade ago while on a trip to Spain and now is cooking up a mean Bacalhau a Vizcaina at his Fonda Portuguesa, located in Colonia Americana.

Nino Ramos Trigueiro offers up recipes culled from the north and south of Portugal, including a daily special, that in these blustery days tends more toward the bean and garbanzo-based specialties of the north.  His tapas — salt cod with spices, Pamplona chorizo, egg and potato omelette, Serrano ham —are delicious, but the only difference from Spanish tapas he admits is that they are being prepared by a Portuguese chef.

The main menu includes fresh tuna stew, Norwegian salt cod a la Vizcain (stewed onions, tomatoes, olives, almonds served with potato slices), Mozambique-style shrimp and both octopus and conch salads. Also available are sandwiches of beef, pork loin and a Salami-like chorizo.

Saturday specialties are chard soup with potatoes and a seafood and rice dish.

A Portuguese-only wine list includes a fruity house red, two dryer reds, a sparkling wine and a semi-dry white. Two ports for dessert or apertif round out the wine cellar. Some Modelo beer brands are available. A creme tart and peach and pineapple pie finish the meal.

None of the dishes is spicy, although a hint of chili is used in some dishes.

Fonda Portuguesa is open Monday to Thursday, 9:30 to 6 p.m., Fridays until 10 p.m. and Saturdays from 2 to 10 p.m.
Morelos 1895, corner of Av. Union
Phone 13-68-26-00

Review: The road to Sacromonte

The food at El Sacramonte, a charming, classy hacienda on Pedro Moreno near Chapultepec, is well-prepared and well-presented, cooked right and accompanied by delicious sauces. The cuisine is alta cocina, traditional Mexican with a contemporary gourmet flair. 
The Delgadillo family opened El Sacromonte seventeen years ago, after running a catering business for 16 years. Co-owner Gerardo Delgadillo explains that the recipes, created by his brother Juan, are all based on their grandmother's traditional dishes. The contemporary treatments attract an international clientele. (Tapatíos, says Gerardo, are sometimes more likely to try Italian or Chinese restaurants than a contemporary take on their old favorites.) 
The décor is old school but upscale, the walls covered with black-and-white images of old cantinas, movie stars, and, most prominently, bullfights. The waitstaff is professional and the menus entertaining. The latter more so if you get the English version, as the dish descriptions, while lyrical in Spanish, become even more poetic after translation. Consider:
"Ambrosia of a short extended instant." (Santa Anita's Tartar, an appetizer with avocado, huitlacoche -Corn smut, a rare and delicious fungus from corn- rice, and shrimp with guajillo cream).
"And the fist of salt that fills our life with appetites." (Cream El Viejo Progresso, Roquefort cheese cooked with chipotle chile).
"Unfolding exuberant palm-tree, a fan at the border of the courtyard." (Pork chops "The Swamp," wrapped with banana-tree leaves pibil style, accompanied by purple onion).
"Appetite sharing till delirium and from between the lips there slips a smile." (Chicken Delirium, filled with huitlacoche and cactus bathed in its pineapple sauce and green onions).
There's plenty more where that came from, and this isn't a matter of mocking the translation. On the contrary, I think the occasionally curious translation helps to increase the lyrical essence the owners hoped to capture, the combination of grandiose tradition and artistic gourmet savvy. Or at least I'm likely to buy into that after a thoroughly satisfying meal and a few good drinks (Sacramonte also features a full bar). 
I recommend the above-mentioned pork (Chamorrito El Manglar, 150 pesos), the meat tender and falling off the bone, along with the kicky Santa Anita's Tartar (140 pesos) and the dessert of your choice, each beautifully prepared atop swirling designs of natural fruit sauces. "The food comes in first through your eyes," says Gerardo, and it takes a delightful journey from there.

Pedro Moreno 1398, Colonia Americana, 44160
Phone: 3825-5447
Hours: Mon-Sat 1:30 p.m. to midnight. Sun 1:30 p.m. to 6:00 p.m.

Goa: Spreading estern flavors

For seven years, the tiny Guadalajara restaurant Goa has been beckoning customers in from Lopez Cotilla near Chapultepec with its vibrant multicolored lamps hanging from its vibrant yellow porch and of course its vibrantly seasoned northern Indian cuisine.

Since last fall there is also Goa 2, located a few kilometers southeast of the mothership and the brainchild of entrepreneurs Vijay Chaudhary and Raj Singh, who teamed up when they left India as adolescents to study cooking and hotel management in Luzern, Switzerland.

“I couldn’t even make tea then,” confesses Chaudhary as he takes a break from the demands of opening the new restaurant just last week.

But now he gives a tour de force of Goa’s menu, Indian ingredients, and even the history of Indian cooking with the aplomb of the chef and food aficionado he has become, thrilling the listener with plums of cooking lore.

“Tandoori means oven,” he explains. “Most of our dishes are made in a clay oven. They originated in Persia and came to India 500 or 600 years ago with the Mughal rulers.”

“There are 30 types of lentils in India,” he throws in later. “Not just the black lentils they sell here. Our lentils are imported.”

Goa 2 has added Southern Indian cuisine to the menu offered at the first restaurant, Chaudhary emphasized.

“Our chef at Goa 2 has only been here a few months. He is from Southern India. There are many southern Indians here who work at Tata [giant international company with an office near Goa 2] and they like this type of food. The old Goa is very successful but it is small. So we had to open this one,” he said, gesturing toward the bar, kitchen and 13 tables, with picture windows fronting the tree-lined Avenida Niños Heroes.

Asked for the highlights of Goa 2’s menu, Chaudhary seems a little daunted. “There is a lot that is new. Chef Heera brought recipes such as Chicken Chettined, which is special from Goa, an area in Southern India that was a colony of Portugal.” (As an aside, Chaudhary explains that the name Goa was chosen for the restaurants because of the state’s worldwide fame and because it is the same in English and Spanish.)

Many varieties of dosa (large, crisp crepes) and idly (steamed balls of rice and lentils) are among the new southern dishes. Ten vegetarian entrees are also featured, alongside appetizers and entrees that feature lamb (imported from New Zealand) and chicken (imported from Chile).

One of these is the apparently famous Butter Chicken, with its sauce that includes tomatoes, yogurt, cardamom and of course butter.

“A group of Americans walked by the other day, they came in, and I explained the whole menu to them, and do you know what they ordered? Butter chicken,” Chaudhary laughs.

I was treated to a meal of specialties only offered at Goa 2. First, an appetizer of chopped, marinated lamb kebabs (Lamb Glaffi Seek Kebab, 85 pesos) served with two sauces — mint and cilantro/yogurt — and salad. The four delicious lamb chunks, almost a sausage, were pungent and not too spicy and could almost have been a main course.

Next, came a vegetarian dosa (crepe) filled with cashews, potatoes, onions, seeds that looked like corn, and spices. They were served with two sauces — a yogurt and coconut chutney and a savory lentil sauce. (Cashew Rava Masala Dosa, 120 pesos).

“Would you like to try Butter Chicken?” Chaudhary asked next. But as I nodded, he changed course, and I was glad he did, because the fairly spicy Chilli Chicken that was soon placed in front of me, was familiar with a delightful twist. Basically, it was Sweet and Sour Chicken, with green peppers, onions and pineapple, but the sauce had an Indian touch and was a bit hotter than the Sweet and Sour served in Chinese restaurants. Chaudhary noted that the chef will make any dish as hot or mild as the customer requests as well as make special dishes.

“We don’t serve Vindaloo dishes,” he said. “But some Americans come in wanting dishes that are hot, hot, hot.”

Goa 2 will  have a beer and wine license in a few days, Chaudhary said, and expects to get a full liquor license later. Indian music videos show in one section of the restaurant.
Goa 2, Avenida Niños Heroes 2958, Colonia Jardines Del Bosque between Firmamiento & Lorenzana. (33) 3121-1248. Open Mondays 4 p.m. to 10 p.m., Tuesdays through Saturdays 1 p.m. to midnight, Sundays 1 p.m. to 10 p.m.

Brick Lane: Gourmet Street

Two truths about Mexican cuisine: 1) not all street food needs to be of the taco variety and 2) you don’t need fancy surroundings and a hefty check to enjoy quality grub.
 Brick Lane is the name of a street food “deli van” set up by two young Tapatios just off lively Avenida Chapultepec in Guadalajara’s Zona Rosa (Pink Zone).  Its proprietors, Guillermo Orñelas and Jose Ramirez, chose the name after working in restaurants in London, England.  (Brick Lane is a well-known street in London’s East End that has become fashionable while maintaining itself as the heart of the city’s Bengali community.)
Their sojourn in Europe has served these chefs well.  The simple menu, written on chalk board, is divided into three sections: bagels, ciabattas and burritos. You’ll find Italian, American, French, Argentinean, Mexican and even British influences in food that wouldn’t be out of place in the city’s most fashionable malls and suburban neighborhoods.

Bagel combinations sell for either 35 or 45 pesos and include some creative options.  You can’t go wrong with the bagel containing smoked salmon (imported from Chile), cream cheese, cucumber and capers, but other fillings include creamy tuna dip with gouda cheese, chipotle and salad, as well as portobello mushroom with gouda and mozzarella, and, in a British touch, fried egg, bacon and salsa martajada. For sweet toothed diners there are strawberry, banana and cajeta (caramel syrup) varieties. The “Pepito” ciabatta uses succulent arrachera with Argentine chimichurri sauce. “City” contains bacon strips, cherry tomatoes, gouda cheese and cranberry sauce. Other varieties go the names “Matahambre,”  and “Mama Mia.” All cost 45 pesos.
The burritos have a strong Mexican influence and include fillings such as seafood, rajas and chile poblano.
To drink, try the delicious (and large) agua de sandia (watermelon water) with yerbabuena for 18 pesos.   They also serve freshly ground coffee (espresso and cappuccino).
You can sit up at counter or at small tables on the sidewalk – or takeaway if you prefer.
While Brick Lane’s main targets are workers in the area, tourists and visitors might care to walk the few extra blocks from the Chapultepec/Vallarta intersection to check out this new gourmet-deli-street experience.
Brick Lane: Mexicaltzingo at Avenida Chapultepec, two blocks from the Niños Heroes monument.  Hours: Monday to Saturday, 9-5 p.m. Sunday, 10-3 p.m.

Plaza Las Ramblas: Foodie Focus

One of the latest malls to open in Guadalajara can be found at the southern end of Avenida Chapultepec in the ritzy area often referred to the Zona Rosa (Pink Zone).
Situated around the base of the four towers of the luxury Horizontes Chapultepec residential complex, Plaza Las Ramblas is heavy on food options, with a large selection of restaurants, delis, cafes and bars.
Restaurants include I-Hop, California Lobster, Puerta 39 (seafood), Boca de Casta (grilled meats), Terraza Italiano, Chiltepinos, Fat Fish (sushi bar), Gin Club and Chat Lunatique (French). Among the cafes are Estacion de Lulia (bike rental outside) and Punta de Cielo, while other food-related establishments include a juice bar (Curacao), crepes (Crepetite), ice cream (Haagen Dazs, Yomood), chocolates (Las Sapas Chocolates), Mexican fast food (Burro Bronco, Qasera) and hamburgers (Las Hamburgesas de Tom).
Other stores catering to mainly middle-class tastes includes GNC nutrition, Pet Planet, Besame (imported lingerie), Maria Engracia, Maker’s (stylish shoes), Skincare Kopay, Paper City (stationary products) and Trevo, Lust (boutiques). There’s also a money exchange house, dental clinic and a ludoteca –  a place to leave small kids to play while parents do other things.   Oddly for a brand new mall, most of the spaces are filled, although the first floor still has three large locales still for rent.   The entrances to the four Horizontes Chapultepec towers (named Montmatre, Tribeca, Soho and Recolecta) are dispersed around the ground floor of the mall, making these services very convenient for residents.
Many of the 300-plus apartments in the 19-floor towers are still on the market.  They carry quite hefty price tags since all include luxury extras such as 24-hour security, underground parking, gymnasiums, multiple use salons, swimming pools, green areas, roof gardens, and snack and barbecue areas. Three architectural firms were used on the towers, which each feature unique designs.
Although different prices can be found through local relators, the average price for a two-bedroom, 98-square-meter apartment seems to be around 2.5 million pesos. One agent is currently listing a 133-square meter apartment for 2.9 million pesos, while another has a 210-meter property with a 60-square-meter terrace on the market for 5.4 million pesos.
Views from the higher apartments are spectacular and the complex looks down on the busy Niños Heroes traffic circle, and the monument to the nation’s “Boy Heroes” who died for their country in the Mexican-American War of the mid-1800s.
To learn more about the apartments and the mall visit horizonteschapultepec.com.mx.