The much welcome “Asian Invasion” continues in our ever more world-conscious capital. Woks are making “hey” (i.e., breathing) all over town to feed the new immigrants employed by electronic and electric car manufacturers. These new restaurants, many of which only opened in 2024, are not places that intend to cater to non-Asians who ask for chow mein accompanied by Coke. Some places don’t even offer a menu translated into Spanish (Google Translate comes in handy here). The majority of customers are Asian, culled from a growing population. And we, the Chinese food devotees, are the lucky beneficiaries. 2024 was the year of the Wok; we have at least a dozen more venues we haven’t even tried yet! There is one square block, denoted below, where no less than seven new restaurants popped up in as many weeks.
See Part 1

Ron Shu Xia
Lago Andrómaco 62, Colonia Granada (near Polanco, see map)
Tel. 55 8677 7777
Open Wednesday – Monday 12 – 9:30 p.m. (closed Tuesday)
Prices $400-600 pp

This is a smallish laid-back restaurant that welcomes a mixed crowd of Chinese and their admirers. It’s located on a quiet street that also harbors a well-stocked Asian market down the block. The menu here is refined yet homey, mostly Cantonese. I always order a plate of dumplings: the portion is generous; they are pleasingly chewy and their dipping sauce is well balanced between salty/tart/spicy. The roast duck is superb, with crispy skin, juicy meat, and a lightly sweet but not cloying sauce—by far the best I’ve sampled south of Flushing, N.Y. From a Chinese-written note posted near the entrance to the kitchen (whose offerings I translated with the help of Google) I recently ordered a plate of succulent “saliva chicken”, much to the chagrin of my tablemates. This is a typical Szechuan dish, served dripping in chile-infused oil, room temperature and so called because it is so good it makes you drool. And it was and we did.

Xi Yang Yang
喜洋洋中国餐厅
Prolongación de Moliere 450A, Colonia Granada (near Polanco, see map)
Tel. 55 6059 8987
Open Sunday – Thursday 12 – 9:30 p.m., Friday, Saturday until 10.
Prices: $350-600 pp

This bright, airy venue specializing in Sichuan and Hunan dishes is just around the corner from Ron Shu Xia, on the ground floor of a glitzy apartment/office building in which Asian immigrants live and work. “Since 2024” proudly proclaims the sign out front, and we hope it’s here to stay. Dishes are well seasoned and portions are generous. While the ma po tofu, the litmus test for any Szechuan kitchen, is very good, the other soy cake dish on offer, a meaty pressed tofu with pork in an aromatic brown sauce, was more unusual and quite satisfying. Eggplant in “fish sauce” (a sauce FOR fish, not containing it) was crisp and bright, its red and green peppers as cheerful as a Christmas display. And pork in spicy sauce turned out to be as “Chengdu” as you can get, slices of tender pork and bok choy swimming in an oily sauce meant to be spooned over rice and brimming with “ma/la” that divine combo of chiles and tongue-numbing Sichuan peppercorns.

Lion Noodle  
醒狮面馆
Calz. Gral. Mariano Escobedo 479, Anzures/Polanco (see map)
Open daily 11:30 a.m. – 10:30 p.m.
Price: 250 pp

Lanzhou beef noodles, spectacularly hand-pulled from wheat pasta, are named after the eponymous city in central/northern China, which lies along the Yellow River and was a key stop on the ancient Silk Road.  Lion Noodles, around the corner from several other new “Chinese for Chinese” joints, is run by a friendly older couple who lived in Madrid and therefore speak their personalized version of Castellano. Noodles are stretched from a solid piece of dough for each order and served in a heady rich beef broth garnished with various greens, mushrooms and pickled vegetables. This one-dish meal is perfect for our chilly winter weather.

Yiwei Ramen
一味兰州拉面
Horacio 142 (Polanco)
Open daily 11 a.m. – 10 p.m.
Tel. 55 3778 8222
Prices: $250 pp

This excellent spot, near Lion Noodles, also prepares Lanzhou hand-pulled noodles in broth. Its name is deceptive, as “ramen”, the name the Japanese adapted from the Chinese word lāmiàn (拉面) is not exactly what’s going on here, but I think they figure this will attract a non-Chinese public more familiar with the Nipponese version. Sauteed house-made pork dumplings as well as fried rice are exceptional. And these dishes can be accompanied by small plates of pickled vegetables and “salads” of lotus root, tree wood ears etc., all reasonably priced.

Fideos Chinos
兰州往事牛肉面
Medellín 219-PB, Roma Sur (across from the Mercado Medellín)
Tel. 55 1590 7656
Open Tuesday - Sunday 12 – 9 p.m., closed Monday
Prices $200 - 300

This new restaurant facing the Mercado Medellín is the real thing: it is run and staffed by Chinese. Hand pulled Lanzhou beef noodles both in broth and dry are offered, accompanied by small plates of salads and pickled vegetables. Both indoor and semi-outdoor seats are available.

Le Fu
c/ José Ma. Correa 304, Colonia Viaducto Piedad (near Metro Viaducto) see map
Tel. 55 9039 2688
Open Saturday and Sunday for dim sum, 9 a.m. to 12 p.m., daily 12:30 - 10:30 p.m.
Price: $300 pp

The oddly named Le Fu is a three-story restaurant set in the middle of what has become our “real” Chinatown, the nondescript Colonia Viaducto Piedad, south of the centro. On weekend mornings Chinese customers avail themselves of an array of very well-prepared dim sum, the largest selection I’ve seen in Mexico.
I adore har gao, shrimp enveloped in a translucent rice flour wrapper, and I use them as the litmus test for a good dim sum place. The ones here pass muster. Jean dway, sticky rice balls filled with red cooked pork deep fried and rolled in sesame seeds and are a nice combo of textures. And the under-appreciated turnip cakes that look like lard but aren’t are worth seeking out. After noon, and during the week, order from the select Cantonese menu.

Quing Feng Bao
Londres 132, Zona Rosa (Colonia Juarez see map)
Tel. 56 1046 4173
Open Tuesday – Friday 9 a.m. – 6 p.m., Saturday, Sunday opens at 9, closed Monday
Prices: $250 pp

Quing Feng, located in an easy-to-miss but spacious interior in the heart of the Zona Rosa, is the only spot in the city currently offering dim sum during the week. While variety is limited, quality is high. Besides the usual har gao, siu mai, etc., there are a few soups on the menu, but little else. Note that there is a large Chinese supermarket directly above.

Chuan Bai We Hot Pot
川百味火锅串串香
Hamburgo 234, Zona Rosa, (Colonia Juárez, see map)
Open daily 12- 10 p.m.
Prices: $250 pp

Chuan Bai, while specializing in Szechuan hot pot (see previous post) also offers a few meat, noodle and dumpling dishes. We go for the dumplings in spicy broth, pictured outside in the window and listed as “sopa de won ton picante a ‘Sichuan flavor’”. Diners are free to help themselves to pickles other garnishes at the “salad buffet”.