Anahuacali -- Restaurant Review

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Address: 30 Rue des Bernardins, 75005 Paris, France

Phone: +33 1 43 26 10 20

Rating Standards: 5-Stars = Extraordinary; 4-Stars = Excellent; 3-Stars = Average; 2-Stars = Fair; 1-Star = Poor € = Inexpensive: 30€ and under; €€ = Moderate: 31€-49€; €€€ = Expensive: €50 -75; €€€€ = Very Expensive: more than €76 (prices based on minimum 2-courses)

1-Bell = Pleasantly quiet (less than 65 decibels); 2-Bells = Can talk easily (65-70); 3-Bells = Talking normally gets difficult (70-80); 4-Bells = Can talk only in raised voices (75-90); BOMB = Too noisy for normal conversation (90+)

3 - star ...........................€€.......................................... 1-🔔 

 (Note: we were the only diners in the restaurant, probably due to the heat, they have no outdoor seating) 

This restaurant has been around longer than we have—well before 2008, as far as we know. We hadn’t been back since the late 2000s.

I don’t usually review ethnic restaurants, but I occasionally make exceptions—especially since many American expats crave familiar flavors from home, even if reinterpreted through a different lens abroad. And let’s be honest: sometimes it’s just nice to take a break from French food. Personally, I often find myself craving something with a bit of heat.

Here’s one tip we’ve learned over the years: never, ever compare, say, Mexican food in Europe to what you can get in California or the American Southwest. The same goes for other cuisines—don’t expect Chinese food in Europe to match what you’d find in San Francisco or in China. If you do, you’re setting yourself up for disappointment 100% of the time. It’s just not the same experience—and that’s okay. It is what it is.

NOTE: I'm only reviewing dishes that I tasted.

Chips and Salsa Verde. I don’t usually comment on chips and salsa, but these were surprisingly good—especially the salsa. I wasn’t expecting anything spicy in Paris, but this had a nice kick. More than just heat, it had a bright, fresh flavor that tasted like it came from fresh jalapeños—not the canned kind. I could be wrong, but it definitely didn’t have that dull, processed taste. We all agreed: it was fresh, spicy, and full of flavor.

Nopales (Prickly pear cactus). We all shared this appetizer, but unfortunately, it didn’t quite hit the mark. The nopales didn’t taste fresh—they were either canned or severely overcooked. To be honest, the dish was a bit bland. It was topped with feta cheese instead of the more traditional queso fresco, which struck me as an odd choice. What it really needed was a bit of heat and a splash of citrus to bring it to life. As it was, it fell flat.

Cochinita Pibil. A traditional dish from Mexico’s Yucatán region, Cochinita Pibil is known for its tender, slow-cooked pork and vibrant flavor. This version featured pork simmered in an achiote and orange sauce, served with black beans, Mexican-style rice, pickled red onions, and a slice of avocado.

The pork was indeed very tender, but the overall flavor leaned heavily on the citrus—mainly due to the pickled onions—which somewhat overpowered the dish. It lacked any real heat, so I added some salsa verde to give it a bit of a kick. The black beans were topped with a mild feta, which is understandable since queso fresco is not readily available here, and the rice was good. Overall an OK dish, but nothing memorable.

SUMMARY

As a general rule, the French aren’t big fans of spicy food. So, most of the Mexican restaurants I’ve tried in Paris tend to be quite “Frenchified.” When a new place opens, it might start off with a bit more heat, but after a few complaints, the spice level usually gets toned down—often at the cost of authenticity.

That said, I thought the salsa verde here was excellent. The nopales needed a lot of help, and the cochinita pibil was just okay. Would we go back? Probably—but next time, I’ll be asking for extra salsa or a bottle of hot sauce.

I'll end by saying, 'STILL ON THE SEARCH'...

With 1-entrée, 4-plats, 1-coke, 2-beers for 4-people our lunch cost us €110.50 or almost €28 each. 

Note: the Restaurant does not have A/C