Maiz y Cacao

At Maiz y Cacao, Spanish for “corn and cacao”, the aim is not to reinvent Mexican cuisine but to showcase it to the uninitiated, of which there are still plenty. Chef and owner Miguel Rios says a customer once told him the soft corn tortillas the tacos were served on were “inauthentic” – he was expecting the hard shell versions that come in a box. Rios says it takes time and care to communicate what Mexican food really is.

At Maiz y Cacao, dishes reflect those Rios grew up with. It could be tamal, a steamed corn cake topped with chicken smothered in mole negro, or a chocolate version for dessert. Or tacos dorados, lamb tightly wrapped in a tortilla and deep-fried.

Despite its hotel setting, the venue feels personal, decorated with Mexican artwork rich in symbolism. Hand-painted hats from a corn-growing region of Oaxaca hang near the entrance, while murals depicting Centeotl, the Aztec deity of maize, and Ek Chuah, the Mayan deity of cacao, frame the kitchen.