We don't know what it's like to live somewhere else; luckily, we can find out without leaving the CDMX. Nowadays, if we wanted to look for Chinese or Korean food there are several options that could be declared as the absolute leaders. In the case of Singaporean food, there is no other place but Makan to taste the delicacies of the Asian country without even taking a plane. Bless CDMX for that.
Located on Emilio Dondé, in the lower part of an apartment building along with other commercial premises, Makan is a spacious restaurant with an open kitchen and wooden tables, around which special bottles of wine, author's cookbooks and even a house cap adorn it. The view overlooks the Bucareli Chinese Clock, an iconic landmark of the city, and an avenue that was once the scene of marches and road closures. Although one can imagine the amount of noise on that corner, the only thing that matters at Makan is the smell of spicy food and the clinking of glasses at a celebration.
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Upon arrival you are greeted with a courtesy: a small plate of ayocotes with house sauce, delicious. The drinks menu is as extensive as the ingredients used in Singapore's food: there is a notorious variety of spritzes, classic cocktails and wines by the glass or bottle: oranges, rosés, sparkling, whites and reds. All range from approximately 200 to 3500 pesos. The food menu, on the other hand, is a printed sheet of paper with the house dishes: from starters, such as the very fresh fish tartar, to main courses such as Makan chicken or roast duck, the latter so juicy that you never want to finish tasting it. Almost all the main courses come with rice or noodles, which complements them perfectly.
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In the words of the waiters, everything Makan offers is for sharing. It is one of those restaurants where they firmly believe that enjoyment is only valid when it is among all, and the size of their plates is irrefutable proof of this. In addition, everything tastes incredible: we tried the larb (fish tartar meat with herbs and sweet potato puree), a woon sen (bean noodles with roasted eggplant, cilantro and ginger), and a roast duck with rice, really fabulous.
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Makan is so special that not only their dishes are unforgettable. Every week they try to carry out new collaborations: one of them they did on October 27th with Cabo San Juan, a little seafood place that is attracting a lot of attention among foodies and street food lovers. Soon they will be collaborating with Máximo, chef Eduardo García's amazing restaurant, in a special menu from 1 to 7 pm.
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In fact, in a sense of community with everyone, a few weeks ago Makan became a park: since the avenue was closed and could only be accessed on foot or by bike, the restaurant encouraged citizens to walk around as if they were in a park like Chapultepec or even Central Park, just for the sake of walking around.
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Although Makan is now a spacious and fit place that jumps at the sight, the truth is that before, when they were on Querétaro street in the Roma neighborhood, you had to walk down a hallway in an abandoned-looking building to get to three or four red tables (we may not remember how to get there, but we do remember the color of their tables and chairs). It's nice to know that not only have they grown, but they have increased their efforts to continue sharing Singaporean culture and food.
Emilio Dondé 68B, colonia Centro
Monday to Saturday : 14 to 22 hrs
Sundays : 13 to 19 hrs