Masala y Maíz- A lunch to riff on

One of the reasons I go to restaurants is to steal ideas.

Not recipes exactly, but combinations. A flavor I hadn't thought of putting together. A technique. Something that makes me come home and start thinking about what I could do with it in my own kitchen.

Masala y Maíz gave me a couple.

The restaurant is owned by chefs Norma Listman and Saqib Keval, who met in Oakland before eventually bringing their food to Mexico City. Their cooking draws on Mexican, Indian and East African food traditions, exploring the movement of ingredients and techniques between them. They describe their approach as mestizaje, rather than simply fusion.

The dish we loved most was the Kuku Poussin.

A little chicken with crisp, deeply spiced skin, the berbere and morita bringing warmth and a lovely depth, sitting over coconut-rich sweet potato with preserved lemon. Alongside came little bites of pickled red apple.

It’s a good, simple combination. Rich and spicy chicken, sweet creamy potato, the salty brightness of preserved lemon and then the sharp little hit of apple pickle. Nothing felt complicated, but somehow everything made sense.

It was also exactly the kind of dish that makes me think, I want to make this.

Our other favorite was the Camarones Pa' Pelar, the grilled Veracruz shrimp served with vanilla ghee. Michelin describes the dish as Veracruz prawns grilled over high heat with vanilla-infused butter.

The shrimp were beautifully charred, with chile morita and vanilla ghee. The flavor of the vanilla made this dish sing, warm and earthy against the smoky chile and the richness of the ghee.

It just worked.

And again, I came away thinking about what else you could do with it.

Vanilla-morita ghee on prawns, obviously. But also scallops. Fish. Grilled carrots. Squash.

The rest of the meal was more mixed for me.

We started with samosas, which were a lovely opening bite. Then came the kampachi ceviche. I liked the fish, but for me the seasoning was too strong. The spices made the delicate flavor of the kampachi disappear.

The chaat was good, and the boiled peanuts brought out before the meal had an interesting funk, but didn't quite wet my whistle.

I also loved how much of the meal involved eating with your fingers. There is something wonderfully unprecious about food that asks you to pick it up and get involved. No need to worry about being tidy.

What I found interesting about the meal overall was how strongly Indian the food felt to me.

Masala y Maíz brings together Mexican, Indian and East African influences, but of the dishes we ordered, the Indian influence came through particularly strongly in the spices and seasoning. It was more Indian-leaning than I had expected.

The restaurant itself had a real buzz at lunchtime. I liked the space, too, especially the candles tucked into some of the darker corners.

I left thinking about berbere chicken and vanilla-morita ghee.

Two dishes I'd happily eat again, and two ideas I am excited to bring into my own kitchen.

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Masala y Maíz

Where: Centro Histórico, Calle Artículo 123 No. 116, Colonia Centro, Cuauhtémoc, CDMX 06040

Chefs / owners: Norma Listman and Saqib Keval

Opened: 2017. The restaurant has had several homes and moved to its current Centro location in 2025, in the historic Humboldt building, originally constructed in 1922.

Michelin: One MICHELIN Star. The restaurant was promoted from Bib Gourmand to one star in the 2025 Mexico Guide.

The chefs: Norma grew up in Mexico, while Saqib grew up in the San Francisco Bay Area in a family with Indian roots in East Africa. They met in Oakland through their shared interest in food, recipes and culture.

Beyond the food: The restaurant has a strong social and political dimension. The chefs have used the restaurant as a platform to advocate for workers' rights, farmers and food justice, and their broader philosophy connects food with migration, politics and social change.

Atmosphere: Daytime only, with a lively, buzzy dining room. The current space was designed around different materials and small shifts in atmosphere, including concrete, marble, wood and filtered natural light.

Michelin: ⭐ One Michelin Star

Price: $$$ / around MX$1,000+ per person, depending on what you order.

Lunch: Monday, Wednesday–Sunday, 12–6pm. Closed Tuesdays.

Reservations: Recommended. The restaurant's own website directs guests to reserve through Tock.

Website: masalaymaiz.com

Instagram: @masalaymaiz

Phone: +52 55 6227 9468