The Other Pujol

When a table is not a big deal

There is something I really like about places that don't make a big fuss about themselves. Molino El Pujol is one of those places.

Molino is the casual offshoot of Pujol, Enrique Olvera's two-Michelin-starred Mexico City restaurant, where you need to reserve well in advance. Pujol is one of the restaurants that helped put contemporary Mexican cooking on the international map, taking traditional Mexican ingredients and techniques and approaching them in a much more contemporary way. It is also where we had my birthday lunch.

Noah has been wanting to go to Pujol forever, mostly because he has been dying to try the famous mole madre, the restaurant's ever-evolving mole that has been continuously refreshed over the years. And it did not disappoint. But that is another story.

Molino El Pujol is a completely different experience. Much more casual, very affordable and centered around corn, masa and the everyday Mexican foods that are at the heart of Mexican cooking. It is simply a place you stop for a lovely bite.

We went on Saturday and sat down for a very relaxed lunch.

The carrot tamal with red mole was my favorite. The mole was divine. Soft and subtle at first, but with layer after layer of flavor. The tamal was tender and filled with shredded carrot and more mole. Luckily, there was another little bowl of mole on the side, because I wanted every last bit.

We also had the cauliflower tamal, which was our waiter's favorite. The roasted cauliflower was subtle but distinct. A good tamal, but not as good as the carrot, in my opinion.

The avocado taco was almost ridiculously beautiful. The avocado taco is wrapped in a hoja santa leaf, which gives it a distinctive peppery, almost anise-like flavor with a slightly medicinal edge. It is simple, earthy.

And the chilaquiles with green tomatillo salsa were simple and bright, with that fresh, tangy green flavor that makes you want to keep going back for another bite.

What I loved most was the low-keyness of the place. The food is thoughtful and beautifully made, but there is nothing precious about it. Just simple Mexican food, well done.

The prices are remarkably reasonable, especially considering the Pujol connection. But keep in mind, this darling little stop is not a substitute for Pujol. It is its own thing. A relaxed, low-key neighborhood spot where you can stop in for a quick bite or take away without making a whole production of it.

There is something wonderful about finding a restaurant attached to one of the world's most famous chefs that still feels like a place you could wander into for lunch, order a tamal and some chilaquiles, sit outside and just enjoy yourself.

It is purely a breakfast and lunch place, closing in the late afternoon, which somehow adds to its charm. Molino means "mill," a nod to the corn and masa that are at the heart of what they do.

Molino El Pujol

Gral. Benjamín Hill 146, Hipódromo Condesa

Mexico City, CDMX 06100

Breakfast & lunch, daily

8am–5pm