Restaurant guide.

BUSINESS MEXICO brings you an ongoing list of some of Mexico City's top restaurants, rated by cost, service, decor and cuisine. A new restaurant is rotated onto the list every month, and we welcome your comments, recommendations and criticisms of the restaurants you've visited in order to compile the most accurate and complete listing possible.

Email us at busmex@amcham.com.mx or write to BUSINESS MEXICO, Lucerna 78, Colonia Juarez, Mexico D.F., C.P. 06600. 1-3 dreadful to poor 4-6 mediocre to fair 7-8 good to very good 9 excellent 10 extraordinary Restaurant food decor service cost (in U.S. Remarks

Dollars per

person) Thai 8 8.5 8 $30 This haven of Thai Gardens cuisine has a calm, 5281-3850 uncrowded and unrushed Calderon de ambience. A menu de la Barca 72 degustacion offers a Col. large range of dishes Polanco and lets you try a

little bit of

everything. Spring

rolls and the Thai

chicken curry are

recommended, while

vegetarian dishes

abound. Products are

imported directly from

Thailand. Restaurante 10 9 10 $55 The original in Madrid Botin is the world's oldest 5395-157.6 restaurant, says Corner of Guinnness, and the Homero and Mexican version lives Lagrange, up to the reputation Col. of its forebear. Polanco Service portions are

generous and wait

staff is very

attentive. The rack of

lamb is highly

recommended while

appetizers, soups and

salads all won rave

reviews. El Samurai 6 6.5 6 $30 One of the oldest 5523-1469 Japanese Nueva York establishments in 85 (near town, serving World Trade everything from sushi Center), to teppanyaki to Col. shabu-shabu ("the Napoles noise which fine

strips of meat and

vegetables make when

being submerged in

seasoned stock"). But

with average food and

sullen wait staff it

needs to update its

act a little. Los 9 8 7 $25 Warm, cozy ambience Almendros and attentive service 5531-6646 staff complement a Campos splendid Yucatecan Eliseos 164 menu. Panuchos or Col. papadzul are great Polanco starters. The sopa de

lima and black bean

soup are excellent and

the ensalada de puerto

is highly recommended.

Fowl and fish

selections are

plentiful and

pechiguitas de pollo

Los Almendros is

excellent. Tezka 10 6 9.5 $50 Self-described Spanish 5228-9918, Basque cuisine offers ext. 5067 a rare taste sensation Amberes 78 you won't forget in a (inside hurry. Though the Royal Zona decor is dull, the Rosa dishes and Hotel), presentation are Zona Rosa, exquisite. Among Col. Juarez recommended items are

sweet potato empanadas

(filled with lobster),

the pescado bruja,

veal and the lamb with

cafe cortado. Mughal 9 8 9 $35 Elegant and attentive Oriental service combined with Bistro exquisitely prepared 5616-2768 dishes make this Av. San experience well worth Jeronimo the dent in the 263 wallet. Egg rolls and (in the chicken brochettes are Escenaria great starters. The mall) main courses are

divided into fowl,

meat, fish and

noodles, with rice and

vegetable sides.

Serving sizes are

generous and sublimely

prepared. The 7.5 8 7.5 $30 The menu is a mix of Dubliner traditional Irish 5250-8105 dishes and concessions Mariano to the Mexican palate. Escobedo A mixed starter plate 434 offers potato cakes, Col. crab cakes, Irish Anzures sausages, chicken

wings and french

fries. Fish and chips

are available as is a

reasonable salad

selection. The potato

soup or lamb soup

could suffice as a

meal. Main courses

feature classics such

as corned beef,

shepherd's pie, steak

and vegetable pie and

a wide variety of

steaks. La Pigua 8 9 9 $40 High-class restaurant 5281-2437/ featuring delicious 5281-1302 seafood from Compeche. Alejandro Menu reflects regional Dumas 16 specialties by using Col. Maya food names so Polanco don't be afraid to ask

for translations.