Crema catalana
I like this restaurant so much that I have hesitated to write about it. Because it is one of the few places I know in Mexico City that is reliably quiet, intimate and rarely crowded -- and I wish it would stay that way. It is called El Racó and it is on Avenida Sonora across the street from Parque México. The chef, Alonso, and the manager, Héctor, are terrific people. Best of all, they turn out excellent preparations of Catalan food. In a city where the temptation to eat heavily is hard to resist, I am grateful for the lighter options they offer -- salads, vegetables, and some knockout fish, particularly the house specialty, huachinango (red snapper) baked in salt.