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 complete listing possible.

Email us at [e-mail] or write to Business Mexico, Lucerna 78, Colonia Juarez, Mexico D. f., C.P. 06600.

 #                      %                   *                    %
FOOD                  DECOR              SERVICE                COST
                                                              (IN U.S.
                                                               DOLLARS)

1-3 dreadful to poor                      7-8 good to very good

4-6 fair to good                          9 excellent

                       10 extraordinary

Chez Wok Tennyson 117 Col. Polanco (5)281-3410, (5)581-2921

A very welcome respite from our daily comida corridas, Chez Wok impressed us with both excellent food and service. The decor was not as fancy as one would expect in an expensive Polanco-area restaurant but a menu that's delicious from top to bottom certainly made up for the interior decorator's bad taste.

#    %    *    $

9    6    10   $35

Prego Alejandro Dumas 10 Col. Polanco Tel.: [phone]

A word to the wise: high prices and mediocre food are are a bad combination. Someone should tell that to the owners of this second-class Italian restaurant. Tasteless and criminally overpriced entrees were the highlight of our dining experience here, and the decor, reminiscent of a chain restaurant, didn't help.

#    %    *    $

4    5    8    $25

Les Moustaches Rio Sena 88 Col. Cuauhtemoc Tel.: [phone]

This beautiful French restaurant located in the capital's trendy hotel zone is an ideal spot for those looking to take a longer-than-usual lunch break or treat the family to an elegant dinner. Delicious platters and an surprisingly reasonable prices are sure to steal the show.

#    %    *    $

8    9    9    $25

China Grill Mariano Escobedo 700 Col. Nueva Anzures Tel.: [phone]

This hot spot for savory food inside the luxurious Camino Real Hotel had us star gazing when Hollywood star Denzel Washington walked in and sat just a few tables away. Though the decor was a little tacky, the food was quite good, even if not exactly Chinese. An awesome bar and the construction of an outdoor patio probably mean only good things are on the way at this lunch and dinner establishment.

#    %    *    $

9    7    8    $25

Contramar Durango 200 Col. Roma Tels.: (5)514 4917, (5)514 3169

In our opinion, this is one of the most authentic seafood restaurants in Mexico City. With a large selection of very tasty appetizers, soups and platters at a decent price, Contramar aims to please, and apparently does a good job at it, as evidenced by the lines that form daily outside this popular lunchtime joint.

#    %    *    $

9    8    8    $25

Rincon Argentino Presidente Mazaryk 117 Tel. [phone]

This Polanco steak institution has become synonymous with big eating and big spending. With over 20 steaks listed and only a glass partition separating diners from the open grill, it is easy to get carried away in the carnivorous vibe. Rincon also gets high marks for its ranch-style decor but low marks for its apathetic service, which does not live up to its hefty price tag.

#    %    *    $

9    10   4    $35

Lando Grill Emilio Castelar 121 Local J Col. Polanco Tel.: [phone]

One of our favorites, this intimate Polanco spot is just the place when you have a corporate credit card or the phone number of a sexy individual burning a hole in your pocket. With sensational New Zealand lamb chops headlining a well-balanced menu that is tasty from top to bottom (artichoke and portobello carpaccio, anyone?), Lando--with its cozy booths and Sinatra soundtrack--reminds its pampered clients of the finest New York restaurants.

#    %    *    $

10   10   9    $30

El Discreto Encanto de Comer Orizaba 76 Col. Roma Tel.: [phone]

Boasting a tight repertoire of classic French cuisine, the restaurant's style actually fills out its content quite nicely. At the end of the night, our only complaint was the overly discreet and staid air of the place.

#    %    *    $

9    8    10   $20

SPECIA Amsterdam 241 Col. Hipodromo Condesa Tel.: [phone]

Intimate without being stuffy, classy rather than pretentious, Specia is a distinguished place where business people, couples and friends will feel comfortable

#    %    *    $

8    8    9    $15

Thai Gardens Calderon de la Barca 72 Col. Polanco Tel.: [phone]

Thai Gardens is a place where the discerning palate will rejoice, while those Hooked on exaggerated portions of blander eats migh feel disappointed.

#    %    *    $

9    10   8    $20

Gruta Edhen Lope de Vega 334 Col. Polanco Tel.: [phone]

Be sure to arrive at this Lebanese spot with an appetite and a group of friends. The restaurant lends itself to worry-free feasting--and it's a good thing, because this is an eating experience you don't want to rush.

#    %    *    $

8    8    8    $15

Hunan Paseo de la Reforma 2210 Col. Lomas Virreyes Tel.: [phone]

Hunan does serve up very good food, but nothing so extraordinary or so exotically unknown to the palate that a plate of food should cost four times as much as one in a Chinese cafe.

#    %    *    $

7    6    8    $20

Au Pied de Cochon Hotel Presidente Inter-Continental Campos Eliseos 218 Col. Polanco Tel.: [phone]

The food at this 24-hour-a-day, seven-day-a-week French bistro is excellent, service is better and dressing smart is not necessary but wise. The seafood is the joint's calling card, with fresh oysters and shellfish leading even the more stomach-conscious Mexico City visitor to take a chance.

#    %    *    $

9    7    9    $25