The time of year that every good-toothed person loves is here! Work up an appetite and dive into the Santa María la Ribera Don Lázaro restaurant makes way for the chiles in nogada 2024. Of course, with its now legendary recipe that exceeds one kilogram.
if it’s not exquisite, it doesn’t pay is the motto of the place
When they told us they prepare this dish in unimaginable proportions, we had to go check it out. We’ll tell you up front that it is indeed huge. It is made with more than 30 ingredients.
You should know that this is not just any recipe; instead of ground beef, the stuffing is made with diced pork. Finding the perfect chili is a key point as it must be large and wide. 🌶️
In this place they always check that the pomegranate is fresh and juicy; they use about 250 grams in each dish. The nogada also has a special preparation with lots and lots of walnuts. Unlike other preparations, this nogada has a high level of thickness and sweet flavor.
Before reaching your table, the chile en nogada goes through a scale. Your dish will be labeled with the exact weight (not counting the weight of the dish). The one we tasted weighed 1.142 kilograms and was eaten by three people.
It is a dish that is generally shared between two diners, although there are customers who manage to finish it in its entirety. On one occasion, a person ate two! You tell us how hungry you are.
Price of Don Lázaro’s chiles in nogada 2024
The one-kilo chiles in nogada are now available at Don Lázaro and will be on the menu until mid-October 2024. Or, until pomegranate season ends. Note that this 2024 has a cost of 💵 $480.
By the way… who is Don Lázaro?
To better understand the context we need to go back to the 20th century. Don Lázaro was a Ukrainian who, due to the war, left his country to take refuge in Argentina and then in Spain.
At the outbreak of the Spanish Civil War, or Franco Española, he was exiled and arrived in Mexico in 1939. As expected, the national warmth welcomed him, filling him with its natural folklore.
Don Lázaro was so grateful to Mexico that he decided to help his communities. What did our country need most at that time? Of course: education.
Therefore, he set about the task of putting together a literacy project. Inaugurated the Open Book Mural School where he instructed children to read, write and learn English.
His desire to cement the learning process was so great that he sent several proposals to José Vasconcelos. The project proposed that, instead of occupying city walls with advertising, they would be used for education. 📚
Spoiler alert: none of his requests got any response. 😔 Today, most of the blackboards and boards that Don Lázaro used to teach are located in this place.
How did Don Lázaro get into the restaurant business?
Income was low and he had to make a living somehow. Therefore, he started selling small casseroles with stews and then mini portable braziers.
In 1944 he inaugurated El Viajero, a small restaurant that served mexican dishes such as mole and charcoal-grilled meats. Actually, the specialty has always been the tasty chicken broth.
It was named after travelers who passed in front of the site when they went on vacation to Pachuca and other places outside Mexico City. Check out the full story here.
The restaurant is still in the hands of Don Lázaro’s family. The decoration shows his photographs, famous phrases, poems and dedications. Even, some words from those who were his friends.
The 80th anniversary of this legendary restaurant will be celebrated in 2024. So, if you don’t know where to eat some chile in nogada that is worth it, don’t hesitate to try this one that has a great history.
no more illiteracy in Mexico! The Homeland demands it!
The gastronomic legacy continues, as well as the hope in the evolution and improvement of education. As a result, three scholarships have been awarded to students from the National Polytechnic Institute, CECyT 11.
Medical students (who are from abroad and have a good grade point average) will be able to eat for free every day of the year at Don Lazaro. To announce their arrival, they should only ring the designated bell.
In addition to one-kilo chiles in nogada, the menu includes mole, soups, grills, breakfasts chicharrón and other mexican delicacies. There are also alcoholic beverages and fresh tepache.
📍Circuito Interior, Instituto Técnico Industrial 241, Santa María la Ribera, Cuauhtémoc
⏰ Monday to Friday from 10:00 to 18:00. Saturday and Sunday from 10:00 a.m. to 6:30 p.m