Aguapanela Condesa

Located alongside Av. Nuevo León in the evergreen La Condesa, lies Aguapanela, a quaint little bistro with a lot of promise, part of what is set to be a trifecta of food, drink, and lodging.
Aguapanela is the first project to debut of this three part complex at the former Royalty building. Along with Copa Blanca, this small bistro will be housed by the República Hotel, with both other projects set to open in the coming months.
This self-​titled Latin Bistro offers food inspired by Mexico, central, and southern America in a rustic, yet elegant setting. The ambiance is relaxed, staying true to its nomenclature; the service is friendly, and the food comforting.
The place is beautiful, which is what attracted me here in the first place. Styled under an Art Deco influence that fits La Condesa, this restaurant was designed by La Metropolitana design studio, and there seems to be a playful element happening among the décor: elegant light fixtures upon a bare and modest white wall, the stylish furniture serving as stands for the rustic peltre (pewter) dinnerware, and the floor tiles and windows help round out a place where past meets modern.
Aguapanela, however, is not without its faults. The food might be a little too simplified for a bistro, meaning that food tastes too homey, like something that I would be able to cook easily at home, which makes the food lose some of its value. The Fideo Seco, while good, presented nothing special. The Ternera Valluna and the Pescado al Pastor were solid, but again they did not have that mastered taste that good bistros have that make people keep coming back. The one offering I enjoyed the most was the bistro’s namesake, the aguapanela, which I understand to be a type of agua fresca prepared with lime and piloncillo. It was delicious and refreshing.
Overall we had a good experience here. I believe Aguapanela will improve as the bistro matures, and work all of the jitters and kinks out. I wish them great luck going forward and am looking forward to the debut of the other two projects, as well as a future visit. Best wishes!