Fierro: North by Northwest
If diners in this city can be sure of anything, perhaps even wary, it is the constant stream of new restaurant openings. Few truly manage to surprise: Fierro belongs to that rare category. This self-styled “neo-cantina” is free of pretension, a rarity these days, and generous of spirit and portion. This modestly sized bar-restaurant on the southern edge of Colonia Juárez draws from the culinary traditions of Nuevo León, Coahuila, and Tamaulipas. Young chef Lucía Cañas and her busy team prepare each dish with quiet confidence and well-judged technique.
Mid-century modern at Fierro
The menu is mercifully brief: several salads and a handful of plates that work equally well as shared starters or main dishes. An ensalada verde, with currently trendy Brussels sprouts does its job, though the copious ensalada Fierro is the one to order. Two hefty halves of Romaine, lightly grilled, come topped with finely shredded machaca (the dried beef popular in Nuevo León) and an anchovy-rich dressing that nods to Caesar’s origins. Mejillones con chorizo offer a Spanish tapas bar déjà vu, the happy surf-and-turf pairing of mussels and sausage, though here the chorizo is fresh rather than cured as it would be in the old country. Arroz con chicharrón recalls an Iberian arroz meloso, buttery tomato-stained grains meeting delightfully crisp pork skin.
The star of the show, however, and the dish that will draw me back soon, is the seemingly routine carne asada. Expectation: a well-done strip steak with grilled onions and tortillas. Delivery: something entirely different. Ultra-tender, pepper-encrusted slices of filet cooked properly medium-rare, ringed by a moat of ruby-dark reduction, would feel right at home in a very good Paris bistro. Pair this carnivorous pleasure with papas Galeana, little new potatoes crusty outside and plush within.
Those less committed to meat have options too. A whole mojarra (carp) is expertly grilled and served center-table for taco-making. Lightly smoked and grilled chicken is another reliable choice.
Mejillones con chorizo at Fierro
For dessert, capirotada, Mexico’s soulful answer to torrijas or pain perdu, comes drenched in piloncillo syrup, softened by queso fresco, and sparked by a tart tomatillo sauce.
It is fitting to mention that nearly everything served, including the beverages, comes from Mexico. The wine list favors domestic bottles that are well chosen, if priced ambitiously, and there are even local gins and vermouths worth exploring.
An excellent capirotada at Fierro
The room channels a muted neo-mid-century warmth: wood, tile, flattering light. I could close my eyes and imaging being in 1965 again. At lunch, the soundtrack is civilized. At night it can shift toward a more festive cantina energy, which may hamper leisurely conversation.
Prices are reasonable, around $250 for most dishes with the exception of the meats which are in the 400 range, but, as aforementioned, dishes are share-able.
In a city awash with openings, Fierro distinguishes itself through sincerity, craft, and a genuine respect for northern Mexican cooking. It deserves a place on any discerning diner’s radar.
Fierro
Marsella 53, Colonia Juárez (see map)
Tel. 55 4894 3291
Open Tuesday, Wednesday, 1 -11 p.m., Thursday-Saturday until 1 a.m., Sunday until 8; closed Monday
