Cheapest Michelin meals

Justin here, with delicious news on cheap eats that are worth a trip. Plus: a moment of culture. [View in browser]( [Bloomberg]( Happy Saturday Pursuits fans, it’s me, [Justin Ocean](, one of the deputy editors in these there parts. This week we posted some news that made my heart sing: [a taquería in Mexico City earned a Michelin star]( in the country’s first-ever guide. In San Rafael, an arty neighborhood of 19th century mansions and mid-century theaters just west of Centro, [El Califa de León]( has been slinging tacos out of a sweaty, nondescript storefront since 1968. The lines are intense, and there are just four items—all beef—which get slapped on a 680-degree-Fahrenheit griddle along with a just-rolled tortilla, blasted with some salt and lime, then order up. A splash of fiery red or green salsa, that’s up to you. Chef Arturo Rivera Martínez making magic at Taqueria El Califa de León, not to be confused with the El Califa chain that has locations in the more touristy parts of Mexico City. Photographer: Silvana Flores/AFP But what about that Michelin-starred service, you ask? You eat off a plastic plate while standing on the sidewalk, smooshed between street vendors selling iPhone chargers and socks. “Consistency” is the word, as Gwendal Poullennec, the guide’s international director, [said in an interview]( with Bon Appétit as one key to Michelin’s otherwise black box of ranking criteria for “high-quality cooking.” Consistency in prime ingredients, sublime flavor, presentation and service (or lack thereof) and consistent, I would have to imagine, enjoyment. [In a city of mind-blowing tacos](, Taquería El Califa de León’s following attests to that. “As the saying goes, why fix or change something that’s alright?” the owner Mario Hernández Alonso says. I can’t wait to try it. Mexico City’s cocktail bars are worth all their plaudits, too. Source: Hanky Panky The only nod to the stereotype of a Michelin-starred meal are the locally inflated prices: about $5 a taco, which is quite high for Mexico City. (As comparison, chef Enrique Olvera of Pujol, the two-Michelin-starred and [13th best restaurant in the world](, just opened up [Esse Taco]( near my home in Brooklyn, New York, and there’s a four-for-$20 deal. It’s also standing-room-only and already mobbed.) Ribeye, pork loin al pastor, chicken “poc chuc” and oyster mushroom tacos at Esse. Photographer: Justin Ocean/Bloomberg There’s a lot you can criticize about Michelin and its rankings: what it does to a food culture, its narrowing of “acceptable” cuisine, [a glaring lack of inclusion for Black chefs](. But whenever it honors affordable, everyday restaurants like Taquería El Califa de León, I have nothing but respect. For example, Michelin recognized the Peranakan family recipes powering [Auntie Lean Gaik’s Old School Eatery]( in Malaysia’s inaugural guide. Most dishes cost under $10. In Bangkok, street food vendor [Jay Fai]( has a star for its noodles and khai jeaw poo (crab omelet), made famous by its almost 80-year-old chef, although prices have crept up with the crowds. (There’s still [32 other street food restaurants]( recognized in Thailand with a Michelin Bib Gourmand for “good quality, good value.”) Top chefs reveal their favorite Singapore hawker stalls and cheap eats. Photographer: Juliana Tan for Bloomberg Markets [Singapore’s hawker culture]( gained even more international fame when [Hawker Chan]( was recognized with a star in 2016 for its $2 plate of soya chicken rice. Now it’s just [Hill Street Tai Hwa Pork Noodle]( holding the city-state’s street food star with bak chor mee (minced meat noodles) for about $5 a bowl. In Hong Kong, [Ho Hung Kee]( has a star for its rendition of the city’s belly-filling wonton noodles (even though [my heart belongs to Tsim Chai Kee](). For one-star Cantonese roast meats, [Yat Lok]( and [Kam’s Roast Goose]( have been battling it out for years, but I personally vouch for the crackling lacquered goose at Yat Lok as well as its beyond-crispy pork belly, cramped communal tables and charmingly surly service. It’s a vibe. My friend Ben and I at Yat Lok this past Thanksgiving. Cantonese roast goose and pork belly beat turkey any year. Photographer: Justin Ocean/Bloomberg And though HK dim sum spot [Tim Ho Wan]( dropped to a Bib a couple years back, the fame from its initial one-star designation catapulted it to over 40 global locations and counting. Which all loops back to why I’m here in your inbox, the crux of what we’ve always said when we started Pursuits near 10 years ago: Luxury isn’t just a [sports car]( or [stainless steel watch](, luxury can be [a dumpling](. Or this week, a taco. Connect with Justin on [X](, [Instagram]( or [via e-mail](mailto:askpursuits@bloomberg.net?subject=Your newsletter) Also on the menu… More luxury in a bite—or a glass. And if you’re seeking an [affordable summer trip to Europe](, that there’s a whole page of ideas for you. [In New York’s Hudson Valley, a New Napa Is Growing—But for Beer]( An unofficial beer trail is cropping up, connecting warmly welcoming taprooms and farm-to-stein tasting sessions. [Pastry Chefs in Paris Are Dreaming Up Delightful Twists on Classics]( The seven treats that are upending the city’s baking hierarchy. [Patrón Tequila Creators Are Now Saying: Drink Vodka]( With their Weber Ranch 1902 agave vodka, can the former execs upend the spirits industry twice? [It’s Boom Time for Mexican Food in New York City]( Tacos, tequila and moles galore. [The Most Exciting Food on Earth Right Now Is a Sandwich]( Meanwhile, a Michelin-starred chef is going to space. [The Nine Most Important Types of Pizza in America]( Buzzed about Grandma squares, fried montanara, good old Neapolitan? They’re all on the menu. In other Pursuits news If you’re thinking of splashing out on more than just a taco, we’ve got you there, too. Here’s some of our latest. [A Half Hour From New York City, a 13-Acre Estate Lists for $28.5 Million]( [Turning a $17,000 BMW From 1969 Into the Hot Rod of His Dreams]( [A Hamptons-Maldives Mashup Is Coming to the Caribbean]( [The Most Stylish New Sunglasses Have Lenses That Show Your Eyes]( [Cassette Tapes Are Getting a Boost From an Unexpected Source]( [For $323 Million, Last Private Land in Arctic Archipelago Can Be Yours]( For your cultural queue I’m been slowly making my way through everything in [our spring culture preview](, and I have to say, my colleague [Esther]( nailed it. Indulge me as I double up on a few of her recommendations and add some further ones of my own. MOVIES: [Challengers](, the professional tennis ménage à trois ([and product placement dream]() from Luca Guadagnino and starring Zendaya, is as clever as it looks and as horny as the first nice day of spring. Anna Hathaway has no business being as good as she is opposite Nicholas Galitzine in [The Idea of You](, the sexy, frothy wish-fulfillment [rom-com on Amazon Prime Video](. And I don’t know the last time I was as unsettled and as continuously on edge (read: the entire movie) as I was during [Femme](, an erotic revenge thriller starring Nathan Stewart-Jarrett and George MacKay. Not even [Late Night With the Devil]( (now streaming and 100% worth the quirky scares) had my pulse as high. The Challengers creative team embraced brand sponsorships in a bid for realism. Photographer: Eamonn M. McCormack/Getty Images Europe BOOKS: After watching the epic [Dune: Part Two](, I finally dug into my bookshelf and dusted off [Dune Messiah](, the second book in Frank Herbert’s series and what will be [the basis of a third movie](. It’s very, very… trippy and weird. Which is to say I’m very, very excited to see what director Denis Villeneuve will do with it. In the meantime, [the trailer just dropped for]([Dune: Prophecy](, and the Bene Gesserit prequel series on Max looks like a great spice fix in the interim. Also getting the series treatment by Apple TV+ (which gives me very high hopes) is William Gibson’s [paradigm-defining cyberpunk novel, Neuromancer](. After Dune, I read its semi-sequel, [Count Zero](, and was stunned how much Gibson’s mid-1980s vision of the metaverse and technology, [flirty AI included](, has become manifest today. And can anyone tell me why [The Charm School]( hasn’t been made into a TV show yet? My mom passed away five years ago, and she loved the author Nelson DeMille. To honor her, I decided to give his Russian Cold War thriller a read. True to his bestseller creds, it was the definition of a pulpy page-turner that had me up way past my bedtime multiple nights. (The violence, swearing and steamy bits yielded some unintentionally funny parental insight, too.) Sunday nights are for The Sympathizer. Source: A24 TELEVISION: There’s nothing [Mid TV]( about [The Sympathizer]( on Max, a post-Vietnam War satire starring a most excellent Hoa Xuande as a wry double-agent spy. Park Chan-wook has crafted a tone that feels cringey and honest, yet ridiculous, much like Robert Downey Jr.’s many hairpieces (as an inverse of the all-Asians-look-the-same trope, he plays multiple key White characters). Mostly just ridiculous, [Fallout]( on Amazon hits all the video-game-as-prestige TV marks with a ton of humor to counter the cartoon gore. And Netflix’s [Dead Boy Detectives]( extends the Sandman universe in a peppy, poppy, goth treat with the addictive energy producer Greg Berlanti honed on his decades of CW shows. Next up is [Hacks season 3]( on Max, which I hear has not only avoided the diminishing returns of sequels, but is somehow even better than previous seasons. What else should I watch, read or do this summer? [Get in touch.](mailto:askpursuits@bloomberg.net?subject=Culture tips) And if you read just one thing... Were you lucky enough to see the aurora borealis last week? Well, that was just the beginning. [More explosions of light and energy are coming.]( There’s just one problem: these dazzling solar storms can disrupt power grids, cause widespread radio blackouts and impair satellites. Bloomberg Green’s super-cool graphics story explains it all. Thanks for reading! Here are a few other newsletters you might enjoy: - [Watch Club]( for exclusive horology news, access to launch parties, collector meet-ups, and brand showcases - [Top Shelf Society]( is a weekly missive on wine, beer, spirits and cocktail culture plus special member-only offers and events New for subscribers: Free article gifting. Bloomberg.com subscribers can now gift up to five free articles a month to anyone you want. Just look for the "Gift this article" button on stories. (Not a subscriber? 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