Mexico City to Mérida: A Culinary Adventure

In a nondescript yellow building off the main plaza of Santa Elena, a sleepy little town on Mexico’s Yucatán peninsula, Doña Mirna gently set down bowls of sopa de lima on the table. There was one each for Abdiel — the blue-eyed Cuban driver who took us on day trips from the city of Mérida — Bama, and myself. Here at Restaurante La Central, we were most intrigued by this classic Yucatecan soup featuring the sweet local lime. “I also use herbs, tomatillos, guajillo chilies, and strips of chicken,” Doña Mirna said with a smile. Around us, the simple but cheery dining room reflected the grandmotherly matriarch’s heartfelt warmth. Read more





