Discover the real Mexico in City West – Authentic cuisine far removed from Tex-Mex and preconceptions in Berlins Kantstrasse: Restaurant Comedor
Restaurant Comedor
Cliché thinkers need to be strong: there is no chili con carne in Mexico. This is actually good news, because the new Comedor restaurant offers genuine Mexican cuisine that can compete with European culinary strongholds such as France and Italy. Chef and owner Raúl Oliver Arriaga knows what his homeland has to offer. He was born in Mexico City, a huge metropolis with an exciting cultural mix of tradition and modernity. Arriaga lives out this approach in the kitchen. He combines the recipes of his childhood with contemporary ideas and seasonal products from the region – a European twist that has been part of Mexico’s history since the Spanish colonial era.
Mexico’s diversity of flavors offers countless opportunities to create a varied menu. The menu, which consists of ten to twelve dishes, changes accordingly. The ingredients from the region and the seasons determine what is served. These include, for example, agua chile ceviche from the catch of the day with lime, coriander, kombu seaweed, cucumber and chili. There is also handmade corn tortilla, mole with Prignitz corn-fed chicken and seasonal vegetables or quesa birria: Neuland beef with mozzarella, corn tortilla and salad. Arriaga says: “Mexican cuisine attaches great importance to subtle nuances.” It takes up to 40 ingredients just to make a mole – the sauce is considered a national treasure in Mexico and can be found in the country’s simple cuisine as well as in top gastronomy.
The dishes at Comedor are designed to be shared, which underlines the restaurant’s family approach. “Comedor is a dining room where people come together to eat and talk for a long time afterwards,” explains Arriaga. Everything is homemade, like the aforementioned tortillas. Initially, the Comedor will only serve dinner, but a relaxed lunch menu is soon to follow. Another part of the concept is that special chefs are always guests, with whom Arriaga organizes a 4-hand dinner or themed events. The aim is always to express the diversity of Mexico and surprise with innovations.
Arriaga runs the restaurant together with his wife Julia Schmiedehausen. The fact that the new restaurant is a family business is also demonstrated by the art that defines the restaurant’s interior. The impressive tapestry and other textiles were created under the direction of Raúl Oliver Arriaga’s brother Luis Oliver, who works as a textile designer in Chiapas and had the unique pieces made from organic materials using traditional techniques by indigenous artisans under his supervision. Luis Oliver was in close contact with Julia’s cousin Karolin Reichardt. With her label “Boat and Balloon”, she has also contributed a colorful work made from recycled textiles. The collaboration between the two artists not only represents the connection between Mexico and Germany, but also the interplay between tradition and modernity – with a sustainable approach.
The interior concept that Arriaga developed with the Raumfragen studio plays with bright colors and simple furniture – so there are no clichés in the design that are generally associated with Mexican restaurants. Simple wood and the rust-red wall color lend the rooms warmth, while the accessories cite Mexican culture. 48-year-old Raúl Arriaga says: “I am a fan of architecture and design, they are just as important to me as the food I prepare.” The works of Luis Barragán, the famous architect and “father of Mexican modernism”, served as inspiration for the contemporary interior design. He combined traditional stylistic elements from his native Mexico with the formal language of European modernism. This idea is reflected in the design of the Comedor restaurant.
Julia Schmiedehausen and Raúl Oliver Arriaga opened Taqueria Chaparro in Kreuzberg 13 years ago. Back then, Arriaga decided to cook what is expected of a Mexican, but with high quality. With his catering, which he still offers today, he also impresses his compatriots at the Mexican Embassy. “With Chaparro, we have proven that tacos are underrated in this country,” he explains, ”at Comedor, I now want to go one step further to show what Mexican food is all about.” The offer at Comedor is rounded off by an excellent selection of wines, including very good Mexican wines. The restaurant thus brings Mexican culture in all its diversity and creativity to the Berlin gastronomy scene and offers guests authentic yet modern culinary experiences. In addition to the Comedor, Arriaga is opening a taqueria that will supply the City West with the best tacos – as a snack between meals or as a quick lunch.
The restaurant was designed in collaboration with Carsten Scheibe from Atelier Raumfragen https://www.raumfragen.de.
The restaurant has 50 seats. There is a separate dining room that seats a further six. Restaurant Comedor is close to Windscheidstrasse in Kantstrasse 74. Reservations can be made via https://www.comedor.berlin.