It was our anniversary. Our first anniversary. An entire year since we had eaten dinner indoors at a restaurant.
So, where to go? Actually an easy choice. We’d simply go to the restaurant that’s been San Miguel’s favorite for four of the last five years. And the last three years running.
But first though, let me take you back a year. We had just finalized the plans for the Smart Awards annual dinner, the night we celebrate San Miguel’s top ten restaurants as judged by the readers of Don Day in SMA. The menu was set. The wines were ordered. The invitations were sent. The dinner sold out in seconds. And then the whole world turned upside down.
We sensibly cancelled the Smarts dinner and since March, 2020, the cutting board that is presented to the top restaurant had sat on a shelf in my closet. It was finally time to personally present it to Antonio Arrieta, the chef/owner of Firenze, the San Miguel restaurant that, once again, dominated the Smarts voting in 2020.
Why now to finally dine indoors at Firenze you might wonder. Well not because the Covid numbers are down that significantly. More because, for a restaurant with a roof, they don’t come much more open than in the Firenze courtyard. And because, from what we’d heard, the place wasn’t going to be crowded.
Crowded it wasn’t. Three people were just leaving when we arrived at 7:00 pm. It was simply the two of us for the rest of the evening.
“February is usually our busiest month. We’re probably at 10% of what a normal February was like”, Antonio told us. “We had two delivery orders tonight, you and the three that left and that was it.”
We ordered glasses of Chilean Chardonnay and decided to split the scallop main as starters. Chef Antonio’s creations are feasts for the eyes as well as the tongue and I asked if I could join him in the not quite big enough kitchen and capture its creation with my camera.
The scallops had already been grilled by the time I made it to the kitchen (blame the Chardonnay) but here’s the rest of the make you hungry story.
What made it most impressive in my mind was that the sprouts and the edible pansies looked like they’d been picked minutes before. Not easy when you have nine customers in an entire evening.
I had decided on my main course weeks before my return to Firenze. If I included a favorite San Miguel dish in the Smart Awards voting, I’d give 3 to 1 odds it would be Firenze’s short ribs. When Antonio served them to me eleven years ago, I’d never seen them butchered with what I call the English cut in Mexico before.
As always, the beef was moist and fork tender with a titch of tamarind in the juice. And the hint of sweet spicing in the mashed camote works perfectly with it.
Don Day’s Wife chose a special that was on the menu of that celebratory dinner that never quite happened the previous year. Antonio sous-vides duck breast to medium rare inside before searing the skin to a nice crisp. The sauce was reminiscent of Montmorency, the cherry sauce that used to partner duck back in the seventies.
We weren’t even sure that we could squeeze in a dessert. But Firenze does keeps it fairly simple in the sweets column and I needed an excuse to order an accompanying vin santé. The choice was the one I consider Firenze’s signature classic, the panna cotta with raspberries.
I sat there looking at the wall of the restaurant where Firenze’s annual awards are mounted. They’ll have to redecorate when they mount the 2020 trophy, I thought. They’ll need more wall if the Smart Awards are around much longer.
We talked about how, apart from a few of the “see and be seen” restaurants in Centro, the food industry had been hit as hard as almost any industry. Antonio agreed with our decision that there would be no restaurant awards in 2021. We congratulated Firenze for simply surviving into 2021, cheered Antonio and his staff once more, and toasted to better days and the return of the reigning Smart Awards champion in 2022.
Hoping so.
Firenze is located at Recreo #13 in San Miguel de Allende, Mexico.
When I rented a house on recreo almost seven years ago Firenze quickly became my dining room. Always excellent and still a favourite.
Congratulations to a well deserved award and for surviving the probably most difficult time in our industry – auguri to you both for your anniversary
My VERY favorite restaurant. I hope your recent article will stimulate business for them!
I love Firenze and Antonio has been my Saturday night date during this pandemic. At 6 PM there is a knock on my door and a very special dinner has arrived. I open my bottle of wine and light my candles. It would be wonderful to be sitting in Firenze but you do what you gotta do in stressful times.
oh my – looks so darn good! can’t wait to get back to SMA and try Firenze – I haven’t been there yet!!!
I agree Firenze is one of San Miguel’s best restaurants.
always a favorite. Sad that Firenze will not deliver to Frailes
as an aside, Glenn, you must read The Man Who Ate Everything by Jeffrey Steingarten. Delicious recipes scattered throughout, his culinary adventures could be a guide to travel. I thought of you when I read about his truffle hunt with a trifulau, then eating their prized finds
One of my very best favorite food books.
Congratulations to Chef Antonio and the Firenze staff! We will make our first trip to an indoor restaurant after Easter (fully vaccinated) and had already taken the easy decision to make it Firenze. Your article with the beautiful photos will make the next several weeks that much more difficult to endure…
12(?) years ago, we went to Firenze on the Ancha their first year. There was no alcohol license yet, but BYO wine was OK. Just leave the bottle downstairs and it would arrive in coffee cups, styrofoam. I ordered the short ribs and left to walk to what I thought was the nearest store, Oxxo. Chose 2 bottles of Oxxo’s best (an oxxomoron) for the table of 6. Fell in love with Firenze, but not the wine from Oxxo. We have enjoyed dinners alone and special occasions with friends and family dinners at all 3 locations.
But, not this year, unfortunately. Hope to return to SMA this fall or next year.
I agree, but it’s beyond sad that there won’t be awards in 2021. Just goes to show how much has been lost in the year gone by 🙂
Mark
Consistent and best quality food in town! I couldn’t agree with you more. The short ribs are my husband’s favorite, too. We’ve been devotees of Firenze since they opened on the Ancha, followed them into San Antonio and now on Recreo. Bravo to Antonio and all the staff for providing excellent service and delicious dining. Well deserved accolades!
Congratulations Antonio and crew. We miss you. There is no restaurant here in Bucerias that is as good as Firenze.
We are thankful that you survived the awful year of 2020.
Hasta pronto,
Craig and JoAnn Jensen
Congratulations, Antonio! Though I love seeing your sweet impeccable waiters deliver deliciousness to my door, I’m looking forward to experiencing your beautiful plating I’ve heard so much about. Soon!!!
Excellent food! I love Antonio’s short ribs and have been s devotee of Firenze since they opened on Recreo. Bravo to Antonio and all the staff for providing excellent service and delicious dining.
I recommend this restaurant to visitors often on my website.