Organic Options in Coyoacán: Ruta de la Seda

Is it just me, or do lesbians seem to have a lot of dietary restrictions? Some of us are vegetarian and vegan, of course, but I’m surprised by how many of us also seem to have a lot of food allergies, be it to red dye, nuts, milk, gluten, and other seemingly innocuous items. Maybe we’re more sensitive and/or vocal about our digestive and nutritional needs, or maybe it’s just that most of my friends are queer and so I know more than I ever wanted about their dietary habits.

In any case, some lesbian friends of mine accidentally introduced me to a great little café in Coyoacán that caters to those with specialized food needs. Formerly known as Basanti, Café-Patisserie “Ruta de la Seda” (“silk route”) opened in the spring of 2008 and claims to offer “organic flavors of the world.” While that might be a bit of a stretch (since only two or three continents were represented–one in the form of a plate of house-made samosas and accompanying mango lassi), I was impressed by what I saw on the menu and the few items we sampled while seated under the shade of large umbrellas in front of the cafe.

All of their baked goods are made from trigo integral (unbleached, whole grain flour) and many options are dairy free. In addition to containing no artificial flavors, colors, preservatives, or genetically modified ingredients, no animal fats are used in their doughs (only pure canola oil). All of their postres (38-40 pesos) are baked on the premises: the smell of fresh-baked almond cookies wafted out of the kitchen to where we were sitting outside, tempting our small group to order more than we already had.

Although not all of their products are organic (coffee being a major exception), all of their juices, fruits, vegetables, dairy-products, breads, and tortillas are certified as such.

There were an assortment of sandwiches and teas on the menu, but we stuck to coffee and dessert. They offer the standard upscale coffee choices, as well as some I had never seen, such as the delicious cubana style coffee, an espresso flavored delicately with caramelized sugar. All drinks could be made with soy milk, which is not something I have seen very often in Mexico City.

The menu warned us that not everything listed was always available, due to the seasonal nature of many of their ingredients, but I was still disappointed when the waitress told me that they weren’t offering the tarte tatin I had my eye on. She pointed out several alternatives, included one not on the menu, a dense and bittersweet chocolate cake (perhaps flourless…), served with dollops of blueberry puree and fresh blueberries on top.

I’m no connoisseur of pastries, but I must say, I was impressed by this cake. The generous slice was simple and rich, dense without being too dry. If the (no added sugar) blueberry puree was underwhelming, it was only in comparison to the intense flavor of the chocolate. Devouring it was a group effort.

What I liked most about this small café was that it had a refined, French atmosphere about it, despite its very Berkeley, hippie heart. The quality of the food and coffee we ordered was so high that I didn’t mind the peace-frog soap dish in the bathroom. Even with the organics, the prices were lower than many of the more touristy cafés in the center of Coyoacán. I suspect that some items on the menu are better than others, but it will be a pleasure to go back and sample more.

Ruta de la Seda is not a specifically lesbian establishment, but the waitress was pleased to tell us that they “don’t discriminate against anyone,” and I strongly recommend it to anyone looking for places off the beaten track in Coyoacán.

Café-Patisserie: Ruta de la Seda; located at the corner of Aurora and Pino in the Santa Catarina section of Coyoacán