Restaurant Guide 2006

The rich, Pearl District sister (or bésame mucho'd second cousin) of Northeast 28th Avenue stalwart Taqueria Nueve, DF (dae-eff-ay—for distrito federal, the district that embraces Mexico City's core) may be one of the best reasons to head to the beyond-the-trolley-track outskirts of the Pearl District. As at Billy Schumaker's Nueve, at DF you'll need to suspend your belief that Mexican food means platters of beans, burritos and chips emulsified by orange cheese. Instead, realign your Baedeker with earthshattering delights like the zesty, tender octopus ceviche, the pescado ahumado (smoked-fish tacos—a fantastic value, and a good bet for younger eaters), or the vibrant tesmole with oxtails. Be forewarned that DF is on the louder, more uptown end of the q-spectrum from Nueve—there's none of the signature warmth and humility of its Eastside kin. At times food can take a backseat to the environs of tonied-up Eurodance charts and oh-so-top-shelf clientele—which is a shame; DF's bravado of rich moles and delectable, lime-tipsy seafood deserves center stage. (TD)