I traveled to Mexico City quite a few years ago in search of noteworthy Mexican food, something almost impossible to find in the United States. I was certain I would come across it in Mexico City, because I had once dined at the hacienda of Herradura tequila and was astonished when served one of the best meals of my life. I ate at every restaurant recommended to me, hoping to duplicate or at least come close to that earlier dinner, but I was disappointed again and again, until the final dinner of my trip. That was at Pujol, the signature restaurant of Enrique Olivera. There I ate slices of cured duck breast with a mescal foam, a tuna tartare-and-apple napoleon accented with poblano chile, and much more. It wasn’t traditional fare; it was haute cuisine with Mexican accents, and it was memorable. —Alan Richman

A former sportswriter for the Philadelphia Evening Bulletin, Alan Richman has won 16 James Beard Foundation Awards for his journalism on food and wine, and a National Magazine Award for feature writing