every time i see this view, my heart skips a beat. we re here! tenochtitlan, mexico city. so many emotions, because there s so much history in this exact spot. it all started here in tenochtitlan, capital of the mighty aztec empire, until the spanish invaded 500 years ago and changed its name to mexico city. the amount of churches you can see from up here there s 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7. seven in one block. that s called the spanish conquest. [sizzling] over time, new spices and ingredients started to appear, carried across continents by traders and travelers from faraway lands. i don t know the secret to happiness. all i know is, every time i eat mexican food, i m happy. - yeah. - [laughs] i m eva longoria, born and bred in texas, with mexican-american roots, which makes me a texican. i m exploring mexico to see how the people, their lands,
wow! [laughs] - hi. - hola. - hola. - its owner, the legendary gabi cámara, is as famous as her restaurant and a good friend of mine. - this is fish from all over mexico. this is super fresh, delicious, from different coasts. - so they speak spanish. - they all speak spanish. i think they ve traveled. i think they ve traveled. - what are you making me? - i m making you pescado a la talla. - pescado a la talla is gabi s signature dish. today, she s making it with cabrilla, a mexican sea bass. - you can really feel the firmness of the meat. it s gonna be delicious. - before contramar, it was almost impossible to find restaurants in the capital serving fresh mexican fish. crazy, considering the country has 9,000 miles of coastline. you started the fish movement. - many people were eating fish on the coasts, but here in the city, you know, everybody wanted turbot from britain and french oysters. but though it sounds absurd,
it all started here in tenochtitlan, capital of the mighty aztec empire, until the spanish invaded 500 years ago and changed its name to mexico city. the amount of churches you can see from up here there s 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7. seven in one block. that s called the spanish conquest. [sizzling] over time, new spices and ingredients started to appear, carried across continents by traders and travelers from faraway lands. i don t know the secret to happiness. all i know is, every time i eat mexican food, i m happy. - yeah. - [laughs] i m eva longoria, born and bred in texas, with mexican-american roots, which makes me a texican. i m exploring mexico to see how the people, their lands, and their past have shaped a culinary tradition as diverse as its 32 states. mexico city is going through a major makeover, shedding its old reputation to emerge as one of the world s greatest food destinations.
- you can really feel the firmness of the meat. it s gonna be delicious. - before contramar, it was almost impossible to find restaurants in the capital serving fresh mexican fish. crazy, considering the country has 9,000 miles of coastline. you started the fish movement. - many people were eating fish on the coasts, but here in the city, you know, everybody wanted turbot from britain and french oysters. but though it sounds absurd, to make a restaurant with only mexican fish was super, super revolutionary. okay, so now our fish is ready, and we re gonna make the salsas. and we re gonna make the garlic and parsley sauce. fresh parsley and garlic, olive oil, a little bit of spices. [whirring] - nice and green. oh, my god, that looks so good. - it comes from an italian salsa verde. my mother is from italy. my grandmother made the best salsa verde.
- yeah? - yes. [both speaking spanish] - tlacoyo cheers. it s really hot, but temperature-hot. - it s hot! - yeah. all right. - mmm. wow! - mmm. - oh, my god. wow. [light music] this is so good. spicy. - it is, and you got a lot. - i like it. to me, these markets are like little magical cities within a city. their culture is woven into the fabric of the capital, thanks to vendors like luci, who treat their customers and food with true devotion.