Alay Alay Middle Eastern Taqueria, Kiwi Fav of the week

At Matías Romero 98, in the heart of colonia Del Valle in Mexico City, you will find Alay Alay Taquera de Medio Oriente, a taquería that breaks stereotypes and conventions. Alay Alay is not your typical chilanga taquería, and its tacos are not like the classic Arab tacos from Puebla. At Alay Alay, chef Andrea Sayeg slices the shawarma to prepare delicious tacos that blend Mexican flavors with the culinary tradition of the Middle East.The concept of Alay Alay can be defined as a journey through the flavors of the Middle East, as the menu incorporates traditional techniques and flavors from diverse countries such as Lebanon, Yemen, Israel, Egypt, and Syria, giving them a Mexican twist. “We decided not to limit Alay Alay to authentic Middle Eastern food,” explains the chef. “We try to adapt those flavors to the Mexican palate through the use of chiles and salsas or by including Mexican dishes like costras or quesadillas with touches and flavors from the Middle East.”At Alay Alay, you will find very traditional appetizers such as eftoyers, jocoque, and hummus, at least eight different taco options—pork shawarma with Yemeni spices, Lebanese-style shawarma, kebab kafta, yala yala, hayito, falafel, beef steak, and chicken breast—with their respective chilanga variants in quesadilla and Arab bread crust, typical desserts like Moroccan cigars, Arabic pasta sweet, and knafe, and five beverages with typical Middle Eastern flavors—lemon khiar, haram haram, Beirut, apricot alloz, and the taquera.Every Wednesday, Alay Alay organizes Industry Nights, a night dedicated to building community within the gastronomic industry where you can enjoy Alay Alay's menu at a more accessible price and taste innovative cocktails from renowned bartenders—upcoming participants include Izzy Ortega and Mica Rosseau—while on weekends, you can appreciate the iconic shawarma trompo in all its glory. In addition to the fixed menu, Alay Alay occasionally offers a temporary menu in collaboration with distinguished chefs—the latest collaboration was with chef Somsri Raksamran from Galanga Thai House, Kiin Thai-Eatery, and Pin-Tó Thai to Go.Dare to try the refreshing apricot alloz, a traditional Lebanese drink made from almond, apricot, and pistachio, the unmatched yala yala taco, a delicious fried chicken taco drenched in muhammara—an amazing Syrian sauce made from nuts, pomegranate, and peppers—and topped with lettuce and pomegranate salad, and the irresistible knafe, a small pastry of kataifi dough filled with mascarpone cheese, nuts, and apricot syrup, served with pistachio ice cream.The taquera, breaking stereotypes and conventions one taco at a time“I have always loved being in the kitchen. It’s my favorite place,” confesses chef Andrea Sayeg and adds that her maternal grandmother inspired her to pursue a professional cooking career: “I always saw my grandmother cooking, and I liked being in the kitchen. So, gastronomy has always been a significant part of my life.”To top it off, Middle Eastern flavors have been present in the chef's life since she was little, as her maternal and paternal great-grandparents arrived in Valladolid, Yucatán, from different cities in Lebanon—Maryayún, Tripoli, and Beirut—during the great migrations of the early 20th century. “Arabic bread, jocoque, are elements of the daily diet. If there’s a special occasion, we make Arab food,” mentions Andrea.“I always wanted to have a taquería; since I was a child it was my dream, one I share with my dad,” says the young chef and taquera who, after six years working within the Bull & Tank group of chef Daniel Ovadía and perfecting her knowledge of Middle Eastern cuisine in the kitchens of Nudo Negro and Merkavá, decided to embark on an independent project with Andrés Muro to honor her Lebanese heritage: Alay Alay, Taquera de Medio Oriente.With Alay Alay, chef Andrea joins the ranks of women taqueras, a guild that, the chef assures, will continue to grow over the coming years. Coincidentally, the name Alay Alay, Taquera de Medio Oriente, formerly Yala Yala Taquera de Medio Oriente, comes from a play on words in Arabic that translates to “Let’s go, let’s go!” in Spanish, while the taquería's logo features Andrea, the taquera from the Middle East, two nods to the guild of women taqueras breaking stereotypes and conventions one taco at a time.