4.5 and rounded up. Marmota what a dreamy restaurant! I'm surprised it's not listed on Yelp yet since they've been getting a lot of love! Being unfamiliar with CDMX, prior to arriving Marmota popped up in researching local neighborhood spots. Reasons to visit include the restaurants's warm ambiance, open kitchen, a wood-fired oven where they prepare much of their food, and cuisine highlighting both Mexican and global ingredients and techniques with a Pacific Northwest (PNW) slant. Lucky for us, there happened to be open reservations at 8:00pm on a Friday evening in January so we jumped on it. The restaurant sits on the corner of a block, so they've placed outdoor seating under their window awnings extending around the corner. Upon arrival there were several parties seated outside since it was in the 50s F that evening. Inside, seating for around 50 people was about 65% full, though between 8:30-9pm several larger groups showed up. They have table arrangements that comfortably fit 4-10 people, and a shared table next to the kitchen where most parties of 1-2 were seated. The exposed cinder block high ceilings, black metal rack bar shelving and cement-top bar counter lent an industrial feel while the brick wood fire oven, dim lighting accented by candles, and dried flowers vased in amber bottles on dark wood tabletops added a rustic touch. A winding spiral staircase appeared to be leading to a potential private dining or event space which wasn't in use. I was ecstatic when they sat us right next to the open kitchen, we were directly next to the chefs' prep area--the best seats in the house! My mouth was agape observing them work seamlessly and lightening fast as a team. Searing, broiling, grilling, boiling, pan-frying, roasting, spreading, slicing, resting, forming quenelles, cleaning plate edges, using little tweezers to place smaller components with precision. And the tantalizing aromas wafting over...it made me so hungry! Getting to the food and drinks: - Magnolia - mezcal Mitre, Xoronostle (cactus pear). betabel (beetroot), linión (lemon), jengibre (ginger) $220*: this was super balanced. The sweetness from beetroot offset the tartness of lemon and spiciness of ginger, all adding complexity to the cactus pear juice, then further tied together by the citrus and herbal notes of the mezcal. So good we got a second one. Tbh I wanted to try all the cocktails here they looked so good! They also have beers and wines. - wood fire oysters (2) - herb butter, charred habanero salsa $150: these oysters had a smidgeon more of a bite from being exposed to the heat, the smokiness with fresh dill remind me a little of whitefish salad. - wood fire bone marrow - herb salad, sourdough bread $295: bone marrow translates as meat butter to my tastebuds. Rich, unapologetic fattiness to spread all over grilled sourdough, count me in. The bread was crusty with the hint of chew from a well-developed gluten and yeast. One more piece of bread would've been perfect. - wood fire baby corn - smoked chiles yogurt, peanuts, katsobushi (bonito flakes, made from dried, fermented and smoked skipjack tuna), cilantro, dukkah (mediterranean condiment made from toasted nuts, seeds and spices) $185: apparently there are entire Reddit threads dedicated to haters of baby corn--I'm certainly not one of them! These babies were crisp and delicately corny--they need to be eaten with the sauce, bonito flakes and cilantro, which layer in smokiness, umami, and a chili heat. - wood fire cauliflower and radishes - tarator (a Balkan cold cucumber yogurt stew kinda like a thinner tzatziki), salsa macha, mint $210: I agree with a couple other Gmaps reviews that this dish could use a little more balance. You have to eat a bit of everything on the plate together for maximum enjoyment, if not--the cauliflower comes off smoky though a little unseasoned, the yogurt sauce is a little too sour without a bite of the fresh herbs to temper it. The radishes were super tasty and I wished for a few more pieces of these so I could have some with each bite of cauliflower. - braised lamb - labneh, sesame and 4 chiles salsa, celery, mint $330: three tender juicy tapas-sized lamb chunks, delicious and very flavorful, almost a little too salty though overall all the flavors went together and presented a hearty bite when eaten together with additional pieces of grilled sourdough provided. Staff were courteous and effective, very professional. Often checking in on our drinks, orders, and helpful in answering our questions in English due to our lacking Spanish skills. They didn't rush us and let us take our time finishing drinks. The steak and the grilled cheese sandwiches (for sharing) are really popular--seeing them prepared next to me they looked and smelled amazing, I felt some FOMO for sure. The 1/2 chicken, schnitzel, burrata and grilled fish also have good reviews. I'd love to come back if I'm in CDMX to try these! *all prices in pesos. read more

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