By THÉRÈSE MARGOLIS

Mexico’s Mes de la Patria (Patriotic Month) may have come and gone last September, but that did not keep a group of international diplomats and their spouses from celebrating a fiesta mexicana of mole and other national delicacies at Las Delicias restaurant in Mexico City’s Colonia Noche Buena on Friday, Nov. 16.

In addition to a sumptuous luncheon of quesadillas, sopes, a choice of cream of corn or caldo tlalpeño soup, a choice of chicken mole or arranchera steak, and flambéed-at-the-table crêpes Suzette, the group enjoyed an extraordinary show of traditional Guadalajara-style music performed by the Nuevo Jalisco Mariachi band, accompanied by the very talented romantic baritones Javier Arteaga and Arturo Reyes, and the incomparably powerful voice of mezzo-soprano Rosario Durán.

There was also a performance of classic Mexican folklore ballet from various states by Viava México and Diana y Adrián.

Among the guests attending the luncheon were Azerbaijani Embassy Chargé d’Affaires in Mexico Mammad Talibov and his wife Kamala Talibova (who showed off their Fred Astaire- and Ginger Rogers-worthy dance skills), and Farhana Asif, minister and first secretary of the Pakistani Embassy in Mexico.

Also in attendance were Farida Hadid, wife of Algerian Ambassador to Mexico Rabah Hadid; Nandita Chakma, wife of Bangladeshi Ambassador to Supradip Chakma; Amina Belouchi, wife of Moroccan Ambassador to Mexico Mohamed Chafiki; Yudith Schneider, wife of the World Bank’s International Finance Corporation Director in Mexico Norbert Schneider (along with her children Jennifer and Joseph); Clara Tsai, wife of Director General of the Taiwan Office of Trade and Tourism in Mexico Carlos S. C. Liao; Yoke Duckwitz, wife of German Chamber of Commerce President and former Ambassador to Mexico Edmund Duckwitz; Nergish Weisberg, wife of Robert Weisberg from the U.S. Embassy in Mexico; and Melissa T. Castro from Allianz Worldwide Partners.

And since the day turned out to be the birthday of Nergish Weisberg (as well as the first anniversary of Pulse News Mexico), there was also a surprise serenade of Las Mañanitas and a delicious blueberry cheesecake with candles to mark the occasion.

At the end of the day (which ran into the late afternoon), each of the guests received a basket of traditional Mexican candies, courtesy of Las Delicias’ public relations director Ruth Portillo.

More information

Las Delicias is located at Insurgentes Sur 1027 in Colonia Noche Buena, near the World Trade Center (tel: 5611-6904).

It is open daily for lunch and dinner from 1:30 p.m. to 12:30 a.m., and has a mariachi show and other live entertainment Wednesdays through Sunday.