Tag Archives: mexican food

Porfirio’s

Posted in Cancun by

When people suggest going to nice, fancy Mexican restaurants, I always balk because, to me, Mexican food should always be cheap, greasy, and come from a hole in the wall type of establishment. Of all the fancy Mexican places I’ve been to, I find they are too commercialized and don’t hold that authentic flavor you find from the cheaper places. Porfirio’s, a gourmet Mexican restaurant in Cancun, was recommended to me by the hotel concierge at the Westin Lagunamar. Since this recommendation was coming from a local, I went against my judgment and decided to give it a try. Boy, did it not disappoint!

The decor of this establishment was perfect for a romantic date. The indoor seating is lighted with candles and dim lighting to set the mood. Outdoors, they have seating on the patio next to the water fountains and dock.To start the night, I tried the Josefina de guayaba (guava) and mango. These drinks were made with mezcal, which is distilled from an agave plant. The liquor definitely showed through the mango but not the guava one. Continue reading →

Torta Ahogada

Torta ahogada is a drowned sandwich, which is a typical dish of Guadalajara. The birote bread has a crunchy crust, which allows it to withstand the sauce, and a soft interior. This regional bread is filled with fried, chopped pork and then submerged in a chili pepper tomato sauce. Top it with raw onions and cabbage and enjoy! Tip: It’s messy so have napkins handy!

Tejunio

Tejunio is a popular drink from Jalisco’s neighboring state, Colima. It is made out of corn dough mixed with water and piloncillo (cone shaped unrefined brown sugar). It is boiled until thick and then fermented. It is served cold with lime juice, sprinkle of salt, and a scoop of shaved ice. You can find this concoction sold by street vendors. I bought mine in front of Instituto Cultural Cabañas.

Karne Garibaldi

Posted in Guadalajara by

Karne Garibaldi is known for its fast service. Once you put in your order, the food appears like magic. I loved their re-fried beans with white corn. They also can it and sell it worldwide. I will be on the look out for this next time I’m grocery shopping.

image

They keep their menu simple by offering only a few dishes. Their signature dish is carne en su jugo (meat in its juice), which comes in three different sizes: small, medium, or large. I got the small, which was the perfect size for me. I loved the added bacon. Toss in some onion, cilantro, lime juice, and grilled onions, dip a tortilla in the juice and you’ve got yourself a tasty meal.

image

Don’t forget to wash it down with some of Guadalajara’s finest beer. Modelo is brewed and packaged in Guadalajara.

image

(Carretera a Tesistán, Av. Juan Gil Preciado 1999, Parques Zapopan, 45138 Zapopan, Jal., Mexico)

Pancho’s Takos

Posted in Puerto Vallarta by

This place is a steal! 12 pesos for al pastor tacos. For those that don’t know, al pastor is pork marinated in spices and cooked in a rotisserie. The meat isn’t shaved off until you order. 

image

Look at the beauty of the tacos fresh off the grill. They also come with a slice a pineapple (in the picture above it’s on the rotisserie above the pork). These were flavorful and delicious! 

image

Don’t forget to add lime and salsa! They offer three different salsas. The one the top right was spiiiiiccccyy!

image

They also offer tacos with different types of meat and quesadillas but these ranged from 20-30 pesos. I just couldn’t pass up on the 12 pesos al pastor tacos.

This place is a bit difficult to find as the streets do not have signs and the restaurant doesn’t have it’s name out front.

The name is all the way in the back of the restaurant.

Below is a link to the google map. If you follow it, you should have no problems. To get here, I walked along the beach. Once you’ve reached Oscar’s restaurant, walk 5 blocks, turn left and three stores down on your right is Pancho’s Takos. Look for the popular taco spot and the staff with Pancho’s Takos t-shirt. 

(Calle Basilio Badillo 162, Emiliano Zapata, 48380 Puerto Vallarta, JAL)

Elote Man 

The Elote Man, Timoteo Flor de Nopal, has been turning healthy corn into a heart attack snack for 27 years in Lincoln Heights. For $1.50 you can get corn on a cob or a bowl of corn topped with a heaping spread of mayonnaise, generous drizzle of butter, even coating of Parmesan cheese, and a dust of chili powder. When you to try to eat the corn, it’s a game of balancing the newly gained weight of the corn, about half a pound, so it doesn’t lose to gravity. Don’t worry! This doesn’t scare people away. On warm summer nights, the lines can get long so go early before he runs out. He’s open from 9:30 pm until 1 am or until he runs out. It’s worth it for this heart attack concoction that will change the way you eat corn. You won’t be able to eat it any other way.

(2338 Workman St., Los Angeles, CA 90031– by the 99 cent store)