Reflections of Mexican Food
by Andy Lawrenson
Tacos
Burritos
Chalupas
Enchilada
Sopapillas
Tamales
Anything with Grande tagged at the end
Rice and Beans
(those of you that order beans without rice, or vice versa, are messed up. I know I'm
a graduate of Las Manitas University of Rice and Beans, Austin, Tx.)
There is a "Tex Mex" restaurant in Atoka, Oklahoma, the El Adobe.
El Adobe is the only Mexican food restaurant I've ever been in that puts
shredded american cheese on their food. That's not even right. But their salsa is good.
There is a gas station in a small town of Caldwell, Kansas, just beyond the border of Ok. In this
gas station you can get some of the best tacos I've ever had in my entire lifetime. All home made stuff and they put limas, potatoes and peas in their taco meat, different yet very tasty.
In Lynchburg, Va., there is a family of restaurants, La Caretta. They have great food. Mish and I used to go there when we had 5 bucks left to our name to eat. We were young, stupid and in love with both each other and mexican food.
Chi Chi's, ahhhh, the blessed fried ice cream.
Abuelos, not liking this chain all that much.
Taco Bell, I eat there maybe once every two years. Taco Mayo in Ok and Tx is much, much better than the Bell.
Herb Albert and the Tiajuana Brass. Speaking of Tiajuana let me just give a shout out to velvet Elvis paintings and the donkey painted with stripes that you can pay to have your picture with so it looks like you had your picture with a "zebra".
Chiclets! Gum with a whole 3 minutes of flavor.
One wintery day I was helping my friend Mike shovel snow off the walk of his Taco Mayo restaurant. I walked up to the drive in window and got a hot bean burrito. It was one of the most memorable moments of my life. Something about freezing, standing in snow, and eating a piping hot bean burrito full of cheese and red sauce. It was an incredible experience.
Dinner at the Zazuetta's home. Killer dude! Mrs. Zazuetta kept bringing food to the table from like a magical, mystical portal of goodness. It was as if a thousand flavor angels were dancing the flaminco on my tongue. Her beans were the best I have ever had in my entire existence as a human being. My sister-in-law's, Gail, come in second, and that is an incredible compliment. Mine are OK but often end up too thick and stiff (I'm working on perfecting that)
My hometown favorite is La Fogatta's. I consider the white cheese sauce a beverage, it's that good.
I don't like fish but according to those that do, both Mama Kwans (my favorite restaurant on the beach, next to Prim Only) and Rundown Cafe (another favorite) both have good fish tacos.
Terasita's (spell check Ramon') tamales the best! Made with banana leaves as opposed to corn husks. Fantastico! Full of flavors and S-spices. Good washed down with S-spring water.
The dream of Clay and Esma coming to visit this summer and Esma teaching me how to make tamales.
The fact that you took the time to read my reflections on Mexican food proves that you too are a lover of this wonderful ethnic food from our neighbors to the south.
Have a Happy Cinco De Mayo and please visit your local favorite Mexican restaurant today.
Asta La Vista Baby! (spellcheck!)
15 comments:
Wow Andy,
I think you should write a column in our newspaper describing the local food choices. The snap crackle pop of my Rice Krispies just isn't the same.
Happy Cinco De Mayo (is Mayo short for Mayonnaise) to you.
Deb
I think it means eat 5 subs with mayo
...and subs are most certainly a Mexican delicacy! :)
I'm starting to realize that the third Lawrenson miracle is that a guy who obviously loves good food so much has been able to discipline himself to do so well on WW! :):) Just weigh in BEFORE you go out for lunch today! :):)
What about having the gas station tacos on wed at youth?
I'd like to try that!
Mmmm, Sopapillas! It is difficult for me to understand why, when I live in such a high % of hispanic culture, there isn't a restaurant I have found that makes Sopapillas! But there are A LOT of great restaurants around here.
The best Sopapillas I've ever had were in a little hole in the wall mexican joint in Albuquerque, New Mexico. They served them with warm honey.....oh my I am getting hungry!
Happy Cinco DeMayo! My family will be enjoying some our favorite mexican dishes made with ground turkey this year. We'll see how it goes!
Marie - Great idea! Wed, the 14th will be gas station taco night. hmmmmmmm, now to do some artwork and hand out cards. :)
Lee - I love it when you can bit off the end of a sopapilla and then fill it with honey and eat the rest. Mucho Good!
I have never posted on your blog, but I found you through Nathan, I like most have become an addict of the Lawrenson family!
Ahhh! You make me miss home! I am originally from Central Oklahoma and I miss the mexican food sooo much! And you are right..Taco Bell has nothing on Taco Mayo!
This post makes me really want some fried ice cream by the way and I havn't found a restaurant around Terre Haute, IN that serves it...:(
Happy Cinco de Mayo! I am praying for your family always!
belladonna - Ted's Cafe Escondido in Oklahoma City, great mexican food and habenero salsa they have dubbed the atomic salsa. The line starts forming about 45 minutes before they open. It's that good.
OK. Spell check. Reading your spanglish hurts mis ojos.
Teresita
La Fogata
Tijuana
Hasta la vista
Remember that Gail learned how to make frijoles refritos from Mrs. Z. Enchiladas, rice and tacos, too.
Run Down's fish tacos are the best. Actually, Mulligan's aren't bad either. They use rockfish, which is basically the best tasting all round fish in the whole world.
And I'm assuming you know that La Fogata has fried ice cream, too.
I'm still partial to several Mexican restaurants in So. Cal. In August, I plan to visit several, including Fidel's in Solana Beach.
There's also a couple of little places I've been introduced to in Corona Del Mar and Placentia that are as good as it gets.
I could go on...Tengo mucho hambre!
Like belleladonna, I too have not posted a comment here before today, but have been a regular reader for a while now. I also found you thru Nathan's blog and I too am now addicted to the Lawrenson family (would you all adopt me, please?) - almost as much as I am addicted to Mexican food. So this post just made me laugh! Growing up in So. Cal. and now living in AZ has been very helpful in 'feeding' this addiction. Matta's in Mesa has THE best guacamole, salsa and chimichanga EVER. My family & I are on our way across the country with an RV this summer and our first stop is OK. I had no idea the quality of Mexican food there - so thanks for the head's up. I don't know that I'm standing in line for 45 min. with 3 boys under 8, but we will have to stop for a tasty Mexican food treat. Great post! I'm officially hungry now.
We ate dinner at Matta's tonight to celebrate a belated Cinco de Mayo - told you reading that post made me hungry. :)
andy, i can certainl;y agree that mom's mexicann food was the best, and as pastor rick stated so eloquently at her memorial service in february, "there will be tamales in heaven, and i'm sure rice and beans also."
richard zazuetta
andy, i can certainl;y agree that mom's mexicann food was the best, and as pastor rick stated so eloquently at her memorial service in february, "there will be tamales in heaven, and i'm sure rice and beans also."
richard zazuetta
pretty much my moms tamales are the best....ill ask her to make some...its been forever since she's made them.
ramon - ask momma to share the love
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