Tacos Tuluca

One of my favorite little hole-in-the-wall eateries is Tacos Tuluca. Located on Lopez Street, just down from the Mercado San Juan, this tacqueria offers some of the tastiest chow on the streets. As you can see from the photo, production is organized and efficient. Notice the french fries. Yes, they are part of every taco combination Tuluca offers.

Uniquely, this is the only spot that I've found that serves up the green chorizo. Delicious! Add to that a little guacamole, salsa, and those french fries, and you have a nice snack or meal. For just a little over $1US, have two or three.

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Outside Mexico City, in any direction, are wonderful weekend getaways. Guanajuato is one such destination just 5 hours by bus north. Check out the photos of this lovely colonial city posted by a British couple who describe themselves as digital nomads.

Guanajuato

 

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Taco or Torta?

On nearly any street in Mexico City, one can find lunch or just a snack. Tacos aren't the only fast food to choose from when looking for something to eat. Here at "Pepe's", tortas or sandwiches are the specialty. Ham, cheese, sausage, or some combination of ingredients can be put together for an inexpensive and relatively healthy lunch. $15MEX is just a bit over $1US. You can't find that at McDonald's! For me, let's go with the spicy chorizo and the queso blanco!

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When in Mexico City, an absolute must on your to-do list has to be trying a taco al pastor. You'll easily find them as you walk the city streets. There's no better way to take the edge off a ravenous appetite than to down a quick taco or two.

Tacos al Pastor

 

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Sweets, Sweets, & More Sweets!

I admit it, I have a real weakness for Mexican pastries! After a long day of sightseeing and trekking around the city, I like nothing better than to sit in a cafe, order a cup of coffee, and indulge in a sweet treat. It's the perfect way to end a perfect day in DF (or anywhere else).

As you can see from the price tags, even the fanciest of deserts is hardly more than $1.50 US. Some of my favorites are even less expensive! Best of all, as you can see from these photos, the selection is tremendous. And, day after day, the selection remains great! The biggest issue is deciding which treat best suites your mood on a particular visit. Although there are many choices in pastry shops or patisserias, my favorite tends to be L'Ideal with many locations around the city.

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Many people worry about traveling around Mexico. I happen to love the Mexican bus system. It's efficient, safe, relatively inexpensive, and buses go everywhere in the country. Check out this article about busing around Mexico.

http://www.mexconnect.com/articles/4006-busing-it-in-mexico-what-s-not-to-love

 

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A Trip To The Mercado de Jamaica

Flowers By The Dozens

Although not all that commonly visited by tourists in DF with limited time, a trip to the Flower Market is well worth the effort. Centrally located, metro station Jamaica, it's a quick ride where you get off right at the market. Plan on spending a couple of hours wandering through the flower stalls and watching flower merchants prepare dazzling arrangements for customers.

Arrangements For Any Occasion

You'll be overwhelmed by the pure volume and diversity of flowers available on a daily basis most any time of the year.

A Rose Is A Rose Is A Rose

Also plan to have lunch at one of the numerous eateries located within the market. The day I was there, I indulged in a couple of delicious tacos de lengua (tongue tacos) along with a tall glass of tepache (a fermented pineapple drink).

Blogger Enjoying A Taco de Lengua At Mercado de Jamaica

 

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An interesting article about an unsuspecting group of American illegals in Mexico. I guess the problem goes both ways.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-radio-and-tv-17098719

 

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The Goat Guy

Many treats, visual and gustatory, await the inquisitive traveler when visiting the mercado. It was most interesting to watch this butcher prepare these goats for sale. One of my favorite indulgences in the markets, when I can find it, is a nice hot bowl of birria or a couple of birria tacos. Depending on what mercado one visits around Mexico, it's not uncommon to find vendor after vendor specializing in barbacoa. Goat happens to be a favorite of mine! It's different than beef or pork, probably more similar to lamb, but not so pungent as the more mature mutton. Birria is basically stewed meat with assorted spices and chilis that is slow cooked. Served either in a bowl or in tacos, it is a specialty well worth looking for when traveling in Mexico.

 

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A new project in Mexico City turned unused space into productive commercial and socal areas.

http://trap.it/8upmBj

 

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Pieces & Parts: Fun At The Market

Unlike north of the Border, little of the animal is wasted in Latin-American cultures. I had the unique opportunity of shopping with friends for dinner one day. After scouting around in the mercado, we finally found the perfect pig's head to take back for dinner. The señora of the household slow-cooked the head for hours until everything fell off the bones. Once this was complete, all the meat was finely chopped up and served in fresh tortillas accompanied by cilantro, onions, and salsa. The mixture of both textures ans tastes made these some of the best tacos I've had. Talk about stuffing ourselves like "piggies"!

 

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Holy Mole

Real mole is nothing like what is sold in the jar in American supermarkets. Actually, if I can't have the Real McCoy, I don't even bother to eat its watered down substitute. Although I first tasted mole in the mole capital of the world, Oaxaca, home of at least seven different types of mole, I have more recently found it available in any number of restaurants in Mexico City. Of course, some restaurants do a better job preparing it than others.

A Typical Display of Mole at a Mercado

Mercado Abelardo Rodriquez

A pleasant little market for both shopping, lunch and great art is the Mercado Abelardo Rodriguez. From the Plaza de Santo Domingo, just take a right down Rep. de Venezuela street. In just three blocks or so, you'll come upon the market. As with most markets in the city and throughout Mexico, numerous small eateries offer some of the tastiest and least expensive food in town

Mural Inside the Mercado Depicting Class Struggles

However, what makes this market stand out are the murals found at the entrances and on the second floor. Depicting scenes of class struggle and inequities, muralists from the 1920s, under the tutelage of Diego Rivera, practiced their trade and left a lasting and historically important picture of Mexican life. Unlike at the Palacio Nacional, you'll have these murals all to yourself as the locals go about their daily activities. Don't forget to try a chili rellano if you are there around lunchtime.

 

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Esquites & Elote: Street Food Treats

Esquites at The Mercado de Jamaica

On my wanderings through the unforgettable flower market in the Mercado de Jamaica, I treated myself to a cup of esquites to satisfy my hunger until lunchtime. This simple corn dish prepared with a hint of peppers and spices was perfect for taking the edge off a growling stomach (it had been a couple of hours since an early morning breakfast at Cafe El Popular). Esquites as well as elote, Mexican-style corn-on-the-cob, are common snacks found on street corners, markets, and parks. Elote seems a bit more popular. When positioned on a popsicle stick, this corn lathered in mayonnaise or crema mexicana, crumbled queso fresco, and chili pepper, is a most transportable snack. Kids and adults alike love this very available corn treat. Often cooked on small coal grills set up almost anywhere a crowd is, elote should also be part of your Mexican experience.

Elote Fresh from Casa Willy

 

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The Original Fast Food

Tortilla Machine Goin' Strong

What's commonplace to every Mexican boy and girl may appear intriguing to those of us less familiar with it. Yes, the relatively high speed tortilla machine! Of course, some restaurants still make their tortillas by hand, but much more common are the shops that sell warm, freshly made tortillas by the dozens. At particular times of the day, you're likely to see a line of people waiting patiently to get their daily batch of tortillas to take home. Pounds and pounds of masa have been prepared so as to have a nearly non-stop assembly line of this necessary ingredient at every meal. There's nothing better than a warm tortilla hot off the production line.

 

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Scenes From The Street 2

Just off Plaza Santo Domingo, these ladies are preparing some of the best quesadillas in the city. Although you can find street food nearly everywhere, one indication of its quality can simply be figured out by counting the number of people waiting in line to get it. At this spot, I treated myself to a killer mushroom and cheese quesadilla along with a refresco (a soda). Eating it right there, standing on the sidewalk, is a great way to start up a conversation with locals or other travelers. This particular food stand is always busy. A friendlier group of ladies loving what they do won't be found elsewhere. ¡Buen provecho!

 

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Coox Hanal

Folkloric Dancers at Coox Hanal

At 83 Avenida Isabel la Catolica, just a few blocks from the Zocalo, is one of my favorite restaurants in DF- Coox Hanal. What makes it a bit special is that it specializes in dishes from the Yucatan. From the street, one hardly notices the restaurant sign directing customers to its second floor location. However, once you're at the top of the stairs, you realize what a gem this eatery is. In addition to great Yucatec food, we were treated to an afternoon of traditional folkloric dancing. This isn't a tourist spot! When we were there, the restaurant was packed with local Chilangos.

Panuchos & Salbutes

As colorful and entertaining as the ambiance is, go there for the food! As I hadn't been there before, I asked our waitress to pick out four of their specialities that we all could share. Her recommendations were spot on! We started off with a plate of papadzules (tortillas rolled up with chopped egg, covered in a green pumpkin seed or pipian sauce). Delicious! I could easily have eaten a whole serving of these. We also tried the panuchos (tortillas with black beans and cochinita pibil).Our third starter were the salbutes, another Yucatec tostada covered with shreaded turkey, pickled onions and avocado. Finally, our large order of cochinita pibil came. The shreaded pork with tortillas was enough to feed two tables of people. All this was washed down with ice cold beer.

 

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Scenes From The Street 1

Wow, could that really be Carlos Santana? Unfortunately, no! While walking through the mercado in Coyoacan, this strolling musician, just making a living the best way he knew how, added to the market excitement and fun. Like so any street musicians, this local "character" serenaded shoppers and diners with catchy, up-beat canciones. While there, be sure to stop by Tostadas de Coyoacan for a lunch you'll be telling everyone about.

 

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Working From Home (Almost)!

Delivery To Your Front Door

Fresh mangos and avocados delivered to your doorstep in some cases! Whether it's in the city or in a smaller town, vendors selling fresh fruits and vegetables from the back of their trucks throughout the neighborhoods is a fairly common site. For as little as 10 pesos (less than $1US), one can buy a bag of ripe mangos. These guys even beat the nearly rock bottom produce prices you find in the mercados. But, they're always on the move so you have to catch them when you see them!

 

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The Mexican Market

Hardly any shopping experience will compare to that found at the local market. Fresh produce, dried peppers, and an array of exotic to typical products are to be found throughout. Although markets vary in size from the large Mercado Merced to the much smaller Mercado San Juan, they all draw local shoppers in for their daily needs. From the housewife to the professional chef, all can find what they need to prepare the tasty dishes Mexico is know for. Most market also offer a number of inexpensive eateries where one can have an excellent lunch.

Fresh Veggies To Die For!

Chicharron - A Mexican Favorite

Wall to Wall Peppers

 

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Ice Cream, Ice Cream, Who Wants Some Ice Cream?

San Jacinto Plaza

One of the wonderful things about visitings the parks and plazas is the rich array of things to eat. Who doesn't love ice cream? This vendor is selling a variety of flavors, all handmade. Vanilla and lime are familiar enough flavors, but queso (cheese) or Angel's Kiss. Be adventurous, get a scoop of two different ones you've never tried before. I'm a sucker for anything mango! But, tuna (not what you think) is also a killer flavor. More on that one later.

 

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Chopped!

Whether for your home or your business, any size chopping board can be found at this stall in the Mercado Merced. No matter what taco joint you pass in the city, you'll see all of them using these exact chopping boards/blocks to prepare the taco filling. Over time, as with any well used and seasoned utensil, these blocks become concave in shape due to nearly non-stop daily chopping of everything from beef to sausages to selected innards like tripe. Yum!

 

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Hey McDonalds, Come And Get Us!

 

Everyday images to the local shopper are often extraordinary experiences for the traveler. One of my favorite activities is to walk around the markets in Mexico. It's all so different from what we experience at home. Although the smells can be strong (not necessarily unpleasant), I particularly enjoy seeing the variety of meats and seafood available on a daily basis. This small market off Lopez Street and just steps from the larger Mercado San Juan, would be just the place I'd go on daily to get whatever I might need for dinner that evening. By US standards, fresh food is inexpensive and the variety is tremendous.

 

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Disco Is Still Alive!

This billboard is advertising several daylong music extravaganzas at the restaurant and dancehall La Terraza del Marquez. Admission is either free or no more than a reasonable $4US donation. Food in the form of botanas (snacks or small dishes like tapas) are available.

 

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