The
Casual
Restaurant Critic
You
might agree or disagree with my opinions, but that's life, isn't it? And
no, I get no commissions or kickbacks from any of the places favorably
reviewed - I do this entirely for my own amusement and your information.
El Gran Taco - Let's Look at Some of Those Popular
Taco Joints...and Why are They More Successful Than the Panucherias???
Mexico City (D.F.) style tacos places
are everywhere in Merida and have replaced the traditional and Yucatecan
panucherias
as the places to hang out with the gang, meet after work, movies or before
heading out to dance the night away at Kalia. 20 years ago there weren't
any taquerias in Merida - now they're all over the place.
It isn't because they are any better
food-wise than the traditional places where you can get a caldo
(turkey broth), panuchos, salbutes and other Yucatecan goodies.
The Yucatecan purists pull their hair and wail about the traditional food
dying out and no-one eats panuchos anymore and it's all Burger King's fault
and the culinary fast food imperialism is taking over blah blah blah...
In my humble opinion, taquerias
are so popular for a couple of reasons:
Location, location, location -
Any businessman will tell you that a business' success depends on that
primary factor that anyone who studied business administration learns:
location. The most successful taquerias are located along very visible
traffic arteries, whereas the panucherias are still tucked away
in out of the way colonias.
Sign - A Texan businessman once
told me that the two most important things for any business are location
and saaaaaaaan. I asked for clarification on that last one and I finally
understood that he meant 'sign'. Look at the bright neon signs on those
taquerias.
Now look at the signs on the panucherias. You'll be lucky if you
find one.
Ambience - Most taco places have
the pastor guy carving those tacos right there, the tortilla ladies
making fresh tortillas over a small open fire right there on the floor,
and there's lights and music, real tables and chairs and little 'rusticos'
salsa bowls and and and and. What ambience will you find at a panucheria?
White unattractive flourescent bare tube lighting, bathroom tiles throughout,
plastic chairs, plastic tables, plastic salsa bowls with a plastic spoon
and, well you get the picture.
Suggestion for the whining Yucatecan
food purists:
Get those panucherias onto
the main streets, dress 'em up, put in some music, get some good waiters,
serve some drinks and you should see an immediate improvement, because
as far the food goes, a well-made salbute or panucho is far
superior to a greasy taco al pastor any day of the week. And stop
whining. If you want to compete, you have to get with the program. You
can't remain solidly locked into that 1963 mentality and expect to compete
in the 90's. If no one does this, yes it's possible that panuchos
will soon be a part of local folklore, as in something your grandparents
used to eat.
On to the tacos...today the Critic
looks at three of the biggest ones; all serve basically the same food:
Tacos
al Pastor, which are pork/beef (even chicken) previously marinated
and then roasted gyro style on a rotating vertical spit. Topped by a roasting
pineapple, these little guys are cheap and filling and very fatty for all
those cholesterol freaks out there. Tacos of other meat, including chuleta
de puerco, (pork cutlet), chuleta ahumada (smoked cutlet), quesos
fundidos (melted cheeses with stuff in 'em), everyone's favorite: guacamole,
bean soup called frijoles charros, steaks, a salad or two and all
have a full service bar. Music is usually rock or popular stuff from the
current playlists.
Las Jirafas
Las Jirafas is a taco place on Montejo
across from the new Audi dealership and a few steps from the Monumento
a la Bandera or Patria. This place used to be the Critic's favorite,
and probably still is, in spite of all the other taco places more conveniently
located along the Montejo avenue. The beans here are the best of the three,
and you should probably try their Chicharron de Queso, a large thin
piece of cheese deep fried until it's crisp. Fatty but quite tasty. Service
is the best of the three as well. Music is OK. Business is a little slow
lately since the other places to the north expanded. They have a sister
operation called El Payaso,
which is a little out of the way for visitors but if you ask, anyone should
be able to direct you there.
La Tablita
Close to the Gran Plaza, across almost,
from Rodizio and near the new Chevrolet dealership. This place has decent
enough food but consistently bad service - I know of people that have walked
out after asking for the bill that never arrived, and others that have
left the restaurant after being ignored for a rather lengthy period of
time. The music here is the best, all 60's and 70's rock, but if you can't
get any food, what's the point? They have an air-conditioned 'piano bar'
that gives new meaning to the term...
La Parrilla
Formerly located directly across the
street from Las Jirafas, this place was hurting due to the excellent service
and food at the latter. So they closed, and moved to a more northerly location
on Montejo, by the bank formerly called Union, or Confia or whatever it
is this week. It's Calle 17, for those who can find their way around.
Service here is spotty, leaning towards the unfriendly with occasional
rudeness thrown in. Their Sunday buffets are popular but the food, while
abundant, is quite awful. Sin embargo, locals love it and it's always
full at night especially Fridays and Saturdays.
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