Finding The Right Taco

Moving to a new place is kind of refreshing, you have the chance to choose from a wide color palette all the combinations to make that place your own; but moving into a new city is a complete different story.

I recently moved to the very south of Mexico, not the “last frontier”, but indeed a frontier. A cultural mix between native and ultra-modern Mexico; a place where you can be whoever you want – or even create tailor made new persona – and get away with practically everything. The place: CANCUN.

Best known for its archaeological zones, among those very educated and cultured circles (lovers of the ancient monuments and such), its crazy-intense nightlife and of course the bluest of seas.

If you’re here on vacation, you probably know by now that it’s expensive, that you can find many products from outside the country (specially brought to the North American market, in most cases) and that fun or beyond is pretty much guaranteed!

If you were born here, then you also know that you’ll live and breathe basically the word “Hotel” and related terms as a part of a daily basis routine.

But if you intend to live here and you’re form another part of Mexico, I’m sure you are familiar with the term “Living here is a pain-in-the-ass” – literally. I mean, this is Mexican land, but from time to time it feels like… nobody’s land…

Finding a job is easy, even with this ultra-rough economy; no matter where you’re from, here in Cancun there’s a place for everybody! It matters like A LOT that you speak English, since this is a vacation destination targeted to foreign tourism, it comes as no surprise finding lots of Starbucks, maybe a T-Mobile distributor and a Mc Donald’s on every corner… so to speak!

Well, I’m a very good eater, not one with the most sophisticated palate but indeed with a wide variety of well-known flavors stored on my tongue’s chip, so this puts me in a place where I can (sort of) judge what’s on the table for us to be treated with. And this city is the place to start with the bashing!

I’m from Puebla, located right downside Mexico City, it’s a place known (and very recognized) for its GREAT traditional dishes. Up there, if you really want to get rich, you better start selling tacos on a little “puestecito”!

Food industry, home-made style specially, brings a huge profit to Mexican pockets and puts the whole country on the map of “who-is-who” in terms of cuisines. We can brag about it because it has EVERYTHING to offer, from the extravagant Mole Poblano, to the exuberant Chiles En Nogada or simply – but basic – just about anything that can be wrapped in a Taco… That’s kind of like a whole Mexican motto: “If you can put it into a Taco, then you can eat it” and actually, you can!

So my quest during my first days living here has been “Finding The Right Taco”; not just any taco… I mean THE TACO! This means probably as much to me as it does for women to find a perfect dress any day of the week, so go figure…

It’s not that I’m super picky, but back home, tacos are HUGE and cheap! For less than a dollar, you can have one half-a-pound delicious and greasy “Taco de Carnitas con Cueritos” – Are you familiar with that name?- and believe me, I’ve put that to the test once or twice and if you add the classic  “Salsa Verde o Roja con Verdura” (yep, that really strong-flavored-hand-scenting mix of chopped onion and coriander)  the weight of your taco might go up over 350 grams for JUST ONE TAQUITO… Some sort of “One-Dollar Monster Tacote”.

Let’s not forget our world-famous Quesadillas. Those, again, back in town, are ALWAYS with cheese. It’s a fun fact that in many Mexican cities, a Quesadilla doesn’t have its essence, I mean, what gives the name actually: Cheese, in many different shapes and textures… But down here comes with an exception, since Quesadillas are often “cheeseless”… That has to be something like an angel without wings, don’t you think?

Tacos and Cheese meet for one extraordinary creation of traditional Mexican cooking: La Gringa!
“Gringa”, for those who don’t know, means “American Chic.. or Girl…” got it? And the term compares this dish with a really-hot-american-chic… I mean, with a GREAT RACK! So this type of Quesadilla + Taco (because it has a double layer tortilla with everything that you can put inside and lots and lots of melted cheese) is very popular at all those tacos’ stands or restaurants (probably you’ve tried one already) but what’s disappointing here is that these Gringas are not as lush and exuberant as the ones I’ve tried before… These are more like the kind of anorexic-with-few-rack-kinda-girls… So it has become a real adventure to try as many Gringas as possible, in hopes of finding the one that I can call my pretty-not-so-little-cubby-one! Cuz hell, I like ‘em big!

So, it hasn’t been easy to find great tasty food down here as I normally would at the heart of Mexico; maybe it’s me that I’m just getting used to new grounds and It’s getting harder by the day as I’m starting to miss a nice and affordable dinner (something you’re never going to find practically nowhere in Cancun) or maybe it’s the restaurants or little street stands that have never gone out of this town and discover that well-served portions of food are actually true on many cities around Mexico… or maybe it’s just that the right place has not crossed my way and I’m eager for that to happen…

:: TASP — HPPY50th … Let’s rock this town ::