2013-04-09 10:30:12-04
Wandering Earl 
Food plays a major role during my travels. I really enjoy my food, simple as that. And I look forward, each and every day, to the meals that await me wherever I may be. During my recent trip to Mexico, the situation was no different, especially considering how fond I am of the cuisine. I really do love to eat in Mexico and my excitement about the food is only rivaled by my excitement about eating Indian food in India. So, I absolutely could not wait to eat at some of my favorite restaurants, to dig into some of my favorite dishes and to pay a visit to some of my favorite food markets during my travels to Mexico this time around. It should also come as no surprise that, by the time the trip was over, I left Mexico more than satisfied, as usual, with the diverse culinary experiences I had throughout my stay. So what did I eat exactly? What are my favorite Mexican dishes? Here we go… I stuffed my face with plenty of Alambres de Pollo, a mix of vegetables, chicken and cheese that I used to create my own tacos… 
…devoured a few plates of Enchiladas… 
…ate a massive Vegetarian Tlayuda, a crispy tortilla about 12 inches / 30 cms in diameter, topped with beans, cheese and vegetables such as yummy flor de calabaza (squash blossoms)… 
…sampled a delicious Dzoto Bichay, a Mayan dish consisting of a chaya tamale topped with some kind of odd, yet tasty, dirt-like topping (chaya is a leafy vegetable similar to collard greens)… 
…filled my belly with plenty of Tortas Grandes (large sandwiches), and while this might not seem too exciting, believe me when I say that Mexicans know how to prepare an excellent sandwich… 
…giggled with happiness whenever I came across a perfectly made Huarache, an elongated, thick tortilla covered with all sorts of goodies… 
…cried tears of joy as I slurped up bowlful after bowlful of Sopa Azteca, a nice simple broth loaded up with chicken, avocado, cheese, tortilla strips and some chile… 
…repeatedly thanked whoever it is that first created Mole, which is now an incredible variety of flavorful sauces usually made from a combination of over 20 ingredients… 
…gave even more thanks to whoever came up with Mole Colorado (red mole) as that is one dish I could eat every single day and never get tired of… 
Those are my favorite dishes. And now I want to eat Mexican food. But I won’t because I know that I’ll most likely end up quite disappointed. The fact is, like with other foods, no matter where you may live, you just can’t find a tlayuda, mole colorado, sopa azteca, enchiladas or alambre that will even come close to what is served at a local joint in towns and cities across Mexico. Restaruant Recommendations in MexicoHere’s where we ate during the trip (these are the places I highly recommend): Playa del Carmen – La Cueva del Chango, El Fogon, Dona Mary’s Loncheria
Valladolid – Food market in the main plaza, Conato Restaurant
Izamal – Los Mestizos
Palenque – Las Tinajas
San Cristobal de las Casas – Emiliano’s, El Meson del Taco, local food market
Oaxaca – La Casa de la Abuela, 20 de Noviembre Food Market (a must-visit place!) Are you as big a fan of Mexican food as I am? Any other favorite dishes?
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