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Mexican Food in Lakeside


Apachewoman

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Disclaimer: I have not had a meal this restaurant yet. Los Cinco Potrillos in Ixtlahuacan. Well reviewed on both boards, excellent home style Mexican food, very affordable. It was closed and or limping along for many years after a terrible disaster. The family were avid horse people, and own a lot of land in that area. Cinco potrillos were five horses, representing members of the family. There was a dispute with the cartel, some say over horses, some say over land, four family members were shot and killed, the youngest, an 8 year old boy at the time, was told that will come for him later. I don't know if the new manager is that boy, but he spent 15 years in the U.S. in pizza and Italian food business. He is building a pizza oven, it was supposed to be ready December 1. He is offering an over the top, gourmet new years eve dinner, with live music (Mariachis!) and DJ - but it is $50 U.S.

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The Gasolinera, at the original Pemex station. Still open, right? Some of the best and least expensive food, because it is simply Mexican... not some fancy place aimed at gringos and charging high prices for typical local food that should cost 2/3 less. Each day they have a special. There are a number of places dotted around our towns just like it. For example, Memo's pozoleria on Hidalgo.

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On 12/30/2018 at 1:48 PM, Kevin K said:

Thumb's up to everything already recommended and a few more choices here. Mario's in San Antonio and the cenadurias in Chapala are especially good. 

http://eatinglocalatlakeside.blogspot.com

Kevin, that's still a great overview of what's available to eat at Lakeside!  Even after several years, it's right on target.  The single exception I make is this, about El Zapote:

"...This is a great place to experience the full range of classic pre-Hispanic cuisine, from pozole to burritos cochinta pibil to sopes. Best carne en su jugo at Lakeside, wonderful pozole, superb handmade tortillas, and much more.  Clean, nice atmosphere, cheap prices. The first place to take out-of-town guests..."

Other than tortillas, the corn for pozole, and the chiles for pozole and salsas, nothing on that list is pre-Hispanic food.  Prior to the arrival of the Spanish, there were no domestic animals in what is now Mexico: no pigs to make cochinita, no beef to make carne en su jugo, no goats to make birria, no oil or other fat to fry sopes, and no chicken or lettuce to shred, and no cheese to crumble on top or cream to drizzle over them.  Pre-Hispanic food was cooked by roasting over a fire, by boiling, or by steaming.

I don't doubt that the food at El Zapote is as good as you say--but what you listed isn't pre-Hispanic.  

 

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  • 2 weeks later...
On 12/31/2018 at 5:06 PM, More Liana said:

Kevin, that's still a great overview of what's available to eat at Lakeside!  Even after several years, it's right on target.  The single exception I make is this, about El Zapote:

"...This is a great place to experience the full range of classic pre-Hispanic cuisine, from pozole to burritos cochinta pibil to sopes. Best carne en su jugo at Lakeside, wonderful pozole, superb handmade tortillas, and much more.  Clean, nice atmosphere, cheap prices. The first place to take out-of-town guests..."

Other than tortillas, the corn for pozole, and the chiles for pozole and salsas, nothing on that list is pre-Hispanic food.  Prior to the arrival of the Spanish, there were no domestic animals in what is now Mexico: no pigs to make cochinita, no beef to make carne en su jugo, no goats to make birria, no oil or other fat to fry sopes, and no chicken or lettuce to shred, and no cheese to crumble on top or cream to drizzle over them.  Pre-Hispanic food was cooked by roasting over a fire, by boiling, or by steaming.

I don't doubt that the food at El Zapote is as good as you say--but what you listed isn't pre-Hispanic.  

 

Thank-you as always More Liana for the education. I actually did know that but lazily repeated the pre-Hispanic characterization of the food from another Lakeside author. I corrected the mistake on the blog post .

I look forward to a return visit to El Zapote, though I must say El Rinconito is just as enjoyable. To have two places that good just kitty corner from one another and the plaza restaurants AND Cenaduria Elba just a stone's throw away made living in Chapala centro pretty amazing. I miss it everyday. 

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On 12/31/2018 at 6:06 PM, More Liana said:

Pre-Hispanic food was cooked by roasting over a fire, by boiling, or by steaming.

 

I was shocked when I found out that corn was not the main staple in their diet.

"Known to the Aztecs as huāuhtli, amaranth is thought to have represented up to 80% of their energy consumption before the Spanish conquest."

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Amaranth

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All the mexican restaurants I know of are Hispanic influenced so a discussion of prehispanic is just that a discussion.  I have found the Mexican restaurants in Mexico are heavily influenced by their location. Just like in the states where each region has its own distinct food culinary tastes the regions of Mexico have their own distinct preparation and food likes and dislikes.  I have found some so seasoned I couldn't eat it and others so bland it was tasteless.   So if we say we ate Mexican food in Chapala it would not be the same in Vera Cruz or other areas of Mexico.  

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Good point, and no argument there, but I don't think it really matters. No one is talking about consistency across the nation. Heck, we can't get consistency lakeside. I'd challenge anyone to even consider saying "Canadian food" across Canada (even if you have eaten on a nihi`wawinCree reservation.

On the other hand, I do mention the location when I get specific to restaurants when I'm travelling. Even in China, there are so many variations among and within regions. So I have to assume the OP is talking about "around here".

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