San Miguel de Allende is known for it's restaurants and food. As a result, Rick and I have awesome culinary experiences most days of the week (and it's a good thing that we do so much walking).
We've established a pattern of eating out once a day, whether it's for breakfast, lunch or an early dinner (we prefer not to eat late). Choosing the restaurant, walking there, ordering our food from the often Spanish-only menu and then receiving and consuming our selection is often quite the adventure.
Yesterday we went to an excellent early morning Mexican culture presentation done by Warren Hardy, the gentleman who founded the language school I attend. Our plan was to have brunch afterwards, and I used my "Insider's Guide to San Miguel" guidebook to find a restaurant that we hadn't tried yet.
San Agustín Café, directly across the street from San Francisco Church and owned by Margarita Gralia (a well known film & TV star from Argentina), had an interesting decor. While one wall featured a huge painting of Saint Augustine being attended by a plump, blonde little cherub, the rest of the walls were papered with photos and posters (including a Playboy cover) of Margarita. (Raised eyebrow!) Definitely a unique and memorable interior.
Ordering was an adventure as the menu, quite extensive, was in Spanish. Knowing I could have bacon and eggs at home (Rick makes the tastiest, crispest bacon I've ever had), I decided to take a chance and order Chilliquilles con Pollo, a dish that I knew nothing about. My method of choosing this was based on the fact that it was on the Desayuno (breakfast) menu, it had chicken (pollo) in it, and it was a mid-to-higher-priced item (which made me hope that it was a significant amount of food - I was really hungry).When our server inquired (in Spanish) whether I'd prefer salsa vérde o rójo (green or red salsa), I decided to be daring and go with the green. What the heck?
I was delighted with the presentation that was ultimately set before me. The left quarter of this oblong dish contained refried beans, topped with a few tortilla chips around the perimeter. Nicely done. The other 3/4 of the plate contained a mixture of salsa, cheese and chicken (and probably a few other things), wrapped in a light flour tortilla, and then covered with yet more salsa and sour cream. Yum!!!
However, my first bite was a bit of culture shock. Aye chihuahua, that was hot!!!! Maybe I should have ordered salsa rójo instead? Good thing I had some bottled water by my side. Rick assured me that my taste buds would acclimate after just a few bites. And acclimate they did. I ended up savoring every morsel of this very tasty gastronomic delight. Another 4 star meal in San Miguel!
Some of the other dishes that stand out for me on this trip are: the Hamburguesa Méxicana at Oliver's Burgers and Steaks; the delicately seasoned and extremely tender Arracherra Steak at Casa Payo; the fish tacos at La Palapa; the Bruchetta (beef kabob) at La Pegaso; the Huevos Revueltas con Napoles (scrambled eggs with cactus leaves) at Cafe del Sol; the Sopa de Azteca (chicken and tortilla soup) at Hecho en México; the Sopa de Frijole (light, creamy bean soup) at El Tomato; and the Ensalada Jicama y Zanahoria (jicama and carrot slaw) at Nutriva. Rick had a bowl of Borscht (beet soup) at this same healthy food restaurant, and he later told the wait staff that it was every bit as good as any Borscht he was served while in Russia. Quite the compliment!!
Although we thoroughly enjoy the authentic Mexican dishes we're so readily able to get, we're also aware that we can choose a different ethnic meal any time we want. There's a Lebanese place down the street that we intend to go to at some point in time, a couple of Chinese restaurants that we haven't tried, and Mama Mia's, our favorite Italian restaurant. There's also German, Argentinian and Asian fusion places available, as well as other selections that I'm sure I'm not remembering at the moment. The point is, there's something in San Miguel for everyone. The only decision to make is, "What do I feel like eating today?"
Before I wrap up this blog, I'd like to rave about El Maple, a small Panadería (bakery) located down the street about a half mile. Every other morning I trot down there to pick up a loaf of their freshly baked multigrain bread. The other day I also purchased a small focaccia pizza, which was wonderful. Although there are lots of bakeries in San Miguel, we feel blessed to have this one so close to us.
If you haven't eaten in the past few hours, my guess is that this blog has gotten your taste buds working overtime. Maybe you've developed a craving for Mexican or another ethnic food. Whatever it may be, allow yourself to indulge. ¡Buen Provecho!
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