This week, street and
market eats are as good as it gets!
We found everything
from delicious coconut water to keep you looking ageless to Mixiotes, little
lamb bundles that are cooked overnight in the ground with spices and are the
next best thing to your mother's pot roast dinner.
There are street
stands that give you some of the best eats in San Miguel along with a lot of
sustainable and organic food options at markets like the Saturday Organic
Market. Go early as much of the prime produce is sold in the morning. I know
people who are there when it opens. Me? I'm still waking up to my first cup of
coffee and a table full of strangers I am about to meet.
Next week? Part III:
Let's Eat San Miguel: Savory Bites For Under 100 pesos. A lot of restaurants
made the cut and in some cases, we even went home with change.
Buen Apetito!
El Pato
Calzada de la Estacion 175
In a little palapa
near Bodega Aurrera, this "street" restaurant serves up one of the
best dishes in San Miguel.
Mixiotes is a
specialty dish from Hidalgo where owner Jose Luis hails from. The bundle of
lamb is cooked in broth and spices and has such a rich taste that even I
wouldn’t try to duplicate it. Jose Luis cooks it underground overnight and also
never buys a lamb that is over 6 months old so the food is consistently rich
and sweet.
This feed prices out
at 50 pesos. My go-to place when I'm craving comfort food.
Plenty of parking and
you can also do take out.
Coconut Water
Corner of Canal and Hernandez Macias
Did you know that
Coconut water has fewer calories, less sodium and more potassium than most
sports drinks? It's an excellent low-fat, low-sugar source of nourishment.
Coconut water has significant
anti-aging properties which helps to minimize skin aging.
That's why this little
cart is a frequent morning stop for me. Honestly, I've noticed a huge
difference in my skin since I started drinking it. 15-25 pesos depending on
size
Chucho's Gyros
Below Ten Ten Pie on Sterling Dickenson
They serve up a good
Chicago style Gyros and now a great Chicago Hot Dog. I went today and they
finally added the few additional ingredients to make it more authentic.
The hot dogs are a bit
small but really have a delicious flavor.
I can't believe I ate
two. 35 pesos each.
85 Insurgentes
This is the best
little taco cart in San Miguel. PM only. Lots of regulars so expect to dine
standing, especially if you show up later.
Don't miss the Tacos Al
Pastor. Only thing missing is the bits of pineapple. 9 pesos each.
Andy's biggest fan
base? The large group of hungry Americans and Canadians who frequent the cart
each weekend.
Corn Stand
Mesones y Juarez
Just like Maxwell
Street Market in Chicago, the yellow corn is sweet and dressed with mayo,
cheese and chili. 17 pesos.
I was short on change
the other day and she told me to come back to pay her the two pesos whenever I
had the time.
Isn't this the type of
business you want to support in San Miguel?
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Jardin Square
I love this little
stand where the husband and wife team greet you like a regular customer... even
when they know you're new in town.
Thin burger but loaded
with fresh condiments and topped with a slice of ham.
Good place to grab a
quick bite if something is going on in the Jardin which is most of the time. PM
only. 40 pesos.
Camaronicto
Hidalgo and Calzada de Luz
The kitchen? A taco
cart parked in the front of the room.
The lines?
Ridiculously long on Sunday.
The fun food on the
menu? This ball glass of beer surrounded with mini shrimp.
30 or 50 pesos
depending on the size.
Leo " The Vegetable Guy"
Salida a Celaya 43 - in front of El Maple
The sweetest deal in
town? An oversized bag of strawberries for just 20 pesos. Also really good over
a huge bowl of Ambrosia Vanilla Ice Cream or in a morning smoothie.
Leo's produce changes
daily so swing by when you're in the market for the freshest produce in town.
Today, I saw the
largest blackberries I've ever seen. All of the produce looks like it was just
picked that morning.
His cherry tomatoes
are always beautifully ripe and can be popped as another healthy and delicious
snack.
La Michoacana
I crave Paletas in the summer and this summer is no
exception.
Menus differ by
location, but most carry a range of aguas frescas (refreshing waters made with
fresh fruit), paletas (popsicles) with fruit, and, of course, ice cream,
including some that are novel flavors and made with Rose Petals, Elote, Mezcal
or Tequila. 17 pesos.
French Chef Isabelle Ortega
Saturday Organic Market
Isabelle’s pies are
authentically French and C'est Delicieux!
Try a little Dessert
Quiche. I eat it slowly to savor every delicious bite.
Sollano 11
28 pesos get's you the
best Chiapas brew around.
I take it to the
Jardin to mix with the early birds and watch the world go by. You might even
make the live WebCam.
Did you know that some
of the most interesting people in San Miguel get up early? You should try it
sometime.
Atole Stand
Saturday Organic Market
I wasn't crazy about
this drink the first time I had it but it's slowly growing on me…slowly.
Atole should be creamy
with no lumps and can be as thick as porridge. That's the part that got me.
It's a lot like drinking hot, runny pudding. In fact, some people drink it as a
complete meal at breakfast. 15 pesos.
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Insurgentes down the street from Sammy's Market
Everyone's got their
own favorite chicken place. Mine is on Insurgentes down the street from Samy's Market and comes as a meal with peppers and
potatoes. They split theirs in half so it's cooked well all the way through.
I got one and shredded
it off the bone then mixed in with a little mayo, pickle relish, onion, and
small shell pasta. Load on the cashews and you have a really good and easy
chicken salad.
Saturday Organic Market
Ancha de San Antonio and Cardo
No matter which stand
you go to there is a wide variety of eats that will keep you coming back every Saturday
morning for both the food and the social offerings. In fact, I have met more
people at the Saturday Organic Market than any other place in San Miguel. It's the
social mecca of San Miguel.
You can be easy on
yourself and go to the Panaderia La Buena Vida stand and get a few of the most
delicious doughnuts you've ever eaten (what is it they do to make them
'fluffy'?) or be daring and try something new.
As you've guessed by now,
I'll go with the daring...except I do love those doughnuts.
Salon Los Pinos, Real Salida a Queretaro #145
It's amazing to see
all of the delicious food options at La Pulga. From a seafood-laden Paella to
spiced apples that are baked in tiny purses of dough, we love them all.
You can also grab a
beer to wander the aisles and browse all the good buys.
Some new distillers
may also show up and easily convince you to buy a bottle of their small batch
whiskey. Go for it.
Independencia just north of Canal
Although not as wide
of a selection as some of the other markets, it's worth the wander just to see
the interesting spots to eat and buy local foods.
This market is
frequented by Mexicans although I noticed that both gringos and tourists are
showing up in larger numbers and actually trying some of the market eats.
Plaza San Francisco
This market is where
locals and gringos do their day-to-day shopping for fresh-from-the-farm
produce. Yes, my vendor in the market gets his produce so fresh that it's often
picked the day before. So much better than what's been put through the distribution
chain at the supermarket.
There is also a small
section of food stalls where they serve up fresh moles, salsas and sauces over
anything you happen to be hungry for that day.
Go early when
everything is at its peak freshness.
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