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Boquillas, Mexico

4/11/2014

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Jose Falcon's

It wasn't easy getting here, but it was well worth it!


The Crossing
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Americans and Mexicans have crossed the Rio Grande in this area of Big Bend National Park for decades.  The Texas communities near Big Bend have had a good relationship with the tiny village of Boquillas, across the river in Mexico.  But after 9/11, the border was firmly closed.


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Legal Crossing

Since April of 2013, tourists with passports have been allowed to cross the Rio Grande in Big Bend into Mexico by checking in at the new Boquillas Crossing Port of Entry Station.  In February, my husband and I had a chance to try out the new crossing. We arrived early morning and chatted with rangers before heading down to the river.  It was a beautiful morning and we could hear a couple voices from across the river, "Welcome to Mexico!"  Then we heard the voice of Victor, who is the official singing greeter for Boquillas. 

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Across

Carmello rowed us across the river.  We could have waded, but this was all part of the experience.  We also wanted to support the community with our 5 dollar tickets.




Yes to Burros!
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I was excited that Don was game for the burro experience.  It was only 3/4 mile to the village, but he's not a big fan of horsebackriding. Of course these weren't exactly horses. In fact I felt a little silly on mine, but it was fun!  Joel followed along, since the burros are a little out of practice. Many were set free when the border was closed and tourists were no longer coming across.

The Village
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We hadn't asked for a guide, but after tying up the burros and checking in with passports at the visitor center, Joel stayed with us as we wandered the village.  This was actually great because we were the first tourists that day and we wouldn't have known where to go. Joel pointed out the school, and the original bar of Boquillas. He took us inside the little yellow church and he greeted the only village doctor in front of an adobe hospital. Joel told us about 180 people were now living in the village, with only one landline phone and no electricity.  He pointed out a few solar panels and satellite dishes.  He pointed to the building that held the only phone in town.  He told us there was no electricity, only solar power

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Joel introduced us to some of the locals.  Many were selling crafts, from bedspreads to walking sticks.  We bought bracelets and wire animals from the children who approached and we bought a patchwork quilt from one family.

We brought along a silly collection of monkey socks from the US and these became handy gifts now and then. Some of the children were eager to pick out a pair.  Even some not so little kids liked the socks.


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The little town with its dusty main street never got more than a handful of American guests.  But after wandering for an hour through the unshaded area, it seemed like all the visitors ended up in the same place.

Lunchtime!
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It was time for a little food and Cerveza at Jose Falcon's.  Don and I had a couple beers and visited with a few other travelers from Connecticut, Michigan and  Colorado.                        Sitting on the shady terrace overlooking the spectacular Mexican mountain range, was the absolute highlight of our village visit.

When in Boquillas...
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The other diners on the terrace were pretty much like Don and me...in other words, not a Spring Break crowd!   So it was a little funny that we all decided it was important to sample the tequilas to complete our experience. "Only one!" Don and I agreed. "We have to be able to ride our burros back!"

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Our Meal

And here is the food that inspired a dining blog entry.  Obviously the food was just a tiny part of the whole experience.  But our simple and authentic beef tacos and chicken enchiladas were  mouth watering.  You will notice there is a small bear near the tacos.  He has his own blog and that's another story.

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Good Bye

Soon after lunch, we headed back on our  burros for the river.  There had been no charge for our "tour" with Joel, but we handed him a gracious tip. Even though he struggled with his English, he  made us feel comfortable and welcome.  Victor the singing greeter, got a tip as well. We so hope the Village of Boquillas continues to get generous tourists, to keep this tiny village alive.  If only the border between Mexico and the US could be like this everywhere!


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The Original Mexican Cafe

1/22/2014

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Galveston, Texas
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This wonderful café has been serving Mexican food on this corner since 1916!  It is the longest, continuously operating restaurant (at one location) on Galveston Island!

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By the Medical Center

The cute building sits on a corner, tucked into a neighborhood close to the Medical Center.   That means you are away from the tourists roaming around the seawall.  I love a place with locals...and med students.

Our Table
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I hurried to take a picture of the table before we covered it in food.  This is one of the original tables with hand painted flowers.  I wonder how many layers of shellac-like coating are on this table!

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Lunch Special!


Our meal arrived right at noon, as you can see by that illuminated clock on the wall!  Luckily we didn't wait long or I would have eaten even more chips and salsa!  I ordered the lunch special for $7.99 and my giant plate of spinach enchiladas verdes arrived piping hot.  Luckily I still had room, because it was delicious!

Food always tastes better to me when I'm surrounded by festive colors (walls and woodwork!) and a little history.  I found just the right person to fill me in on the cafe's past.




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Della

I met Della near the counter when I asked her if I could take a peek upstairs.  After I returned from my exploration  Della warmed up a bit and began to tell me about the 50 years she has spent working at the café.  She said the place has seen a few changes since she started working.  She didn't even know how many owners the café has had since she started in 1963.   She did however, clearly remember the table where she met her husband. "He used to come and sit at that table over there and have me wait on him."  After they married, she continued working, even when she was 9 months pregnant with her first child. "One day I just left work and went to the hospital and had my baby!" She laughed.


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As we headed out after our filling meal, Della told us to come back.  "Just remind me who you are!"  She laughed, telling us she had some medications that didn't help with her memory.  "I'm not here all the time, though."  She told us, "I've cut back to working just Monday through Friday."  I told her that didn't sound like cutting back!  We said good-bye just as a trio of young women, (med students probably) entered and greeted Della by name.   I was glad to see her pull up a chair and join the guests as we left!

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Mi Tierra in San Antonio

9/28/2013

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Always an Adventure in Dining!

Some may think it's a tourist trap, but I find it to be a guaranteed good time at Mi Tierra in San Antonio!  Every time we have visited this festive restaurant, exploding with music, color and flavors we have a good time.

Over 10 Years Ago
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I brought family to Mi Tierra's in 2000 and my mom was fairly giddy to meet a celebrity.  She didn't know who he was, but she noticed him wandering the crowded dining rooms followed by cameras and autograph seekers.  My mom was thrilled to pose for a photo.

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2002

In 2002, we returned with more family and absorbed more of the curious Mi Tierra vibe.  We were amused to find a colorful flute player in the bar, not far from a very large portrait of President Clinton...jogging.  ???

Mom's Mystery Man?
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On our return visit, we teased Mom about seeing her mystery man again.  I brought the photo we had taken in 2000, so we could finally inquire about the popular stranger.  I can't remember his name but we learned he was a well-known Telemundo TV star.  After Mom gathered a group of waiters to study the photograph with her, she was just as happy to pose with her 4 new friends as she had been with her TV star.  

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Last Weekend's Celebration

Last Saturday my husband and I joined our son and his girlfriend's family on a trip to San Antonio. This was their first visit to Texas, so we thought dinner at Mi Tierra would give them quite a festive taste of one of the many cultures that make up this state.  We hadn't done our homework or we would have known there was a weekend celebration going on in the Market area for Mexican Independence Day.  Outside the restaurant there were food vendors and musical stages, families with lawn chairs and lots of dancing!  Inside Mi Tierra, it was business as usual.  The restaurant never closes and the decorations never come down! 

Christmas!
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We didn't eat in this room, but I had to snap a photo of the fluttering silver décor, dripping from the ceiling and yes, those are Christmas trees surrounding the room.  Since they are open 24 hours here, I sure hope they give some of these lights a rest in the wee hours. I kind of like this photo because it captures a bit of the family atmosphere...a little laughing, smiling and a couple of siblings holding hands...or more likely...tugging playfully at each other.

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The People

You have to love a restaurant with a mural that makes the room seem twice as crowded as it is. (only a portion is showing in photo)  Our wonderful waiter Delmar pointed out many of the famous faces on the wall, including Pete Cortez, the very man who opened the 3- table restaurant with his wife back in 1941.

In this photo I love the way the people seated at the table blend into the wall.  Did they feel like they were being watched?

Music
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I've enjoyed the music of mariachis in many Mexican restaurants, but I've never enjoyed multiple groups of musicians at once. While our group of 3 performed, another group strummed and crooned across the room and yet another played in a nearby room.  The performers are not employed by the restaurant, so they're quite upfront about being paid.  When we requested Maleguena, the man in the sun glasses let us know that would be a $6.00 song.  The song requires pretty strong vocal chords to hold the long notes and they ended up earning much more than $6.00 from our table!  Bravo!!

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The Food?
I was so busy enjoying the atmosphere, I hardly expected to be delighted by my food.  You hardly expect good cuisine from a  24-hour restaurant that serves up to  500 people.  But my Poblano Dinner was incredibly good.  The pepper was stuffed with spicy beef and just the right amount of cheese.  The enchilada, rice, beans and guacamole may look like one big blob of color in my photo, but the flavors and textures were delicious and distinct. Ole' for my meal! 

Stuffed!
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No one had room for dessert.  We left feeling pretty stuffed...that's part of the Mi Tierra experience.  Stuffed from margaritas and chips and salsa and the meal. Even my brain felt stuffed from all the sights and sounds. There's no way you can absorb it all in one visit. 

Next time, I'll have to ask more about the shrine behind our table.  Delmar did confirm that the portrait was Selena, the famous singer who died too young.  And I needed no help identifying the Virgin Mary. But I'm going to ask about the framed portraits on display.  Are they members of the Cruz family, who still own the restaurant today?  Or family members who have died.  How could I have dined so close to this curious shrine with twinkly lights and a tiny skeleton and not have the full story!

Shame on me.  Next time...

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Hugo's 

8/29/2013

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Mexican Cuisine...with a Special Surprise!
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On Tuesday night I met my adventurous food friend Kristi for a unique dining experience in the Montrose area.  I love this classy restaurant housed in an 88 year old building, with the luxuries of valet parking and world class recipes created by Chef Hugo Ortega.   Kristi and I were eager to participate in Houston Restaurant Week, which supports the Houston Food Bank.  It was all about enjoying a delicious feast, not a dining blog write up.  Let 100 other bloggers write about Hugo's and I'll share about the places that don't usually get any attention. But... there was one curious dish that made me decide this outing was blog worthy.

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My Meal

It wasn't this platter of food that I'm talking about.  My achiote rubbed ribs and cemita, which is a classic Mexican sandwich of braised pork, guajillo pineapple sauce and mango pico de gallo...was excellent.  

Kristi's Meal
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It wasn't the Costilla de Borrego, wood-grilled rack of lamb in mole coloradito sauce.  It wasn't the very cute yam tamale either.  Although that was Kristi's favorite, even though it took a while before she realized eating the edible-looking green leaves was not a good idea.

Appetizers and Dessert?
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It wasn't the crisp potato tacos or the dried Ancho pepper stuffed with housemade chorizo. They were both yummy. (however the pepper was  pretty darn hot.)

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The chocolate crepes with mousse and black berries were mighty tasty.  And the corn flan with caramelized peaches was even tastier...but I still haven't gotten to the highlight!

It was this!
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This was actually the first thing we ate.  In truth, it is this dish that lured us to this dining night at Hugo's.  We look pretty excited...or maybe nervous about what we're tasting.

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Chapulines

We asked our server if she liked the pan-sautéed grasshoppers and she said no.  She did remind us that it came with guacamole and chipotle salsa, so we could munch on that if we decided we didn't like the little insects.  I was surprised at the salty, tangy flavor when I took my first bite.  In the bowl it looked like chopped mushrooms.  "Not bad!" I thought.  Then I put on my glasses and had a closer look.

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Oh Man!

That thing has legs...and some antennae!  We had a whole bowl of these tiny critters!  I'd say we did a pretty good job, but we didn't finish the bowl.

A more scientific look...
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I did have a moment of fretting when I felt a tiny leg perhaps, poking me far  back in the gums.  I shared this news with Kristi, since I wasn't sure how to gracefully remove it. Then I had a moment of relief when I realized all was good. "No problem." I told Kristi.  "I'm having my teeth cleaned tomorrow at 9!"  My grasshopper part finally came loose, but I did share the story
with my hygienist the next day.  I waited until she was done cleaning!


Yea for grasshopper dining!
 

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Mexican Breakfast

5/5/2013

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Seven Hours in Cozumel
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There are more Mexican restaurants in Houston than on the whole island of Cozumel, so I hardly need to travel for Mexican food.   But it's worth a trip (even if your cruise only allows 7 hours) just to have breakfast at La Choza!

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This was the 4th visit to Cozumel for my family and we had never tried a meal at this colorful café.  We hit the jackpot when we stumbled across La Chosa at about 8 am.

Good Way to Wake Up
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We look like we just rolled out of bed and we sort of did.  We woke early on the ship, threw on swimsuits and headed far into town away from the tourists.  We found the open doors of La Choza on the quiet Avenue 10.  We sat with our cinnamon spiced coffee and complimentary breakfast cookies enjoying the warm breeze passing through from the open patio.

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The Food!

Surrounded by colorful murals, plants, painted figures and bird songs from the garden, we dug into a feast that ordinarily would have made me crave a morning siesta.  But we by the time we finished we were all awake and fueled up and ready for a day of scuba and beach adventures.

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Migas

I have had migas many a time in Texas, but this to me was the best I've ever eaten.  Maybe I was just impressed that the tortilla strips didn't get soggy in the perfect mixture of scrambled eggs and bacon.  Maybe it was just the relaxed feeling of being in Cozumel before it gets busy and hot.  Perfecto!

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Music and Margaritas

I will mention one other place on the island, that is better known by tourists. Palmeras.  There's plenty of open air seating with a view of the water and there's always the musical entertainment of mariachis.  But, more memorable than food is the margarita experience.  Beware, they are strong.  I will say nothing more.

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July 11- Rosenberg's El Guadalajara with Don

9/2/2011

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I read that if you went to a different Mexican restaurant in Houston each week for 10 years, you would only be halfway through the list!?   Kind of silly to check Mexican off my list so soon with such options, but Don was eager to practice some Spanish before his trip to Guatemala.
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We searched in Rosenberg, (SW of Houston) on Avenue I for a restaurant we remembered from about 10 years ago.  We knew the menus were in Spanish and the Spanish speaking regulars would give us an authentic feel of being in Mexico.  But secretly we just hoped to have one more peek at the massive velvet painting we remembered  on the wall...a fine figure of Jesus blessing some semi trucks. 

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Sadly we found no velvet painting, but there were some curious wall murals.  And just as we hoped, we were surrounded by the Spanish language and Don got to converse with our very sweet server, Nelly who said she had been learning English for 2 years as compared to Don's 6 months of Spanish. 

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RATING TIME!
Okay, the food was nothing too special.  Authentic maybe...but I was so confused by the Asian style dinner plates I will have to give it a 2 out of 5 points.   Bonus points must be given for atmosphere and conversation!  1 for the colorful walls which included cartoons of an octopus.  The dining guests made us feel like we were spending a day in Mexico...2 points there!  But our chatty and pleasant server is what we will most remember from our visit, so 3 points for Nelly!    
8 POINTS FOR GUADALAJARA!!!!


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       The Dining Blog

    This is a blog about Dining Adventures. Sometimes, I talk about food.  Below, you can read how this started.


    On July 4th 2011, I set a goal to try 50 culturally diverse restaurants in one year!  I spent the year pulling in friends and family to  join me, on some unusual dining adventures.  I met some curious people, tried some scary foods and explored places and cultures I never would have otherwise.  Even though I met my goal, I learned too much to end my adventures in dining.  I have continued  blogging about  memorable dining adventures of all kinds, near and far... and all the discoveries and funny things I've learned  along the way!
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