Real Mexican Tacos

I don't really feel like working today, and don't really have anything pressing to do. I guess I should be reading about SQL Server, but I'm not. Instead I'm wasting time on here, just babbling.

If you ever get the chance to eat real Mexican tacos, I highly suggest it. What do I mean by real Mexican tacos? Well, for those that don't know. Like Chinese food, what Americans refer to as "Mexican" isn't actually Mexican. Instead it's usually Tex-Mex, an American version of Mexican.

There's a place in Woodbridge that serves authentic Mexican food, including great tacos. According to the coworker who turned me onto this place, they started out as a Mexican grocery store that happened to make tacos in the back for the local Mexican immigrants who wanted a taste of home. They became so popular that they eventually opened up a full restaurant.

So how authentic is this place? The TV is on the Spanish channel and the menu is in Spanish. The main menu has English translations under the Spanish. The daily menu for the tacos (what kind of tacos they have changes from day to day) is just written in Spanish on a chalkboard. If you don't speak Spanish, you can ask the guy at the register to translate for you.

I only go with the co-worker that I mentioned. He speaks enough Spanish to get by in there. About all I can do is count to a hundred and I know the name of a few tacos that I really enjoy. Its an interesting experience. With the exception of two or three times that I've been in there, I've been the only non-Latino in the place. And everyone is speaking a language I don't know. You get a real feeling of what life is like for immigrants in this country. But, it's a really nice place. Good simple food that fills you up in a healthy way.

I was thinking today, while we ate there, about the fact that the restaurant doesn't go out of it's way to be friendly to non-Latinos. Don't get me wrong; the people are always nice and understanding for customers who don't speak Spanish. I mean things like the menus being in Spanish, and things like that. Is there anything wrong with this, I thought? It isn't terribly inclusive of everyone. But, then again, for people who are not from this country, and are looking for a little place to remind them of home, it's probably a welcome site. So, I figure it is a good thing that its set up as it is. Some of their customers live in a culture where they are outsiders. They may not speak the language well, and may not be completely familiar with the customs. This is a little spot where the rolls are reversed. Where they know what's going on, and I'm the outsider. And I, personally, don't think it's a bad thing for them to have that in their lives.

Plus, they make great tacos.

Posted by Matt at September 15, 2003 02:27 PM