The Mango Lassie

Never before has the difference between authentic Mexican food and Mexican food made for gringos been more apparent to me. I attribute this to the growing availability, especially in Chicago, of Mexican food made by Mexican people for the enjoyment of their fellow Mexicans.

Empanada Boy and I live in Ravenswood, a neighborhood that is heavily populated by immigrants from Mexico, so we are lucky enough to have some of the best restaurants and grocery stores in the city just steps from our doorstep. Erick’s Tacos is our favorite taqueria, and it is literally across the street from our house. EB sometimes looks out the window and dreams of his favorite chorizo tacos. These are made with very crisply cooked meat, which gives them an amazing texture. Other favorites include the succulent al pastor and the tasty carne asada. To top it off, it’s BYOB!

Sometimes we take our easy access to simple, cheap and delicious Mexican food for granted. We realized this when we crossed the border from Tucson into Nogales, Mexico with EB’s parents, sister and brother-in-law. Both of us were eager to try some Mexican flavors not readily available on the U.S. side of the border. But despite the fact that we were in the very country whose cuisine we sought, it proved surprisingly difficult to find a restaurant that didn’t serve bland, food made with gringos in mind.

We ended up eating at a place called La Hacienda del Caballo Rojo, which was packed with American tourists looking for something familiar. There were chips and margaritas, just like back in Arizona. The food was boring and under-spiced without distinctive flair. EB and I shared the chiles rellenos, which tasted so much of their fried casings (and little else), that I only ate a few bites. We also shared a huge bowl of pozole, a Mexican stew made with pork and hominy and garnished with cabbage and radishes. Although still fairly ho-hum, the pozole was the only dish on the table that I would consider ordering again.

The experience at La Hacienda del Caballo Rojo provided an interesting juxtaposition with the food available in our my neighborhood in Chicago. It felt strange to have to leave the country to reinforce the quality and affordability of a place like Erick’s.

A little stand selling ribs, just a few blocks away from La Hacienda in Nogales served as another interesting point of comparison. The owner had a small tent with tables set up behind his open air grill, which faced the sidewalk. Huge beef ribs were cooking away, along with beautiful, fresh green and white onions.

It was the smell and site of that grill that first drew our attention to the stand as we passed by before lunch. Croque Monsieur, who has the metabolism of the gods, decided to stop for a pre-lunch snack. He got his rib and administered some of the beautiful array of sauces and other condiments available next to the grill. EB and I gladly volunteered to sample the meat. It was tender and fatty with a ton of flavor, and the sauces were spicy, fresh and lively.

EB, Croque Monsieur and I would have happily advocated sitting down at one of the tables and eating our fill of ribs for lunch, but EB’s parents, Tofutti Cutie and Popover, weren’t quite up for the adventure.

As for EB and myself, we now know that our adventures in search of the high quality, authentic, Mexican flavors we love need not take us quite so far from Chicago. Of course, we’re still eager to travel further into the heart of the real Mexico for more true and unique flavors. But next time we want real Mexican food, EB and I will probably cross the street before we cross the border.

Erick’s Tacos
1969 W. Lawrence Ave
Chicago, IL 60640
773.334.6920

La Hacienda del Caballo Rojo
Just across the border
Nogales, Sonora, Mexico

Ribs Stand
Just across the border
Nogales, Sonora, Mexico