Taco Bell Eat Your Heart Out!

Last night after he was done at the office, my friend Alejandro came to my apartment, and we went out for some supper.  It was my first night back in Mexico City, and it was a lovely evening  with warm temperatures.  I was reveling in the fact that I was walking around after dark without a jacket.  Winter may be over in Ohio (knock on wood), but we have not yet reached "shirt-sleeve weather".  We walked some distance through the pleasant neighborhood of Condesa, and went to a little "taquería" (taco restaurant) that we had visited a couple years ago.  The place is called "El Kaliman", and it is located just a block from the original location of "El Tizoncito", one of the country's most famous taco chains.  "El Kaliman" is independently owned, and we like it better than "El Tizoncito".   (But they are both incomparably better than our Taco Bell!)

We shared an order of "alambre"... a plate heaped with chopped beef, pork, bacon, onions and peppers.  It is served with a stack of soft corn tortillas for making your own tacos.  There are a variety of salsas on the table, as well as fresh limes, to flavor your taco to taste.  

We also ordered a serving of "frijoles charros"... a soupy dish of pinto beans stewed with onions, garlic and bacon.

It was not a fancy, gourmet supper, but it was very tasty and satisfying.  I asked Alejandro if there is an equivalent in Spanish to our expression "comfort food".  He didn't know of any, but I would definitely say that the simple fare of "El Kaliman" is Mexican "comfort food"!

Oh, and our total bill for the two of us, including beverage, was 189 pesos... about $12 US!