Lunch at the Mall... And a Homework Assignment

After my ride on the new Metrobus route, I took refuge from an afternoon rain shower in the Reforma 222 Shopping Mall.  There I had lunch / afternoon dinner at "El Bajío", a chain of restaurants that specializes in traditional Mexican cooking.

I began my meal with what is known as a "sopa seca"... a dry soup... a rice or pasta dish.  I ordered the "fideos al chipotle".

"Fideos" are similar to vermicelli, but cut into smaller pieces.  The noodles are cooked in a tomato sauce flavored with chipotle.  The dish is garnished with avocado, cheese and "crema".  It is my favorite dry soup.

For my main course I ordered chicken breast with "mole almendrado"... a sauce flavored with almonds.

Both dishes were excellent.

I was seated at one of the tables in the mall rather than inside the restaurant.  As I was finishing my meal I noticed a young fellow who was looking at me.  He would turn away and then look at me again.  Finally he approached me and timidly asked if we could talk in English for three minutes.  He was a high school student, and this was an assignment from his English teacher.  The students were supposed to find someone who was a native English speaker and have a short conversation with that person.  He asked me where I was from and why I was in Mexico.  He didn't understand everything I said, and I had to translate a few words to Spanish.  For example, he didn't understand "retired" when I said that "I am a retired Spanish teacher."

As a former language teacher, I was more than happy to help the guy out with his assignment.