Eating at a "Popular" Place

After my not-so-exciting visit to the Perfume Museum on Thursday, I then went for lunch at a place that I had read about.  In the heart of the Historic Center of Mexico City, on Cinco de Mayo Avenue, is a restaurant called Café el Popular.  It's been here since 1948, it's open 24 hours a day, and it's like a North American diner... if that diner served traditional Mexican food.

It is indeed very popular.  Often there is a line outside waiting to get in, but I was lucky and was seated at the counter immediately.

They have menus in English, but signs by the cashier state that they accept cash only, and that they do not accept dollars.

To drink I had "café con leche" (served in a glass as it is supposed to be served).  It's something that you no longer see at many restaurants.   It started with "caldo tlalpeño" which, next to tortilla soup, is perhaps the best known Mexican soup.  You can't see it in the photo, but the broth was thick with shredded chicken, vegetables, garbanzos, and chile peppers.

My main dish was "enchiladas potosinas"... enchiladas filled with potatoes.  They were excellent.  Along with the enchiladas was "carne asada", grilled meat.  The beef was rather chewy, but had a good flavor... and it was even better with some "salsa verde".

The food was not gourmet. I wasn't expecting it to be.  It was just basic Mexican cooking at a reasonable price.  I would come back here again.  The breakfasts sound good too, although I usually don't make it downtown that early in the morning.