Eating at "La Bamba"

After visiting the ruins of Cempoala, we drove seven miles to the town of Cardel for lunch.  We stopped at a place along the main highway called "La Bamba".  

You may recognize the name "La Bamba" from the popular 1950's recording by Ritchie Valens.  It is actually a folksong and dance from the state of Veracruz.  

Of course, being just a few miles from the Gulf of Mexico, the specialty of all the restaurants around here is seafood.  I do not like shellfish, so while the others started with shrimp cocktail, I ordered "caldo tlalpeño" (a non-seafood soup).  I was hoping to have "huachinango a la veracruzana" (red snapper Veracruz style), which is considered the signature dish of Veracruz.  Unfortunately they did not have red snapper, but they did have fillet of "mojarra", another kind of white fish, which could be served "a la veracruzana". 

The "veracruzana" sauce is made with onions, garlic, tomatoes, pimento-stuffed green olives, capers, thyme and bay leaves.  It was very tasty. 

We had a couple of singers performing while we ate.  Some of the songs were Mexican standards that became popular north of the border.  Here is a favorite of mine, "¿Quién Será?" It has been recorded in English as "Sway with Me" by artists such as Dean Martin and Michael Bublé.  (The English lyrics bear no resemblance to the original Spanish words, but I like the song in either language.)

Thanks to Javier for a great day!