Page 80

HAPTER

Where do we eat?

Eating is one of the most fabulous activities in Mazatlán--hence a separate
chapter. Unlike in the U.S. restaurants, the help in Mazatlán make no attempt
to feed you and herd you out the door. Meals in Mexico are considered a social
and leisurely activity. It is unlikely that you will have your check delivered to
your table until you ask for it. Most restaurants will provide an appetizer,
gratis. These chips and salsa are delicious. All the restaurants have purified
water and ice. It is not necessary to order bottled water, but if you insist on
paying for water, go ahead and ask.

Mexican Food

There are many restaurants in Mazatlán that specialize in Mexican food. It

is not necessary to speak Spanish, but it could be helpful. Mexican restaurant
menus may confuse you because some of the same "breakfast" dishes may
reappear elsewhere in the menu. A Mexican meal is not complete without tor-
tillas. They are flat, round, pancake like, and made of corn or wheat flour.
Tortillas are eaten with nearly every nondessert dish. I especially enjoy watch-
ing my Mexican friends rolling meat in a tortilla one-handed; much like my
stepfather rolled cigarettes with one hand.

Soup: The most common soup in Mazatlán is called sopa de tortillas, which

is artfully seasoned with meat broth, and garnished with tortilla wedges, cheese
and sliced avocado. My wife, Katherine, considers it a delicious meal in itself.

Salsas: There seem to be as many different salsas as there are restaurants in

Mazatlán. They have red, green, brown, salty, thin, thick, sweet, chunky, and
blended salsa. One traditional ingredient in salsa is chili peppers. The most
common are red and green salsas. Red fresh salsa ordinarily contains chopped
chili, tomatoes, and onions mixed with cilantro, limejuice and salt. This is the
salsa normally brought to your table with the complimentary basket of tortilla
chips.