Mexican Restaurant Owner Has a Message for the Haters

The bigger, more simple version of a sign advocating for social justice is even better.

Looks like advocating for equality and social justice doesn’t go down well among some people. Take some Iowans, who found a sign posted outside a Mexican restaurant a little too… politically correct.

The story goes like this. Alfonso Medina, owner of La Carreta Mexican Grill in Marshalltown, Iowa, had placed the below sign outside his restaurant as a way to take a stand in favor of science, social justice, equality… crazy, right?

The original sign posted outside La Carreta Mexican Grill in Des Moines, Iowa.

According to CNN, the offending sign brought lots of hate mail to Mr. Medina, including one letter that actually blew up on social media. Said letter came from a customer, who addressed Mr. Medina by name, said he had recently spent a lot of money in his restaurant but that –upon seeing the sign– he’d never eat there again. This person actually ended the misive by calling Medina “a leftist Marxist.”

Mr. Medina took to Instagram to respond by saying: “We’re sorry your burrito had to get political, but it was the only way y’all would listen.” The IG post ended with a bang: “No Love, No Tacos.” Then, just like any genuine “leftist Marxist,” would do, Mr. Medina copyrighted the No Love, No Tacos slogan; adopted it for his restaurant and even paid for a large billboard to display it.

Filing under Mexicans: How can anyhone not like us?

Via: CNN

Oct. 4 is National Taco Day AND National Vodka Day. I’m Happy

Only in America, the land of opportunities, you can have a yummy, double celebration which looks to have been conceived specifically with this blogger in mind.

Today is National Taco Day AND National Vodka Day, so please don’t come expect too much from me today, OK? I’ll be gulping down a few tacos de cabeza and enough martinis to make me end up, well, de cabeza.

Source: National Taco Day and National Vodka Day.

I hereby declare Oct. 4 Laura Martínez Favorite National Holiday. Ever.

This London Chef Wants you to Put Pineapple Ketchup on Cornflake-crumbed Tacos

The lockdown resulting from the COVID-19 pandemic has been tough on Thomasina Miers’ children. That is why the co-founder of Wahaca, London’s weirdly-named Mexican eatery, has concocted a recipe for tacos that are… well… sure to please Londoners.

We’re talking about Thomasina’s cornflake-crumb fish tacos with a “tangy tropical ketchup,” which apparently is a mix of pineapple and cayenne pepper. For children you know?

The train wreck recipe includes tossing cabbage, onion and coriander on these things and then sprinkle with sea salt and a bit of lime. Thomasina suggests we eat them at once with a cold beer.

Ok, I’ll do the beer and toss out all the rest. Thanks.

Via: The Guardian

Cinco de Mayo in the Time of Coronavirus Is Just as Dumb as Regular Cinco de Mayo

Shelter de Mayo? Shoot me I’m muerta

No access to the outside world? No problemo!

District Taco, a so-called taquería based in I-don’t-know-where-but-not-Mexico wants you to know that you can “take back your right to fiesta” by ordering the coronavirus-special sheltering in place combo: Delicioso steak fajitas, PLUS chips with your choice of two dips!

This, of course, is a promotion about this blogger’s favorite “Fake Mexican Fiesta” (FMF) aka Cinco de Mayo, which is just around the corner. ¡Ay!

Anyhow, hold onto your sombreros. The madness is about to begin!

Hat tip: Juan Escalante

 

Taco Mahal Is Coming to New York City, and I’m not Ready for Gandhi-Zapata

Gandhi Zapata wants you to have a Roti Taco, because –really?!

Sources closer to Hell’s Kitchen than me (at least right now) tell me there’s a new, hipster-conceived Mexican-Indian restaurant coming my way.

Called –what else?– Taco Mahal, this fusion eatery promises a “new concept in the realm of delicious tacos” where “the best spices of India collide with the best flavors of Latino America [SIC.]”

I have no idea what any of the above means, but Taco Mahal has been plastering the city with artful collages of Frida-meets-Rigveda / Parvati-Meets-Kahlo. Also, according to a menu posted online, you’ll be able to order stuff such as Roti Tacos or Naan Tacos, which sound just as weird as the below deities blended together.

It’s Indian, you know? but with a taco twist.

Thank God there’s also beer & wine available to wash this thing down; otherwise…

Hat tip: @lechancle

Quincy, Massachusetts Preps ‘Latin-Inspired’ Eatery: Tacos, Nachos, that Kind of Thing…

Pearl & Lime promises food with a Latin flair: Tacos, nachos, guac, that kind of thing…

Residents of Quincy, Massachusetts, are apparently very excited about Pearl & Lime, an upcoming 80-seat restaurant that promises fresh food with a “Latin flair,” targeting the demanding millennial palate.

But what exactly do they mean by Latin flair? Well, I’m glad you asked!

“What people really want is tacos, nachos, guac, that kind of thing,” co-owner Palmer Matthews told The Patriot Ledger in an inexplicably long news article.

But if “tacos, nachos, guac and that kind of thing” is not really your thing, these dudes have also “pulled in the agave spirits and really take creative license with all that Latin inspiration.”

There you have it. Next time you visit Quincy, Massachusetts (because I never will) you’ll have to take some time to visit this place and take a moment to rediscover –and pay homage to– your Latin roots.

¡Salud!

Photo: Quincy Wicked Local

New Mexico Taquería Serves Food Items with Names like ‘The Wall,’ ‘Fake News’ –and Plenty of Typos

Would you eat a burrito with a name such as “Lock Her Up?”

I didn’t think so, but someone does.

Hanif Mohamed, a Muslim immigrant from Kenya, had the not-so-swell idea to open a taquería in Albuquerque with items he hopes will make us crave for his Mexican “food.” Urban Taquería‘s food items include tacos & burritos with bizarre names like “No Collusion,” “The Wall,” “Under Audit,” “Executive Privilege,” and –of course– “Bad Hombre.”

Mohamed –who by the way cannot stand President Trump– told The Washington Post that tacos such as “Bad Hombre” and “Fake News” and burritos such as “The Wall” and “Lock Her Up” “are meant to start political conversations and keep people talking about Trump’s rhetoric.” 

Maybe, Mr. Mohamed, but what’s with the chipotle arbol and the carne adovada? That’s already a no no for this Spanish grammar-obsessed blogger, so I think I’ll pass on your “conversation.”

Oh, and don’t get me started on your habañero mayonnaise…

Adovada? Ay!

 

Photo via: CNN

Thanos Twerks around Tacos and Tortas in the World’s Most Amazing Commercial

A restaurant in Boca del Río, Veracruz has found a winning combination to sell its products: Footage from Avengers: Infinity War, tacos, tortas and a super fun evil Thanos that twerks to show his penchant for Mexican food.

A commercial posted on the Facebook account of Takesabroso, shows Thanos delivering his now-famed deadly snap as he dissolves half of life on Earth. But instead of retreating to a quiet life until the Avengers come back seeking revenge, he is inspired to twerk around delicous tacos and tortas.

Watch the original tweet where this appears before Marvel’s lawyers get on this…

Via: TaKeSabroso

Portland Is Hosting a Topless Taco Festival, Because Nothing Makes Sense Anymore

Have you always wanted to eat tacos and burritos while naked? Here’s your chance!

In an effort to raise funds –and awareness– around breast cancer, Portland is hosting a… Topless Taco Festival where visitors are encouraged to come topless for the tacos and booty short-clad for the burritos.

And no, unfortunately this is not some sort of joke or fake news, but an actual event that is scheduled to take place in Portland on August 17. Why? Because apparently nothing says fight cancer like being naked while eating tacos.

Filing under ONLY IN AMERICA and STUPID PROPOSITIONS.

Via: Facebook

At Last, the Complete Set of Mexican Emojis in One Image

MEXICANEMOJIS

I’m almost certain that the readers of this blog will be able to identify all of these (otherwise, shame on you!). Needless to say, this blogger’s favorites are El subcomandante, the torta and the trompo al pastor.

Still, hit me with questions (i.e. leave a comment below) if:

1) You fail to identify all of these

2) You think there are some missing

Happy World Emoji Day y’all!

Hat tip: @RomiGoma

There’s a Taco Bell Hotel in the Works and I Can’t Even

Not content with giving the mighty taco a VERY BAD NAME, Taco Bell is close to opening The Bell, a Taco Bell-themed pop-up hotel, which has some people really excited –for some reason.

According to an inexplicably long news article about this thing:

At 10am PT on June 27 you will be able to book your stay at The Bell. The first check-ins for the four-day pop-up begin on August 8. There’s no minimum stay, so you can even just pop in for a single evening.

Activities will include the brand’s Freeze Lounge, live performances from artists and –wait for it– a salon offering taco-inspired nail art.

Send in the nukes. I’m ready….

Via: Desert Sun

Tequila Cazadores Wants me to Put a ‘Summer of Tacos Calendar’ on my Desk –for Some Reason

Marketing professionals are one creative bunch.

Not content with bringing to market some awesome, creative and stupid products (i.e. the avocado toast sneakers or the Throw Throw Burrito Game) they have now conceived another innovative thing…

I give you… the Summer of Tacos daily desk calendar, a thing that promises to have me dreaming of tacos every day of the week.

The idea, writes some marketing person apparently with a straight face, is “to celebrate the unofficial start of summer and its most notorious pairing, tacos and tequila.”

These calendars –which are being pitched as a must-have desk accessory– feature word puzzles, cocktail recipes and “taco facts to impress colleagues with at the water cooler.”

Listen, people, I dream of tacos every day and no, I don’t need your must-have desk accesory. *inserts eye roll emoji*

Prayer Rugs, Tacos, Turbantes: It’s all Coming Together and you should be Freaking out!

ISIS in Mexico? ... Nah, just a heat exhausted taquero
Tacos & Turbantes? Do now show this to Trump, please

Not content with informing the world that my people (i.e. the Mexicans) are nothing but a bunch of rapists and drug dealers, President Donald Trump is now expressing concerns about prayer rugs (PRAYER RUGS!) found on the Southern border. And this, my friends, can mean only one thing: Muslim terrorists! 😱

All of this –of course– makes for a potentially explosive combination, particularly when it comes to heat exhausted taqueros in the Homeland like the one in the photo who –in addition to everything –happens to make delicious tacos out of -what else?- a trompo!

OMG! It’s all coming together, y’all.

The end is near my friends, so everybody should just go out eat tacos; otherwise, the terrorists win.

Greetings from Paris, Home of the Mayonnaise au Chipotle

Awwww Paris…

There is nothing like spending some quality time in the City of Lights, with its beautiful architecture, ubiquitous cafés, gorgeous boulevards… and authentic taquerías.

Behold Chiquitin, the newest addition to Rue Henry Monnier (this blog’s temporary headquarters). The 10×10 meter changarrito is the take-away petit branch of Luz Verde, just across the street, and it features all sorts of salsas, including old time favorites like roja, verde and pico de gallo, but other more inventive like mayonnaise au chipotle, césar and –wait for it– salsa matcha.

I haven’t eaten here –yet– as I’m currently busy getting reacquainted with dry pork goods (saucisson sec, rosette de Lyon, etc.) and liters of wine, but I’ll get to it at some point and will be sure to report back.

Oh, did I mention the 16-euro ceviche and the 9-euro tacos al pastor?

Mon dieu!

Photos: Laura Martínez, 22 Rue Henry Monnier, December 2018.