Mexican Street Food…We miss you!
Posted on 11. Oct, 2010 by jess in Food & Drinks, Food/Drinks, Mexico
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In several posts we’ve waxed lyrical about our love of Mexico – the friendly people, colorful and rich traditions, seductive beaches – but nothing can top our passion for Mexican street food. In fact, without realizing it, over the course of our 88 days in the country, we became addicted to it, and once we crossed over into Belize, we were forced to quit our street food addiction cold turkey.
For two vegetarians on a budget, the street food in Mexico was not only cheap, delicious and vegetarian friendly, but eating it left our food-making decisions to fate, our lunch choice depending on which food stand we happened to pass. From our first day in Mexico City onward, there was not one disappointing occasion on our three-month street food binge.
The main ingredients of nearly all Mexican food involve a flour (or corn) tortilla of varying size and thickness, beans, tomatoes, guacamole, onions (and for meat eaters, a choice of meat). Cheese, when present, is an additional ingredient, rather than the main player as in the version of Mexican food north of the border.
With these basic ingredients, it is possible to create dozens of delectable variations which are all delicious and almost always cost less that $24 Pesos/ US $2.00. In addition to the variety of veggie options and delicious flavors, it is also the communal experience of eating the street food that we love. Small plastic stools surround these very basic metal food stands, and people from all walks of life sit together for the few minutes it takes to cram an order of quesadillas or tacos down. We have listed some of our absolute vegetarian Mexican street food favorites below.
Tacos de Canasta: The ingredients of these tacos are simple –potatoes or beans (or for non-vegetarians either chicken or beef), inside of a folded tortilla. ‘Canasta’ means basket in Spanish, and refers to the fact that hundreds of these tacos are piled high on top of each other in a very large basket, where they sit, steaming all day, waiting to be sold. The soft tacos are then covered in a spicy green or red salsa.
Price – avg 4 for MX$20/4 for US$1.80
Flautas: These are actually similar to their U.S. counterparts – a corn tortilla, filled with potato, bean, cheese or meat, rolled up and deep fried for a crunchy, delicious treat.
3 large, filling flautas cost MX$15 /US $1.20
Tlayudas: Pronounciation is as difficult as it looks, but preparing these street food treats is simple as pie. A 12-inch long oval-shaped super thin and crunchy blue-corn tortilla is topped with beans, spicy poblano pepper slices (called rajas), loads of cilantro and a mild green salsa on top.
1 for MX $15/US $1.20
Tamales: Cornmeal stuffed with corn or beef wrapped in corn husks and steamed. These are last on our list, but on the list for sure!
2 for MX$8/US $0.65
Quesadillas: Rather than the large flour tortillas filled with cheese and sliced like a pizza, these are more like larger tacos stuffed with veggies and/or meat and only a moderate amount of cheese. Dani discovered Flor de Calabaza quesadillas in Mexico City, which are stuffed with beautiful, edible, yellow squash flowers.
1 for MX$7/US $0.70
Elote: Corn on the cob, cooked on the grill and preferably doused with Mayonnaise, chilli, lime juice and parmesan-like white powder cheese. The unhealthiest, tastiest corn on the cob on the block costs around MX$12/US$1.
Escuite: This is exactly the same as the Elote described above, but corn kernels are removed and put into a cup and mayo, chilli, lime juice etc is added on top.
1 for MX$12/US $1
Chalupas: Nothing like the Taco Bell version, these are tiny little silver dollar pancake sized tortillas, fried in butter/oil with red or green hot sauce and a sprinkle of cheese on top.
5 for MX$15/US $1.20
Tortas: We have saved the best for last. Mexicans have been given many gifts, but one of the most remarkable is the ability to fit so many delicious ingredients onto a roll. Mexican tortas, or sandwich rolls, fit enough to impress even Shaggy and Scooby Doo. Cheese, lettuce, tomato, an entire omelette, as many deli slices of meat as you like, bacon, avocado, mayo, you name it, and you can have it on a torta for MX$24 / US$2.
We have yet to begin seriously sampling Guatemalan street food, but from what we have sampled so far – tostadas, pupusas and fried plaintains stuffed with black beans – we might find a love for the street food here by the end of our time here as well.
17 Responses to “Mexican Street Food…We miss you!”
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12. Oct, 2010
[...] Mexican Street Food – we miss you [...]
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20. Nov, 2010
[...] for two people. As anyone who reads us often will know, however, inexpensive (and delicious!) street food was our main meal of choice and we rarely ate in [...]
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23. Nov, 2010
[...] roller coaster rides, hopping in and out of tuk tuks, bellying up to market stalls to wolf down street food, and even things like negotiating prices and striking up conversations with complete strangers now [...]
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24. Nov, 2010
[...] vary per region, and Mexico City was by far the most enjoyable for us Globetrottergirls. The best street food in the city was located around the Alameda Central (a beautifully designed park in the center) and [...]
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11. Jan, 2011
[...] Globetrottergirls are street food junkies, and we were not afraid to shout it from the proverbial rooftops during our 11 week stay in Mexico last summer. Embracing the local cuisine, in its most local [...]
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Adventurous Kate
11. Oct, 2010
YUM! Everything looks so good! Your travels have me strongly considering heading for Mexico City next after I get back from Asia (assuming I can make enough to live on the road!). There’s a place in Boston — actually a Spanish tapas place — that makes THE BEST elote. Love it.
Adventurous Kate recently posted..Best Boston Massage- Boston Massage Associates
Trans-Americas Journey
11. Oct, 2010
We’re still in Mexico, but this yummy post reminds us how much we’ll miss when we leave in about 10 days.
Trans-Americas Journey recently posted..In the Hoods – Mexico City
Kim
15. Oct, 2010
AH! Some of your photos are bringing back such great memories from Mexico City. I have to go back. Tacos, Tortas, Tamales, and all for such a great price! Not to mention the Horchata and Michelada (http://www.touncertaintyandbeyond.com/kimstips/mexicocity/)
Love the post.
)
Kim
Kim recently posted..Lamps at Grand Bazaar – Istanbul- Turkey Flickr
Erin
16. Oct, 2010
Why is Mexico so far from Bolivia? I do want to travel the rest of South and Central America but I’m also dying to get to Mexico. I am so glad to hear that veggie food is easily available. It all sounds amazing!
Erin recently posted..An Off the Beaten Track Tour of Sucre Restaurants
Fida
24. Oct, 2010
OH GIRLS! Everything looks and sounds so delicious. I am a stern believer in discovering a country in its cooking pot
I am such a sucker for streetfood.
Fida recently posted..Oct 21- Monster Dinosaur
Stephen
17. Nov, 2010
Nice post. I think Mexico has the best food out of any other country north or south of its borders!
jess
22. Nov, 2010
Stephen – we totally agree!! We haven’t compared anything that comes anywhere near Mexican street food, although we’ve been looking all over. Can’t wait to go back to Mexico.
Nancie
30. Nov, 2010
I love street food. All of these look amazing.
jess
07. Dec, 2010
@Kate Tell us more about the place in Boston with the elote! I hope you are able to return to Mexico, and to make enough to live on the road, it’s our dream to be able to do this as long as possible too. We’re travelling so slow we have no idea when we’ll get to Asia…but we can’t wait to try the street food there either!
jess recently posted..From the farm to your cup – A tour of Antigua’s Finca Filadelfia
jess
07. Dec, 2010
@Fida Thanks for commenting. Love your piece on Vietnamese street food! And we know exactly how you feel about the all-bets-are-off factor while travelling. We try to eat healthy normally, but when it comes to trying local food, most of the rules go out the window. This food in your post looks amazing! We can not wait to finally get over to Asia…
jess recently posted..From the farm to your cup – A tour of Antigua’s Finca Filadelfia
The Mistress of Spices
15. Jun, 2011
I dream of the day when we will properly visit Mexico (day-trips to Juarez and Cozumel don’t count) and partake of all this delicious street food! Nice to know that it’s so vegetarian friendly. I’m afraid though that if we go there, I might not want to ever leave!!!
jess
16. Jun, 2011
Hi there! Oh, you will love Mexico -there are spices and flavors we had never had before, at least not properly, and although there are countless, and sometimes shocking, meat dishes, Mexican food is really some of the most veggie-friendly we have come across. Can’t wait to read your posts if you ever do go to Mexico, but for now we’re reading through Lisbon and your Manhattan posts!!! Thanks for stopping by!