No Thirty Minute Meals Here!!!

One of the first things you learn when you move to Mexico is clocks run at a different speed here. The reality is life is a bit slower here. For many non Latin or non Latin Americans this can cause serious anxiety, crankiness, and much beating of their heads against walls. :c}

There is none of those Olive Garden Rapid Lunch menus. No guaranteed service in 5 minutes or lunch is on them. No dine and dash crowd. In fact most employees are granted 1 hour lunches and many business will close for 2 hours for Siesta.

When we go to Centro Historico ( the historical town center) to run errands we often like to stop for our afternoon meal at Fonda Santa Clara. Fondas are little family restaurants that serve plain home cooking. Santa Clara is one of our favorites. It was the first restaurant we found on our first trip to Mazatlan. It sits on the part of the Melacon ( public walkway on top of the sea wall) that is call Olas Altos (high waves). The little place has been in the same family and opened for 38 years.

We pretty much don't need a menu anymore, things don't change and there is no Chef special or special of the day. LW always... well almost always orders Burritos. I tend to surf around. Although Queso Fundido is one old stand by. It's sorta Mexico's version of melted cheese sandwiches. Except the cheese is melted in a little casserole dish and the bread is tortillas. I always like to order mine with bacon but most eat it with chorizo. There are all kinds of recipes if you google it. Many will give you substitutes for Mexican cheeses. However most bigger grocery stores carry a couple of Mexican cheeses these days.

When we have lunch here we usually plan on being here an hour to an hour and a half. First we have to greet the waiter Chulio. He has been the day waiter since the place opened. He was a surfer in fact an excellent surfer in his younger days. He was also an actor in a number of Mexican movies.Once we get caught up on the latest news he'll bring LW his ice cold Pacifico, a tall glass of Limonada for me fresh Salsa Mexicana, (fresh salsa) and chips then wanders back in a bit to take our meal orders. There's never any rush. We have the ocean in front of us across the street and when there are a few waves we can watch the kids surf or boogie board. Like most out door restaurants the sidewalk passes right through the middle of the tables. So at any given time we can run into lots of people we know. All must stop say hello check on how lives are going. Of course that applies to those who are driving by in their vehicles. Ya stop, put on your blinkers, lean out the window or across the passenger and proceed with your greetings. If you haven't time to stop the polite thing to do is slow down, roll the window down, honk your horn, and yell ADIOS as you point your finger at whom ever you are greeting. That way everyone on the side walk looks up to see who is being greeted and since they are never sure it's not them they all laugh point their fingers and yell back ADIOS. :c}

When we have had more then enough to eat we say our goodbye grab our packages and start down the sidewalk holding hands smiling and saying "Damn life doesn't get much better then this!!" :c}

So my Bloglandian friends have a good rest of the day or evening depending on what part of the world you are in.