A Visit to San Miguel de Allende

Parochial Meringue Architecture

Parochial Meringue Tarts

San Miguel de Allende, Guanajuato. Cradle of Allende and Independence.
A quintessentially Mexican city of 80.000 Mexicans, but also home to over 11,000 foreign residents, either full or part time. Noted for its Colonial architecture and its galleries and shops. Notably more expensive than many other Mexican cities. There are so many U.S. expats that the State Department has opened a Consular Agency there.

Don Cuevas photo, Calle Cuna de Allende

The last was the reason we just made a 6 hour, multi-stage bus trip from Pátzcuaro to SMA, in order to apply for new U.S. passports.

Someone we know here recently made the trip in his car, up and back in one day. But since we'd not been in the colorful and vibrant Centro in 19 years, we decided to make our trip a stay of three nights. We went by bus to avoid the hassles of car travel and parking. The fare from Pátzcuaro to Morelia was about $36 MXN each, and the combined fare for two, from Morelia to SMA, with an INAPAM discount of 50%, was about $165. On our Wednesday return, we took the 7:45 a.m. Directo from SMA to Morelia, for a total of $175, then hopped on a Lineas Purépechas 2a clase for 36 pesos. Our total transportation cost, SMA to home, was about $20 USD.

I carefully scheduled our visit so that we'd arrive between the many fiestas, but the fiestas are nearly nonstop in the last half of September and the first part of October. We arrived during the last day of the intensely colorful celebration of the town's patron saint, San Miguel. Although the streets were jammed, our taxi got us to within confetti throw of our hotel, the Parador San Sebastian, located on Calle Mesones # 7. This was the same hotel in which we'd stayed in 1991. It's located only 3 blocks from the Jardin (main plaza) and has every necessity available at a short walk. (Besides a cheese and carnes frías shop, there's a carnicería where you can purchase venison and filet of crocodile.) My review of the Hotel Parador San Sebastían appears on TripAdvisor.com. I will say here that it was very satisfactory for us and the location is convenient to all services and shopping.

During the cab ride to the hotel, we rode into a wild celebration, with drumming indigenous dancers, a battle of the bands and that night, a spectacular display of pyrotechny. It involved the tallest castillo we've ever seen, a sound and light show projected on the Gothic fantasy La Parroquia, and a whimsical display of Vochos and whirring helicopters of fire. Then, the big guns came out to lift an aerial bombardment that made the crowd applaud. As we trudged up the cobbled street from the Jardin, more aerial burst spangled the night sky. What is the annual San Miguel fireworks budget?

Dining:

We were in SMA Sunday afternoon until Wednesday morning. Our first meal, at El Correo, was passable but mediocre. I had chicken breast stuffed with goat cheese in a Salsa Poblana. Sauce was good, chicken was cooked dry. Accompanying vegs mix looked like they were out of a box of frozen vegs. Doña Cuevas had an o.k. but not great veg stuffed baked potato.

She liked the unobtrusive service. I thought it was very impersonal. No bread, no nothing until our main courses arrived.
Rating:
• Food: ***
• Service: ***
• Price: $$
• Ambience: Basic Colonial

• Rest room: fine

Best breakfast and good coffee at Monte Negro, across the street (Calle Correo). Good service, warm atmosphere, decent Machaca con Huevo and Huevos Albañil. The latter were barely picante but that was remedied with the application of a good salsa picante de la mesa.
• Food: ***
• Service: ****
• Price: $-$$
• Ambience: Dark Coffeeshop

Later, I found Casa Cafe, a small, individually owned place with a warmly personable owner, Maricela. Hospico #31, corner of Recreo. Best espresso and cafe espresso cortado I had in SMA. She offers  sandwiches, like ham and cheese, tuna or chicken salad, etc, but didn't try them.

Breakfast at a fonda, Las Rositas. in the Mercado Nigromonte was underwhelming. We had menudo, which was skimpy on the meaty parts. Not bad, not great, not worth a return. I am accustomed to better.

Went to Cafe Contento, (mentioned above in connection with Buena Vida Bakery) in the same mini mall as the American Consulate. Strong American influence. O.k, nice creative touches, free wi-fi, very skimpy on the potato component. Bread was dry, jams were good. Moderate prices.
Omelette Contento a specialty; mushrooms, spinach, cheese. I may have missed some component. (See the little patty on the left? That's the "potatoes".)
• Food: ***
• Service: ***
• Price: $+
• Ambience: Cute patio, casually artsy.
• Rest rooms: did not visit

Casa Payo, Zacateros at Pila Seca. Nice, casual, terraced setting. My wife and I shared Queso Fundido Verde. Not bad, but undistinguished, certainly not worth $70 MXN. She had a Bife de Chorizo, wasn't that great a quality, lacked char. Vegs were nice, and *real*.

I had Asado de Cordero, very simple and good, accompanied only by some roasted onions and (UGH!) Mint Jelly! I put that aside. It came with a cute basket of skinny French fres which were pretty good. The chimichurrí sauce and the salsa roja went well with the lamb. Service was decent but variable. We had to ask for the glasses of wine we'd ordered, after our main course had come. But the waiter was helpful in arranging the shade without us asking. Free wi-fi there, also, plus free phone calls to the U.S. We didn't avail ourselves of the latter.
I think it can be a very enjoyable dining spot, with careful choice from the menu and a bit of luck.


• Food: ***
• Service: ***
• Price: $$+
• Ambience: Casual relaxed terraces

• Restroom: clean.

Noted but untried: both the famed tacos behind the church on Mesones, and any of the slick hamburger stands seen both on Mesones and near el Jardin. Might be SMA's favorite street food, other than elotes. We did see the taco stand on Sunday niight, and customers were lined up deep waiting.

Tuesday, I went for a "snack" at Tortitlán, Júarez 16, across from the side of the church. The Torta Vegetariana Especial turned out to be hot, tasty, and almost more than I could eat. It's easy to understand why Tortitlán is so popular. Cheap, tasty, clean and fast service.


• Food: ***
• Service: semi-self service; place order at counter, food is delivered to your table. It was lightning fast.
• Price: $ Tortas, $28 to $40 something, mains plates (arrachera, etc.) more. Overall, a very good value place.
• Ambience: Are you kidding me? It's functional.
• Restroom: clean

Tuesday evening we made a nostalgic return to La Grotta, Cuadrantes # 5, near the corner of Cuna de Allende (around the corner from El en Ten Pie.) We'd eaten there 19 years ago.

We were brought decent warm bread right away, plus a salsa de la casa in a bottle. It resembles an emulsified chimichurrí rojo. It was muy picante, but I couldn't stop dabbing it on my bread and pizza.

We had two excellent salads; the first a Monte Bianco, with greens, nuts, bacon, pink grapefruit and goat cheese, plus "Fantasia Dressing". I had a very well made Caesar Salad. They are expensive, at $80 MXN each.

Noted, but not tried: appetizers, all $95 each, and admittedly tempting pastas, averaging about $120, if I recall correctly.

We split a large pizza, base price $150 MXN but extra $ for more than two included ingredients. Our choice was garlic, eggplant and black olive.  A large pitcher of limonada completed our dinner, and the final bill was about $432 MXN. We agree that it was the best dinner meal we'd had in in SMA. Service was friendly without being obtrusive. For me, it's a near perfect place.


• Food: ****
• Service: ****
• Price: $$+
• Ambience: Cozy, casual
• Restroom: Just one, unisex, clean and kind of unique.


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