Munching In Outer Morelia Restaurants Part 1

Lately we've been spending more time visiting our Michoacán state capital, Morelia. Our eating out has ranged from humble cocinas económicas to the lofty heights of Parrilla y Canilla. Higher prices and elegant surroundings are not a guarantee of ultimate satisfaction, as you shall see.

The following descriptions I will attempt to make brief.

First, Super Vegetariano, on Calle Monterde near the corner of Francisco Márquez, Colonia Chapultepec Norte.
 This is a buffet restaurant serving daily from about 1:pm. It's inexpensive, $55 pesos, and wholesome, but is it good?

We found most dishes that we tried woefully under seasoned, and in several instances, tepid in their steam table pans. But the simple salads, offered with a nice selection of serve your own dressings, were a highlight.

Black Bean and Corn Salad

Enfrijoladas and Encacahuatadas: MEH!

The Sopa de Garbanzos wasn't bad.

The agua fresca de alfalfa y limón was refreshing.

Rating:
Food: 5-6
Service: you serve yourself, other than the agua del día.
Cost: $55 pesos per person, help yourself. Big Bargain

Marea Baja, on Avenida Acueducto, near the corner of Tejedores de Aranza, acrosss from Farmacia Guadalajara.

Cute little corner seafood place and bar, with a limited menu. I got a Tuesday special of an Hamburguesa de Camarones con un medio litro de michelada. Nice deal. The michelada was good and refreshing. But as to the "Shrimp burger", the shrimp were overcooked and tough as well as nearly tasteless. It came with American cheese, which pretty well finished off any shrimp taste.

Hamburguesa de Camarones

My wife had a beautifully prepared Coctel de Camarones, which had the benefit of having the Clamato-catsup sauce served on the side to apply to one's preference.

Coctel de Camarones

RATINGS:

Food: 6

Cost: $

Service: 7

Presentation/plating is attractive.


There are many inexpensive cocinas económicas and tortas shops on Calle Francisco Márquez, south of Avenida Acueducto for a few blocks, owing in part to the presence of the Medical and Dental Colleges close by. Two cocinas económicas anchor the corner of Calle Monterde and Márquez: La Cocinita and Sazón Gourmet. The latter has a nicer touch with plating. The prices are very low in both, but cheaper yet at La Cocinita. However, I award Sazón Gourmet the better rating for food. The omelets are nice.

Omelet Campirano at Sazón Gourmet

La Cocinita features very inexpensive combination deals of antojitos  or chilaquiles con huevo, jugo o café, less than $30 pesos. Nothing more than you'd expect from a cocina económica, but decent for the price.

A breakfast combo at La Cocinita

Of the many tortas shops in the area, we have eaten at only one: Tortas Ahogadas el Diablito, across Calle Márquez from the Escuela Preparatoria and Calle Adolfo Cano.

This little restaurant has a distinctive character, its walls decorated with vintage Coke™ posters, drippy candles on each table, and very friendly, English speaking owners. We sampled a Torta Ahogada and three Tacos Ahogados.

Tacos Ahogados

These are pretty good although nothing spectacular, as one might expect. For only $25 pesos, you also get a glass of horchata o jamaica o refresco. This is an unbeatable deal, but more of a snack than a substantial meal. I enjoyed the place, despite our young waiter spilling some caldillo on my pants leg. The owner lady apologized, in English, although they didn't offer me a voucher for either dry cleaning or a free meal. (I'm kidding,of course.)

RATINGS:

Food: 6

Service: 7

Cost: - Super Bargain!

A little farther afield, across from La Cruz Roja on Calzada Ventura Puente is Mega Quesadillas Doña Agus, adjacent to a Comida China. The quesadillas are, indeed huge. But as they say,"size isn't everything."

The Mega Quesadillas are $30 pesos each, and the mediana ones $18. There's a fair variety of fillings from which to choose.This was one of the few places in which communication with employees was difficult. Why this was, I don't know. But we got some sort of tinga de pollo y champiñones quesadillas and they were fair. They were also too big to finish. The salsas were fairly interesting.

Seating at a long communal table was cramped and awkward. In the end, I was somewhat disappointed by the place.

RATINGS:

Food: 5

Service: 6 (communication difficulties)

Cost: $  Slightly higher than average.

This concludes Part 1. Stay tuned for more culinary adventures, both up and down market.