A little over 60 years ago I entered the wonderful world of working. The most wonderful part…OK, maybe the only wonderful part…was the day that each and every week, Mr. O’Leary, aka Chief, would walk around with these little brown envelopes that were perfectly sized to hold what we called sawbucks and fins that were decorated with pictures of HRH, her majesty the queen.
On those wonderful days, there was no brown bag beside me on the bus. On paydays, I tucked that brown envelope into the inside pocket of my loden green corduroy jacket and walked the few blocks to the middle of my hometown of Hamilton, Ontario, Canada to do two things.
First I dropped off my shirts (always white…”it’s company policy”, always button-down collar, box pleat and hanger loop) at Fotheringham’s to be one-hour martinized (still don’t know what martinizing is though The Urban Dictionary defines it as “the act of making a complete ass of oneself due to heavy intoxication”).
The second thing I did was dine out. I even liked saying the words: “No, Chief, I won’t be joining you in the lunchroom today, I’m dining out.”
I had two favorite places to dine out. They called themselves variety stores; we called them five-and-dimes. The first was Kresge’s and it was there that I would rotate an orangey pink naugahyde stool and dine out on the hot turkey sandwich.
The second was called Woolworth’s and it was there that I would rotate a rosy red naugahyde stool and dine out on the “smothered in gravy” Swiss steak. I thought I was rather privileged in those days to be able to afford to dine out.
I hadn’t thought of the five-and-dime luncheonettes in quite a few decades until a supermarket opened in San Miguel de Allende called City Market.
Now City Market is a far cry from Kresge’s and Woolworth’s. The five-and-dimers were definitely downscale. City Market is absolutely, definitely upscale. The employees there are dressed better than any single San Miguelense I know. Yet City Market has these food counters that, in many ways, bring back sweet memories of the luncheonettes.
I was going to start with a list of the similarities between 1960 and now. But apart from the servers at both wearing hairnets, I realized the memories were more of an emotional than a factual thing. So I thought, instead, I’d tell you what I like about City Market.
There are are two restaurants in City Market that have that luncheonette look. One is Pintxos. The other is called Bar Do Mar. I prefer Pintxos. And I eat there every time I shop at City Market. I can’t help it.
Because Pintxos has, perhaps, the most exotic menu in San Miguel…sobrasada, morcilla, solomillo, angulines, boquerón…yes, I had to look up what a couple of those delectables were.
And because I can eat four of these little delights for less than $150.
So Bar Do Mar, that other City Market eating spot with the luncheonette look had been neglected by me. Well until last week.
I was asking the maître d’ at yet another restaurant in City Market, this one a white tablecloth Italian, if he could swing a way to get a fresh-out-of-the-oven pizza delivered to my home.
“No problem”, he told me, “it’s all online, this restaurant and the others…almost the entire menu from all the restaurants. Place your order and your pizza margherita should be there within an hour.”
It was there in 45 minutes but it wasn’t a pizza we ordered. There were too many other things on that online menu to lead us astray. We decided we’d do a seafood smorgasbord from that other luncheonette in City Market, the one I’m always neglecting, Bar Do Mar.
Here’s what we ordered and one brief comment on each:
Baja style fish tacos. A very nice sauce on a fish with more taste than tilapia.
Tuna tartare tostadas. The tuna, unfortunately, had swam a little too long in vinegar.
Smoked marlin tacos. A reminder of the bargain that marlin is these days.
Octopus tostadas. Very tender and loved the leeks.
Croquettes. Lost a lot of crisp in their travels but still one of San Miguel’s creamiest.
So, did we enjoy the seafood delivered from City Market? Yes, we did. Especially when the five courses cost a mere 500 pesos (plus 39 pesos for delivery). And would we do it again? Probably not. If you’re not sitting on a stool at a bar in City Market, you don’t get those good ol’ days recollections of luncheonettes, those fond memories of Kresge’s and Woolworth’s.
The stools may not be covered in naugahyde. But I still feel that I’m special, that I’m dining out when I’m sitting at those City Market lunch bars. Even though, apart from their employees, I’m almost always their one and only customer.
Pintxos and Bar Do Mar are in City Market, San Miguel de Allende, Mexico.
I enjoy your columns.
We discovered City market last March during our annual monthly sojourn in SMdA. Simply amazing, one of the most upscale markets we have ever seen. At each aisle is a well-dressed employee whose only job is apparently to answer your questions and help you find things. I know some folks complain that it is too expensive, but we found the prices to be comparable to La Comer across the street, perhaps slightly higher. Everything is fresh and first class, from the fish monger, to the cheese selection, variety of fresh prepared appetizers, wines, produce, etc.
I know more than a few San Miguelenses who would rather eat at City Market than any of the fancy restaurants in town, and these are folks who know good food when they see it and can smell pretense ten kilometers away. None of that nonsense about where the server and cooks were born, where they trained, their hopes and aspirations. No fellow diners shrieking “we’re so lucky to have a Mongolian-Venezuelan fusion place in our town.” And an affordable tab when you’re done.
Great Article! I totally relived my youth on the North side of Chicago.
And yes, the best stool to sit on in SMA for food, prices, and people watching.
I personally am blown away by the customer service in City Market as a whole.
Seriously, the service rivals Nordstrom, the #1 speciality retailer in the US.
Do they have a bin of wax lips?
Certainly brings back memories. I bought my first lipstick in kreskes and my friend had a job behind the counter while I was an usherette student the blour show latter to become lees palace that was in Toronto . What can I say some things are never forgotten thank you for this info I will try it out when I get there in january
Loved having a snack at City Market! But didnt know they had delivery! You can bet we will be ordering in from there when we get back! Thanks Glenn for the heads up!
I enjoyed reading your post today Don – as I too grew up in Hamilton and as a teenager worked at Woolworths and then at the lunch counter in Kresge’s – your post brought back many memories. Now my husband and I winter in SMA and follow your posts. Thank you.
June Oliver, Treasurer Amistad Canada
I remember the fist time after the war when I went into a Woolworths in Glasgow and they had sweeties for sale without stamps. They had large horizontal counters piled with everything you could wish for. I got my first sugar high then as I spent all my pocket money on them
Your article brought back memories of my youth growing up in London, Ontario, Canada. I loved Kresge’s and Woolworth’s too. I even loved Woolworth’s in Mexico City in the 70’s as well. Strange how memories of our youth always seem so wonderful!
I am looking for the online menus and only find descriptions of the restaurants. Would love to find the menus. Any help?
I want to stay on your mailing list but my email address has changed. I will enter the new email address below and hope I will receive future emails. Many thanks, Patricia Shaughnessy
Done, Patricia.
So my wife and I have been coming to SMA since 2016. Not pros, but familiar ones. We were blown away by this place. It is awesome. We love SMA. Realize my ambivalence when I say: City Market is going to bring “More” to this town. Fingers crossed.