Cha Cha Cha. The sequel’s as good as the original.

”Let’s do the time warp again.” We walked into the place singing a little Rocky Horror ditty. 13 years had gone by and nothing had changed. The same whitewashed walls in a room best described as a garage. The same mismatched furniture. The same in-your-face...
Bacalao is back. From Chef Maria.

Bacalao is back. From Chef Maria.

I’d lost touch with Maria. I’m not sure who was the most to blame. Maria for moving so often. Or me for not hunting her down. She’d always been one of my favorite San Miguel chefs. And, when it came to putting value on a plate, there may have never been anyone better...
Asia Oriental Express. My Civil Opinion.

Asia Oriental Express. My Civil Opinion.

There is only one thing in the world worse than being talked about, and that is not being talked about.” Oscar Wilde Every morning I get an email from a Facebook site. It carries the not so catchy headline:  [CivilSMA1] Civil San Miguel de Allende, formerly Civil SMA...
“Like walking into a hug.” At Casa Nostra.

“Like walking into a hug.” At Casa Nostra.

It was November and, in November, Don Day’s Canadian friend Peter goes deer hunting. And in November, Don Day’s Wife always has the same message for Peter, “Don’t let the butcher trash those shanks; bring ’em on home to me.” This November, Peter was in Canada, we were...
La Cocina de San Miguel de Allende. At Tyto’s.

La Cocina de San Miguel de Allende. At Tyto’s.

Carlos Sanchez was the first San Miguelense I ever met. He greeted our car from the airport, he took our bags, he shook my hand, and he introduced himself as the house manager of the home we had rented on Pila Seca. There was something I liked about Carlos Sanchez....
Fat equals flavor. Just ask Tommy Delano.

Fat equals flavor. Just ask Tommy Delano.

WARNING: If you have a fear of too much fat in your diet, I highly recommend you read no further. You may be led, recklessly, astray. Pastrami. What can I say? Perhaps the most wonderful thing that mankind has ever done to meat. And all mostly an accident. Pastrami...
You bet your sweet patootie they’re good.

You bet your sweet patootie they’re good.

I’d eaten sweet potatoes for a lot of years. Mostly smothered in butter and sprinkled with salt as the side to a roast of pork. Then I came to San Miguel de Allende and my tongue got all twisted around. In Mexico, the locals eat sweet potatoes as dessert. I thought...
Hoppin’ on down to Venencia. For chapulines.

Hoppin’ on down to Venencia. For chapulines.

It was my last night in San Miguel before heading up to Toronto for a few weeks. Don Day’s Wife was suffering some post-Covid blues so I asked a couple of my favorite guys to join me in my five o’clock ritual. “Venencia?”, said Jack, “never heard of it”. “It’s on...
Memories of Woolworth’s. At City Market. Really.

Memories of Woolworth’s. At City Market. Really.

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...
A feast for the eyes, the tongue and the wallet. At La Mar. 

A feast for the eyes, the tongue and the wallet. At La Mar. 

If you’re like me, you have grandkids. And if you’re like me, you’re constantly (and usually unsuccessfully) trying to lure them down to San Miguel de Allende. “But, Grampie, there’s no sand, no sea.” I’d been almost ready to try a somewhat shady tactic. “You come to...