If I’m going to go out for Mexican food, I’d really rather find my way to a taqueria or other small eatery run by immigrant neighbors. Someplace where the food is the real thing, where I need to be prepared to order in my awkward Spanish or by pointing at an item in the menu with a smile.
Someplace, in other words, like El Mariachi Restaurante Mexicano. This East End eatery, more than just a taqueria, has long been one of my favorite local spots for Mexican fare thanks to the quality of its food, the breadth of its menu, and its colorful, happy-making decor.
Not long ago, running an errand out La Grange Road, I noticed to my surprise that things have changed. They’ve gotten better!
For years, El Mariachi and a cluster of other Latino shops – a carniceria (butcher shop), panaderia (bakery), and a supermercado (grocery) – had occupied the back leg of an L-shaped strip center, with other American shops (including a Mexican-American eatery) facing La Grange Road.
Suddenly everything has changed! ...Read more
