American things I miss in France: Mexican restaurants

Here in my American town, there are probably 25 different Mexican restaurants. These restaurants are a certain “type” of restaurant… when I was living in the UK, I discovered that Indian restaurants had a similar ambiance.
Characteristics of Mexican restaurants (in my region):
1. Far too many choices on the menu.
2. Extremely inexpensive
3. No take-away, no drive-through
4. Real Mexican servers and cooks, who may or may not speak a little English
5. Tasty margaritas – they aren’t cheap on the tequila or triple sec
6. “Hot plate! Hot plate!”
7. Very large portions
8. Free chips and salsa
9. Delicious white cheese dip with chips
10. Very speedy service.
11. Occasional live music
12. Chintzy decor
13. Family-run business

I estimate that I eat at a Mexican restaurant about twice a week here in the US. One evening every week I meet my family at a Mexican restaurant. I usually try to order something with rice & beans, but that means that I won’t get lettuce and tomato (unless I order a tostada meal).
I also usually go to a Mexican restaurant once a week for lunch with colleagues. It’s such quick service that it’s great for a one hour lunch break, if you are forced to take such short breaks.

I really miss Mexican restaurants when I am in France. I can make Mexican food at home, but it’s not quite the same. It’s not as greasy and delicious; the ambiance is definitely lacking.

The first summer that I ever spent in France, as a college student, I was staying in the Alps. At that time there was absolutely no hint of a Mexican restaurant for hundreds of kilometers. (Plus, the Alpine folks seemed to think that Mexican = Tex-Mex.) One time, at a bar in Albertville, there was a special for Margaritas for 10 francs!! Of course, I ordered one. I was a little confused when they didn’t ask me, “frozen or on-the-rocks?” like the Mexican guys at home do. I was served a green non-alcoholic lemonade thing in a SHOT GLASS neither frozen nor on-the-rocks. After a summer in the French Alps, I would have done almost anything for a cheap, greasy meal at a Mexican restaurant. So, towards the end of July, I ventured to Paris to find one.

There I was at Gare de Lyon. How do you find a Mexican restaurant from Gare de Lyon? Well, I started asking people. “Excuse me, do you know of a good Mexican restaurant?” First of all, people look at you like, “You crazy ‘ricaine, why did you come to France to eat Mexican food?” And then they shrug and admit that they’ve never eaten at a Mexican restaurant.

Finally, after wandering around the 5eme (5eme was my best guess and also near Gare de Lyon), we found a café owner who knew a Mexican restaurant. It was a few blocks away and we were so excited! When we arrived, the windows and doors were boarded up. Evidently Parisians really don’t like Mexican food.

So, back to another nearby café, another espresso; this second café owner said that he knew of a nearby Mexican restaurant, El Sombrero. He said that he knew the owner and told us to tell the restaurant owner that we were sent by him.

It was a cute little restaurant. The owner was actually Brazilian, so there was a small section of the menu that was Brazilian specialties. Since we were sent by the nearby café owner, he gave us appetizer drinks on the house- a colorful Brazilian concoction with an paper umbrella on top. I hadn’t seen those paper umbrellas in ages.

It was a delicious meal. Not like the Mexican restaurants at home, but close enough to give me some comfort. I don’t know if the restaurant is there anymore, but it will always hold a special place in my heart.