Delicious Yes... Mexican? Not a chance...

The #13 at El Torito... Green Chile Pork Burrito In the middle of this political season, I've found myself looking for other things to write about.  I've become so worn down from a form of demonization of which both sides are guilty, that I rarely take the time to comment unless something specific strikes my fancy. In the meantime, here's a look at a place for you to look up next time you are in Las Vegas. Over half of my life is spent in Mexico, so I get my fair share of good Mexican food.  Often times people assume that I will try to avoid Mexican food here in the states because I get so much of it when I travel. Let me say this.  The majority of food that the average American eats in Mexican restaurants around the country is about as likely to be served in Mexico as orange chicken, a staple in US Chinese restaurants, is to be served in Chengdu Province. Mexican restaurants in the US are in reality, Mexican themed, having about as much in common with traditional Mexican food as the old Casa de Fritos in Disneyland. But that is another discussion, for my journey this weekend took me to a place located on the outskirts of old Henderson, El Torito.  No, this is not the corporate El Torito where they make the guacamole at your table. This is the hole in wall El Torito, owned and operated by locals since the mid 70's when this neck of the woods sported the Old Vegas Fort, a trailer park and a few homes. My first impression was that I was in some sort of time warp.  Nothing hip here.  If you are expecting a tapas and microbrew joint, Houston, you've got a problem. The place has vinyl booths, a bunch of formica tables, and what mainstream America knows as Mexican food.  It's almost comfort food.  Tacos with ground beef, lettuce, tomatoes and shredded cheese.  Chimichangas, fajitas, nachos, and even burgers in case the kids don't want a taco. I went for the #13 Green Chile Pork Burrito, all meat, at the urging of my server.  As I waited I tried what I was assuming was going to be the wimpy salsa.  Was I surprised.  It had just the right amount of jalapeno bite to go with my chips.  So often, restaurants avoid the chiles when making this important part of the Mexican experience.  Not here. Soon enough my plate arrived and it was classic.  The burrito was served wet, covered with extra pork and like the beans, topped off with melted cheddar cheese.  My first bite was heavenly.  Tender shredded pork, green chile salsa, wrapped in a flour tortilla.  And it was a little spicy. The rice was more chicken based, as opposed to the "normal" reddish tomato rice one might expect, and I liked it.  It was not all clumped together, was fresh, and like the beans, served hot on my plate. Overall, I give the place 4 out of 5 stars. Will I go back?  Yes I will.  Is it authentic Mexican food?  Not a chance.  Was it delicious?  Of course, and that's what you want when you go out. So next time you are in Vegas and heading out to Boulder City or Lake Mead, make sure to stop in at El Torito on Boulder Hwy in Henderson... and get the #13! You'll be glad you did.

Coffee, Pot Pies, and the Classic Club... checking out the food in San Diego...

Looking for some local color and food flavor for your upcoming summer get out of Los Angeles weekend?  Are you tired of the same old routine that includes all of those chain food joints when you visit a town? Fret no more!  In a whirlwind two days in the beautiful city of San Diego, I had some great food and a chance to experience some wonderful areas in one of America’s most beautiful cities. We all know everyone these days is drinking coffee, or at least one of those sugar laden concoctions we all call coffee.  A great local café to start your visit is Claire de Lune Coffee Lounge.  Located in the North Park area of the city, this place is surrounded by Starbuck’s outlets.  Don’t let that discourage you, and don't pass this place up.   I had the house blend coffee, straight up, unsweetened, and it was wonderful.  Bold, fresh, and steaming hot, this coffee finished with a nice fruity after taste.  I’m guessing it would be fantastic on ice. The place is huge, full of tables inside and out.  This gives you a great place to people watch.  If there is a drawback, it’s that there is no wi-fi, but with all of the tables, take a game along and you and your partner can make an evening of it. In the same North Park area and within a few blocks is a San Diego tradition, The Chicken Pie Shop, on the corner of El Cajon and Utah.  This is the diner you've seen on television a thousand times.   Since 1938 they have been serving up their classic Chicken Pie Plate.  For $7.50 you get soup, coleslaw, mashed potatoes, vegetables, bread and the star of the meal, a chicken pot pie. Hand made and bursting with chicken, these little gems were wonderful.  Mixing both shredded and chunks of chicken, light and dark meat, I could eat one of these everyday.  And I am guessing some people do. Once you add the slice of homemade pie that comes with this meal, I am not sure you could find a better bargain anywhere in the city.  It’s a wonderful lunch, in the perfect retro setting, complete with a counter, and if you need, they’ll even pack it all up to go so you can take it back your hotel. Once you are rested up, or have spent your afternoon swimming in the pool or nearby Mission Bay, it’s time to head on over to the Gaslamp District for some dinner.  16 blocks of urban cool, this area is the heart of San Diego. Catch a baseball game, hear some great music, pick up the latest fashion accessory, or laugh the night away at one of the local comedy clubs.  It’s all here along with a host of trendy restaurants, some with less than 20 feet of street frontage, but packed with energy, vibe, and great food. We ate at Nicky Rottens Bar & Burger Joint, but don’t let the name scare you.  The food was anything but rotten.  We started with sweet potato fries and beer.  I had Yellowtail Pale Ale from Ballast Point, a local microbrewery.  On draft, this was a nice beer alongside the fries, which were served with a maple dipping syrup. For dinner, I had the club sandwich, made with a wonderful applewood smoked bacon.  Crisp toast, all the right ingredients, and served with fries... they call it the Classic Club, and they delivered. As good as the club was, perhaps the star of the night was the “Dirty Sanchez” Baja Burger.  Served with jalapeños, salsa, guacamole and topped with pepper jack cheese, this 100% organic burger was a handful.  Top it off with a nice cold one, and you can’t beat this burger. But maybe you are a vegetarian, or are just in the mood to skip red meat.  Not a problem in this place.  Everyone of their burgers can be made with a vegetarian patty, chicken, or even turkey.  That shows you how importantly they take the customer at Nicky Rottens. So next time you are in San Diego, skip the chains.  Look for the local flavor and be amazed.  You can eat at Chili’s every night when you get home and you can get your favorite caramel laced coffee the next time you pass through the Starbuck’s Drive-Thru on your way to work. Getaways are about a change in the routine. Next time you are in San Diego, go get a great handmade chicken pot pie, people watch, and experience a great burger.  Without a doubt, the Gaslamp District and North Park, are two area you should not miss next time you are in San Diego.  a nice hat tip to joe ramirez of mission focused for helping with the pictures!

Walmart, Bribes, and Jala, Nayarit... the effects of US business on life in Mexico...

[The basilica of Jala] In 1996, I led my first short-term mission team into central Mexico.  We spent a week in Guadalajara and another in the little town of Jala, in the state of Nayarit. Jala is the type of sleepy town that wakes up once a year for their festival.  Their chief claim to fame is an ability to grow giant corn and the nearby volcano, Ceboruco.  Throw in a beautiful basilica, a classic town square and you have central Mexico. Most of the 15000 or so residents are, or at least were, connected to corn and sugar cane farming. [Casa Arriola in Jala, where I spent many a night with Octavio and his Tia Caratina] I was there a number of times with a good friend who was on the Board of Directors of my ministry, Adventures in Life, at the time. Octavio spent his summers growing up in this little sleepy town and he wanted us to visit, learn the culture, and help the people in some way.  It was at his urging that we went. One of the challenges in small town Mexico if you are taking care of a group, is getting food. Life in these places is not like life here in the states. To make breakfast, you first go to the place that sells eggs.  Then the place that sells bacon and cheese.  Then the place that sells tortillas.  And on and on and on.  It is terribly unproductive, unless of course you want to get to know the community, her people, and the culture. [A typical small store in Jala, this one sells furniture] As is my custom, I like to ask a lot of questions.  One morning as Octavio and I were making the rounds looking for enough food to make a meal for our group of 16 people, I asked a question... "Why doesn't someone open up a supermarket here with everything in one place?" His response was both quick and concise.  He asked me why I hated the people of Jala, his village? I was stunned as he went on to explain that while a supermarket might make things easier, it would kill a lot of local merchants.  Many of the small stores or tiendas that we visited everyday were family stores.  Many of the folks that owned those stores would never be able to get a job in someplace like Ralphs, K-Mart, Home Depot or Walmart. The only thing that would happen, Octavio went on, if those big box retailers came into Mexico and entered the small towns and villages would be a loss of revenue, livelihood, and the businesses of the very people who had sacrificed and built the city.   We would also see a loss of community as people would no longer go to Maria's corner store for eggs and conversation, or maybe Juan's ferreteria for nails and advice. That was almost 20 years ago.  And sadly, Octavio was right. With the recent news that Walmart has been systematically bribing people to get their stores into all corners of Mexico, perhaps it is time to ask Octavio's question a different way. Does American business hate the people of Mexico so much that after devastating the corn industry and cutting down the sugar cane farmers, it felt a need to illegally take aim on the Mom and Pop stores that dot the landscape across the country and form the backbone of the Mexican community? I'm just askin... Here's some great photos of Jala

Freedom and Individual Rights... promoting the general welfare...

It’s a freedom thing. That’s what he said. I was sitting in a local coffee shop this morning and a veteran of our idiocy in Vietnam was talking with the owner. He was saying that we have forgotten what made America great. We are, in his opinion, leaving behind the rights of the individual. The freedom to live his life as he or she chooses is central to this veterans understanding of freedom. And I agree with him, to a point. Because those rights do not exist on a one way street. They flow back and forth in both directions as much as the I-15 flows between Los Angeles and Las Vegas. I have found that there are very few rights that we can exercise that exist in a vacuum, or in a world where the exercise of those rights will not impact others. Let me cite a few examples. You want to smoke? That’s 100% fine for you, but how are you going to make sure that I do not have to pay one penny for the medical care related to your desire to engage in harmful activity? Or let me turn that one around. When does my desire to live in a smoke free world, impinge on your right to smoke when and where you choose? Want to ride your motorcycle without a helmut or drive your car without wearing a seatbelt? How are you going to ensure that the general public will not be paying for your decision to eschew these safety options if you are in an accident? You do not want to buy health insurance? Are you, and your family okay with medical personnel letting you die because you cannot pay your bill? You want to claim a right to build, or own your home in a flood plain, or tornado zone? Why should I have to help bail you and your neighbors out when the inevitable disaster strikes? This is the FEMA question that comes up every year. Even our right to practice religion exists on that big two way super highway. I wonder how many people claiming religion is under siege based on President Obama’s views on health care rose to the defense of Muslims in New York when they wanted to build a mosque at ground zero. Clearly, the free exercise of our rights has limits, something even the Supreme Court understands as evidenced by certain limits on speech. We have free speech, but we can’t yell fire in a crowded theater. So maybe the question is how do we decide when it is necessary, to promote the general welfare, to curtail, or put limits on those rights. It is such a delicate balance. What say you?

Life as a Member of the Jet Set...

It used to be you were part of the Jet Set when you traveled. Flight attendants were stewardesses, beautiful, had cool uniforms and you got some great meals. Not anymore. Now you are part of some vast herd that must be corralled by the least amount of staff the airlines can legally put on the plane. But the fun usually begins before you even board as you are pushed into lines, given no real instructions, poked, prodded, and felt up, all in the name of national security. These days with flight attendants freaking out and pilots going nuts, you wonder if you're even going to survive the flight. I was thinking about this all day yesterday as I was sardined into my 18 inch wide seat for my flights home from Oaxaca, Mexico... 1. When you arrive at the airport and they have a scale waiting for you before you get in line, you know the airlines have decided to take baggage weight limits seriously. 2. US Airlines seem less willing to change your seat than the Mexican Airlines. At least that is true for whatever we are calling United/Continental airline these days. So yes, I was sitting in row 648, seat Q on my trip home. 3. I noticed that one of the benefits of flying United is that they give you complementary seat choice. Seriously, that's a benefit? 4. I left Oaxaca and went through security. I arrived in Houston, passed through security, customs, immigration, and then security again. Can anyone explain to me why, after I was allowed to fly to the states, I have to pass through security again after Immigration allowed me in, even though I stayed in a controlled area? 5. It is never a good sign when the guy across the aisle from you tells his wife he needs the barf bag. 6. More and more people are dressing like they should be part of a Walmart customer photo exhibit. As a general rule, I don't want to see your underwear, ugly feet, or your gut and belly button when I travel, and I'm betting, no one else does, so get dressed before you fly. 7. They've taken almost all of the free snacks away. Now they don't even offer you that bag of 6 pretzels. Of course you can buy it, but it costs $6.99, credit card only. 8. The government has decided that on international flights, you can no longer use the bathroom when you are within an hour of the United States. Supposedly, this cuts down on the possibility of a terrorist doing something untoward in the last hour of a flight. I wonder why no one seems to think he won't just do what ever it is in the last hour and a half? 9. Is all the security really necessary? I mean, could someone explain to me what kind of dumb terrorist is really going to try and pass through security with a bomb these days? Why would they not just blow themselves up in the line of 5000 people waiting to take off their shoes and belts and get X-rayed? And finally, when I left Oaxaca in the morning, food in a tortilla was called a taco, or burrito, depending on where you were. Somewhere over the US, the same food in a tortilla became a wrap. Travel can be so confusing... Want a bonus? Check out Brian Regan's hilarious take on flying...

Showtime in Chavez Ravine

He did it again. Just like he did in 1979, we now have hope. Tuesday evening Earvin “Magic” Johnson was again drafted by Los Angeles. And just like then, he has set the city abuzz. The LA Times is on it. Facebook is lit up. Sports talk radio is alive. And life could not be better for Los Angeles sports fans. With the stroke of pen, Magic is once again the hottest sports figure in the city. Just like he was back in the day when Jerry Buss signed the skinny kid from Michigan State to a Laker contract. We don’t know how this is going to turn out. Magic is walking into a situation that has few usable parts and the parking lots are still owned by the Butcher of Baghdad, er Boston, Frank McCourt, who can wreak havoc from afar. But we have hope, an owner who wants to do right for Los Angeles, even if only to preserve his image, and a reason to go out to the ballpark. This year I will my buy first Los Angeles Dodger tickets since Rupert Murdoch traded Mike Piazza and started this once storied franchise on the road to ruin. Not because I believe everything Magic touches will somehow turn to gold, but because he already has. The O’Malley did not win every year, and neither will Magic. But the Dodgers are back. And because of that, Chavez Ravine will become the new home of Showtime for Los Angeles. Now excuse me while I dream of sitting in the stands, watching the sunset over Chavez Ravine and a great baseball game while eating a grilled Dodger Dog. I just wish my parking lot fees weren’t going to settle a divorce decree.

Dinner in Oaxaca

One of the perks of serving in Mexico is that I get a chance to enjoy some great tacos. One of the places I always go when I am in Oaxaca in Taqueria El Primo. While they have lots of great options, perhaps my favorite is a plate of five tacos "al pastor." As is the custom here in the south, they are served with pork, onion, cilantro and pineapple. And yes, you read that right. Pineapple. Mixing the sweetness of the pineapple with the hot salsa makes for a wonderfully unique taste. You can have them on either corn of flour tortillas. The ones shown here are with corn tortillas, but honestly, I like mine with flour. Once you get your plate, you can then add whatever salsa, typically red or green, you desire, guacamole, pico de gallo, some lime and you're all set for the beginnings of a real taco feast. With a soda, the cost is about $5.00 and well worth it. But when you go, don't be a gringo and show up at 6:00pm. Get there after 9:00, sit and enjoy a soccer game with locals, relax, and talk with your friends. Remember, while dinner is about the food, life is about relationships. Take your time and enjoy it. Taqueria El Primo Calzada de la Republica Barrio Jalatlaco, Oaxaca Hat Tip to Joe Ramirez of MISSION Focused for the great photos.