{"id":5470,"date":"2011-09-05T13:00:54","date_gmt":"2011-09-05T20:00:54","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.lasvegasbuffetclub.com\/blog\/?p=5470"},"modified":"2016-10-07T14:48:17","modified_gmt":"2016-10-07T21:48:17","slug":"taking-it-to-the-streets-mexican-style-outdoor-food-stands-in-denver","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/lasvegasbuffetclub.com\/blog\/?p=5470","title":{"rendered":"Taking it to the Streets: Mexican-style outdoor food stands in Denver"},"content":{"rendered":"\"facebook\"<\/a>\"twitter\"<\/a>\"google_plus\"<\/a>\"reddit\"<\/a>\"pinterest\"<\/a>\"linkedin\"<\/a>\"mail\"<\/a>by <\/span>\"feather\"<\/a>
\"Mariscos<\/a>
Mariscos D Mazatlan<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Mariscos D Mazatlan at 1063 Federal Blvd. specializes in seafood. In the evenings they prepare and serve tacos at this little stand in front of the restaurant. The current price for a taco here is $.99. <\/em><\/p>\n

When I lived in Mexico I fell in love with the little outdoor Taco-stands that dot the streets all over Mexico. It wasn’t just about the food. It was also about the ritual. The ritual is about open-air (after dark the ritual sweetens.) It’s about camaraderie – people gathering around hot-food (under lights.) There’s something about being in close proximity to bare light-bulbs at night. Afternoons also work, but then something’s missing. Strangers and friends congregating around food at night, in the open-air, can be a mystic experience – at least dining al-Fresco in Mexico can be a mystic expierience.<\/p>\n

There’s magic surrounding these little oases of refreshment. I’m thinking, maybe, they’re a throwback to a more primitive time. Or a bit later – gathering around the campfire with coffee and beans on the prairie after sundown. Different meats, usually carne asada (beef) or puerco (pork), but also more esoteric meats such as cabeza (head) parts such as: ojo (eye), oreja (ear), cachete (cheek), lengua (tongue), or labios (lips) are cooked on a flat-grill or sometimes in a wok-like, stir-fry pan. Then the little (usually 4-6″ in diameter) tortillas are warmed and topped with the meat. Salsas and extras such as: avocado or guacamole, cilantro, tomatoes, onions and lettuce are usually available, on the counter. Making the salsas and extras available for the customer to access is another facet that makes this form of dining so desirable. The customer can participate, not only in the ritual but in the gustational-balance. Huh? Sometimes, at other street locations or at restaurants, one can find Tacos Al Pastor: “Pork is marinated over one or two days in a combination of dried chiles and then slowly cooked with a gas flame on a vertical rotisserie”. A huge hunk of pork is flame-roasted on a vertical rotisserie then sliced and placed on a tortilla and served as above. I haven’t seen these tacos on Federal yet, but I’m thinking they will be available. Al Pastor is definitely my favorite taco, if it isn’t Baja fish-tacos. [Some information is from the pages of WIKI]<\/p>\n

I’m betting you’re going to see more of these taco\/food stands around Denver. Similar food stands like this in Mexico were the inspiration for Baja Fresh-type restaurants. Depending on the outlet, food is served from lunchtime into the night.<\/p>\n

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