My roommate from college Ron Iles used to say “I don’t drink tequila because every time I do I wake up …in Mexico”. While I might not be a big fan of Tequila, Mexican inspired dishes are great for supper clubs.
Growing up in New York in the 1960’s, Mexican was not part of our diet. I can remember the first time I went to a Mexican restaurant. My wife Susan took me to Nito’s in Greenwich Village. I loved it and Nito’s was the gold standard we compared every Mexican restaurant we went to for years.
Having traveled to Mexico and having worked with some really good Mexican chefs I now know that the standard fare of rice, refried beans and tacos is just the tip of the culinary iceberg when it comes to Mexican cuisine. The fresh seafood and great sauces of real Mexican food are fantastic. I even have a “Gringo Mexican” recipe in my book.
Check out the recipe for Shrimp and Avocado Quesadilla;
While I am not a huge fan of Tequila, I do love Mexican beer. This brings me back to another great Ron Iles line. After college Ron spent six months living in Mexico. When he got back I asked him how he got by not speaking the language. He said: “it was easy, all you have to know is: Una cerveza por favor. Then after that all you need is: una mas”. ( “One beer please” and “One more”). Mexican beers are great especially with a squeeze of fresh lime.
Fresh fish is central to quite a bit of Mexican cuisine. The best sushi I have ever had was in Cabo. My friends in Japan have treated me to some great raw fish, but the freshness of the fish and delicacy of the sauces we had in Cabo were memorable, that and the sparkle in my grandson’s eyes as he flirted with the waitress.
Make sure you include Mexican cuisine when thinking abut supper club menus.
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