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sfmacaws

Feb 26, 2007, 11:24 PM

Post #1 of 12 (2721 views)

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Botanas

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I've found that bars that serve botanas are common in some parts of Mexico and not others. In the state of Yucatan, they are common. But, there is a big difference in what you get, some places think some chips and salsa are enough.

Mérida has some famous botana bars, Eladio's is one that has about 6 locations. The one I've been to has live music, is a huge room with lots of tables, lots of noise and laughing and a great vibe. The food is good and they keep it coming as long as you keep ordering drinks. It's not a great place to have a conversation though.

This weekend we went to another smaller botana bar that was quieter and the food was outstanding. The name of it is D'Pilón, which is an interesting word in Mexico. I was told that it means 'a little extra' such as when you buy 9 and get the 10th one free. Also, if the last child is born several years after the previous ones, that child is often called El Pilón. Our friends said it was something started by Presidente Cardenas but that it has fallen out of style now and you can rarely get un pilón anymore.

This was the first round of dishes, they started arriving as soon as we placed our drink order. I didn't get a picture of the next 3 rounds but every 10 minutes they would come with 6 or 7 more plates of food. All of it was delicious and we asked them to stop finally as no one could eat anymore.

The 2 big bowls of soup were Sopa de Limón and Sopa de Albóndigas., Sopa de Limón is a traditional Yucatan soup and we've had it in many places and many times. This was the absolute best we have ever tasted. The small plates held warm refried black beans, ceviche, chicharrones in red sauce, potato salad, cucumbers in vinegar, small enchiladas, sliced pieces of a local tamal called Abrazos de Reina (that is what is sitting on the banana leaf), 2 small dishes of a cilantro garlic sauce and a pumpkin seed sauce, one large plate with 3 tacos de chilmole and chicken with slices of hard boiled egg.

Because I didn't take a picture of the later plates, I can't remember what they were except for Poc Chuc and strings of spicy sausage. It may also be because I was doing my part to keep the largesse flowing and had 3 rum and cokes. Mimi and Pati only had sodas though and it didn't seem to matter.

Jonna - Mérida, Yucatán

yucatandreamer

Feb 27, 2007, 6:38 AM

Post #2 of 12 (2703 views)

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Re: [sfmacaws] Botanas

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That is the most amazing botana spread I have ever seen. Where is this place?

sfmacaws

Feb 27, 2007, 1:03 PM

Post #3 of 12 (2687 views)

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Re: [yucatandreamer] Botanas

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Sorry, I should have put the address.

Calle 36 No. 455 X 27

36th and 27th street in the Colonia Jesus Carranza. phone number is 927-37-87

It was more botanas and better botanas than I've ever seen as well. Fabulous!

Jonna - Mérida, Yucatán

lakechapaladreamer

Feb 28, 2007, 4:50 PM

Post #4 of 12 (2636 views)

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Re: [sfmacaws] Botanas

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Sorry if this is a dumb question, but what are the prices like for botanas? They don't come automatically as long as you order drinks, do they?

sfmacaws

Feb 28, 2007, 7:01 PM

Post #5 of 12 (2625 views)

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Re: [lakechapaladreamer] Botanas

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Yep! That's the beauty of it. As long as you keep ordering the food keeps coming. We did pay for the deserts, a flan and some ice cream, and you pay for the drinks.

Jonna - Mérida, Yucatán

hopalog

Mar 1, 2007, 10:00 AM

Post #6 of 12 (2595 views)

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Re: [sfmacaws] Botanas

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Man that looks SO inviting.. I wonder if I can make my 12yo the designated driver.... :)

Hell's Half Acre

Flickrlicious

Rolly

Mar 1, 2007, 12:08 PM

Post #7 of 12 (2584 views)

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Re: [sfmacaws] Botanas

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I have been to botanas in Manzanillo and Comala that offered a variety of dishes as you have pictured.

Botanas around Lerdo/Torreón are just plate lunch places with a different menu each day, no choices.

Rolly Pirate

sfmacaws

Mar 1, 2007, 1:19 PM

Post #8 of 12 (2577 views)

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Re: [hopalog] Botanas

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Offhand I'd say that a 12 yo driving daddy home who is drunk in the back of the truck is not all that unusual in Mexico. It's the ones who don't let the kid drive that are more dangerous ;)

Yeah, Rolly, there seems to be a huge discrepancy in botanas around the country. They are different things in different places but I think they are always un pilón, something extra you get for ordering drinks. Even in an area where they are common, like Mérida, the quality and quantity vary enormously.

Jonna - Mérida, Yucatán

Oscar2

Mar 2, 2007, 9:28 AM

Post #9 of 12 (2549 views)

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Re: [sfmacaws] Botanas

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"Botanas"

Well I’ll be darned. Botanas is what you call that experience we unsuspectingly had in an Aguascalientes restaurant. If my memory serves me right, I think the name of this very popular restaurant was called either Pepe’s or Pepinos.

Reason we stopped to eat there was because of the surrounding streets and parking lots were full, indicating maybe the food, music or something was popular.

We sat down, the place was buzzing with activity, we ordered Margaritas with a side of Gran Marnier just to smooth the edges but before we got our drinks, plates of food of all kinds kept coming.

Being a first time experience, we looked around and large groups and families were doing same. After we got our drinks, the food just kept coming and being that we were there to have something special for dinner, well but…..so much food kept coming and we kept snacking that our appetites melted into another Margarita of same instead.

We sat there and munched and munched, listened to lively entertainment and then I noticed the couple sitting just ahead of us by the window as well, got served by the waiter a very large bucket filled with ice and bottles of cerveza.

As they sat there guzzling cerveza one right after the other the food kept flying. It was kind of funny and a bit novel because I couldn’t quite figure out what was going on till we finished eating and drinking and ordered la cuenta.

He brought us a bill which exceeded the price of the drinks and I brought it to his attention by which he replied, “Senior we have a minimum of X amount of pesos.” Confused I enquired what that meant and he said, “You have to buy a minimum amount of drinks to get all this food that is why they kept serving dishes.”

I thanked him and told him I appreciated this effort but we were really, really full and didn’t want to drink or eat any more, then he suggested we can order cerveza or something else to drink “to go” and that would fill the minimum drink order requirement.

He brought us 4 or 5 bottles of bagged beer, we left him a sizable propina and left. Reflecting, the guy/couple sitting to one side of us with the bucket of cerveza ordered another bucket just before we left and the food kept flying.

It’s clear now that this is a night out for many just like them and others where entertainment and guzzling suds with snacks/dishes galore at a reasonable price can make for a fun evening ala Mexicana.

This to us is unique and just one of the little draws of Mexico which calls us back.

(This post was edited by Oscar2 on Mar 2, 2007, 1:49 PM)

wendy devlin

Mar 3, 2007, 8:12 AM

Post #10 of 12 (2513 views)

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Re: [Oscar2] Botanas

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Botanas(snacks) are served alongside drinks all over the country. A place where you sit over time, pay for drinks, while the food(hot, cold, plentiful) keeps coming is often called a botanero.

Having only been in botaneros in Colima, I was pleased to find the following article by Susan Dearing, that helps describe how botaneros are a lively part of the culture.

http://www.gomanzanillo.com/.../botaneros/index.htm

The botaneros I've frequented have been mostly in Comala. Los Portales, opposite the zocalo, is quite famous as a place to spend long afternoons, inside or outside under cover, while numerous strolling bands compete for your entertainment dollar. It's not uncommon for a trio with a tuba player, a ten piece mariachi band and other musical groups, playing ALL at the same time for their clients.

A little down the main road back towards Colima City are several large botaneros, where most days the food, drinks and entertainment starts around noon and carries on until about 7:00 p.m. At which time the establishments used to close.

The Colima custom here is to work, go to school etc. in the mornings, party hardy during several hours in the afternoon(did I mention live bands, and great amounts of dancing) and return back to work later in the afternoon/evening. And then back to home and family obligations in the later evening.

And as Susan's article mentions, sometimes the entertainment is even more creative than music and dancing:)

(This post was edited by wendy devlin on Mar 3, 2007, 8:13 AM)

Oscar2

Mar 3, 2007, 2:27 PM

Post #11 of 12 (2495 views)

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Re: [wendy devlin] Botanas

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Wendy,

What a great window to a fascinating side of culture probably many others and I haven’t even the slightest. Susan’s piece with pix and all is icing on the cake.

As mentioned in Susan’s post, these are mostly blue-collar locals with a mix of tourist, nearby out of towners and visitors out to have routine good time. Their accustomed ways, although on the surface seem to be different from what we are accustomed too NoB, what really sets well, is they are a vibrant, seemingly healthy bunch of good soles having a good time, no different than anywhere else on this planet, except they are doing it their way!

I/we celebrate this for what it is and because it is what it is at that moment, life is good. The contrasting simplicity of its nature is a draw appealing to the most basic of needs we seeming enjoy and have fun with.

I know you’ve been down south awhile now and I’ve enjoyed listening to the songs your harp sings of Mexico even though like most of us an occasional sour note pings, what’s important is you keep on playing the tunes etched by surroundings you now call home.

We’re again scratching out plans for our next round Mexico way. It seems like we just got back again and again and yes, it’s habitual needing a cure, like more of it. This time we’ll be heading to taste the Morelia atmosphere, and environs further south. I’ll bet, like Aguascalientes, Colima, Jonna’s finding and such, I’ll find other botaneros I can post back onto MC.

Hasta Luego

wendy devlin

Mar 5, 2007, 7:56 AM

Post #12 of 12 (2459 views)

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Re: [Oscar2] Botanas

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Oscar,
Muchas gracías por tus palabras amables.

Susan and I are old friends. Although she has lived in Manzanillo for over twenty years and I generally live in Canada, we have spent great times together over the years.

Liking and sharing similiar experiences... writing about them on the net:)

In another small town of intimate acquaintence, the botaneros are a slightly different kettle of fish than in Manzanillo.

These botaneros are generally located in the 'redder light' district and patronized heavily by collars of blue. Interestingly (to me at least)some botaneros cater to the transexual clientale. In a generally overtly, macho, ranchero culture, it was curious how this group manages to survive...and at times prosper.

For instance at the annual Fiestas de Taurinas de la Candelaria, a pair of these botanero owners were patrons during for -los recibimientos...the early evening series of free public banquets and entertainment that precede the nine days of bull rodeos. The patrons 'give back' to their Saint, their clients and community a spread of largesse...steaming bowls of birria, stacks of hot tortillas, salsa and endless cases of beer.

At this particular event, one of the famous transexuals of the area, performed an hour-long show of beloved Mexican ballads and torch songs...to a wildly enthusiastic audience of over 100 people squeezed under large tents. Afterwards, everyone joins a parade to the bull-ring where the next tier of entertainment gears up for a 'show' before the bull-riding begins.

More later: it's time to milk the goats. Wendy

P.S. if you like these sorts of experiences, I once wrote a mini-series about a few of them
http://www.mexconnected.com/...lin/wdespectac2.html