Eating Out - Comida Corrida

While on my latest excursion I discovered that Mexico can be as cheap or as expensive as you make it.

In Queretaro I found two charming little hotels for $10 U.S. a night which offer modest comfort including private bath and television. After the hotel, the most expensive thing is eating, to which I found a nearly perfect solution - Comida Corrida.

These little restaurants are normally near the Plaza because it is one of the busiest areas in each town. Eating here is for me much like eating at home, the main difference being I get to choose from a menu instead of scrounging through my refrigerator.

The Comida Corrida restaurant I visited a block up from the main square in Queretaro offered the following:

Cream of potato or chicken soup, pasta with ham and cream sauce or rice, main dishes which included carne asada, fried chicken, chicken with vegetables (tomatoes, onions and peppers) or something resembling beef fajitas and, dessert; all accompanied by fresh bread and the ever present array of salsas.

After eating a large meal ( I chose the chicken) and chasing it down with two soft drinks my bill came to $21 pesos - less than $3 U.S.

The atmosphere in a restaurant offering Comida Corrida is the most attractive thing for me, aside from the good food. These restaurants attract all sorts of customers including the weary traveler, the businessman with a short lunch break and whole families who decide not to go through the hassle of cooking that day. This atmosphere provides great opportunities for both people watching and meeting some of the local folk, something that wouldn't normally happen in the "expensive" restaurants where I might normally go.

All in all, Comida Corrida restaurants share top place with taco vendors on my eating list as the best places to eat while on the road in Mexico.

As with all restaurants, make sure the place looks clean and that the food is hot. I usually ask a friendly taxi driver for recommendations, they always know where to eat.