Saturday, February 26, 2011

Hot Dogs, Anyone?

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Mexico is famous for its’ roadside vendors selling fish tacos, tamales, enchiladas and other fare from small, portable stands. We’ve eaten at many over these 3 winters in Baja.

Last winter when we attended spanish language school in La Paz for 2 weeks, one instructor advised us we MUST go somewhere for a Mexican hot dog, as they’re quite different from American hot dogs.  So last night we finally did. 

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“Adrian’s hot dog stand” is only open Friday, Saturday and Sunday nights. About 8 people chop, cook, take orders and serve food to a quickly revolving crowd of customers who mostly arrive on foot.  On arrival, one of the staff notices your presence and takes a plastic table and 4 chairs from a stack and sets them up for you with a clean table cloth and utensils. We had to ask for a menu as most customers are “regulars” and don’t need them.  Doug, Jill, Bob and Cathryn each ordered TWO hot dogs (we’d noticed they were small).  The plate arrives with a pretty typical bun and hot dog, but also has cheese and salsa on it.  Then you take your plate to the stand to add whatever toppings you want: guacamole, sour cream, roasted jalapeno peppers (not as spicy as when raw), cucumbers, onions, radishes and olives.  Nope, that’s right:  no ketchup, mustard, relish or sauerkraut!

And if you wanted a beer, you had to go to the restaurant across the street and buy it, as Adrian doesn’t have a liquor license. But the restaurant is happy to sell you a beer, and the proprietor watches for your departure and comes to collect the empty beer bottles as they’re worth money from the beer distributor.  What a hoot! Even Lua, Jill and Doug’s German Shepherd, enjoyed the evening, as it gave her ample opportunity to check out the other local dogs.

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