I drove my brother to the doctor this morning and afterwards he took me to
lunch. He took me to a small place called Las Tortugas Deli Mexicana. It's
a cross between a taqueria and a torteria. The man who opened the place
("Pepe") is from Mexico City. After 24 years in Memphis he got sick of
waiting for someone to open a place like he'd find back home so he did it
himself. It's basically a Mexican sandwich & taco place.

"Pepe" does not get food deliveries from any vendors, not even produce.
Every morning he shops at Hispanic markets and even grocery stores,
selecting only the best of whatever he can find. They have an in-house
baker who makes all their breads fresh throughout the day for the
"sandwiches". They make their own tortillas and chips.

They have a set menu but if he ("Pepe") couldn't find something of high
enough quality that morning to prepare a regular dish, they tell you when
you order it's not available and make other menu suggestions. They also
have daily specials.

My brother ordered one of the specials: grilled chicken tacos with mole
sauce (there's that sauce again!). The chicken was shredded and mixed with
the sauce; topped with grated white cheese (Oaxaca?) and thinly sliced
avocado served in 5 little teeny soft white corn tortillas which they call
tortillitas. There are freshly shredded salad greens on the side, also
lightly sprinkled with cheese.

I was going to order the pork tamales but (here's where they didn't have
any) the man said, "We have some really wonderful chicken tamales right now,
freshly made." Okey doke, I'll have those. Two tamales topped with a
lightly spicy avocado/tomatillo sauce. Wonderful!

After that I had some errands to run. Decided I wasn't going to cook
dinner, either. I stopped at the little store down the street since they
still serve their lunch buffet until 1:30. Dinner will be the big meal
(*if* I can eat all of it). Country fried steak in gravy, mashed potatoes,
green beans and a cornbread muffin.

Jill

"jmcquown" > wrote in message
.. .
> I drove my brother to the doctor this morning and afterwards he took me to
> lunch. He took me to a small place called Las Tortugas Deli Mexicana.
It's
> a cross between a taqueria and a torteria. The man who opened the place
> ("Pepe") is from Mexico City. After 24 years in Memphis he got sick of
> waiting for someone to open a place like he'd find back home so he did it
> himself. It's basically a Mexican sandwich & taco place.
>
> "Pepe" does not get food deliveries from any vendors, not even produce.
> Every morning he shops at Hispanic markets and even grocery stores,
> selecting only the best of whatever he can find. They have an in-house
> baker who makes all their breads fresh throughout the day for the
> "sandwiches". They make their own tortillas and chips.
>
> They have a set menu but if he ("Pepe") couldn't find something of high
> enough quality that morning to prepare a regular dish, they tell you when
> you order it's not available and make other menu suggestions. They also
> have daily specials.
>
> My brother ordered one of the specials: grilled chicken tacos with mole
> sauce (there's that sauce again!). The chicken was shredded and mixed
with
> the sauce; topped with grated white cheese (Oaxaca?) and thinly sliced
> avocado served in 5 little teeny soft white corn tortillas which they call
> tortillitas. There are freshly shredded salad greens on the side, also
> lightly sprinkled with cheese.
>
> I was going to order the pork tamales but (here's where they didn't have
> any) the man said, "We have some really wonderful chicken tamales right
now,
> freshly made." Okey doke, I'll have those. Two tamales topped with a
> lightly spicy avocado/tomatillo sauce. Wonderful!
>
> After that I had some errands to run. Decided I wasn't going to cook
> dinner, either. I stopped at the little store down the street since they
> still serve their lunch buffet until 1:30. Dinner will be the big meal
> (*if* I can eat all of it). Country fried steak in gravy, mashed
potatoes,
> green beans and a cornbread muffin.
>
> Jill
>
>

Oh, Jill I wish I could have gone to that Mexican restaurant with you! Real
Mexican? I haven't had that since Maui. I'm so jealous!

kili

jmcquown wrote:

> After that I had some errands to run.

yeah sure you did, i wouldn't crap where I ate either!!!

lol

On Mon 13 Feb 2006 02:16:09p, Thus Spake Zarathustra, or was it kilikini?

>
> "jmcquown" > wrote in message
> .. .
>> I drove my brother to the doctor this morning and afterwards he took me
>> to lunch. He took me to a small place called Las Tortugas Deli
>> Mexicana. It's a cross between a taqueria and a torteria. The man who
>> opened the place ("Pepe") is from Mexico City. After 24 years in
>> Memphis he got sick of waiting for someone to open a place like he'd
>> find back home so he did it himself. It's basically a Mexican sandwich
>> & taco place.
>>
>> "Pepe" does not get food deliveries from any vendors, not even produce.
>> Every morning he shops at Hispanic markets and even grocery stores,
>> selecting only the best of whatever he can find. They have an in-house
>> baker who makes all their breads fresh throughout the day for the
>> "sandwiches". They make their own tortillas and chips.
>>
>> They have a set menu but if he ("Pepe") couldn't find something of high
>> enough quality that morning to prepare a regular dish, they tell you
>> when you order it's not available and make other menu suggestions.
>> They also have daily specials.
>>
>> My brother ordered one of the specials: grilled chicken tacos with
>> mole sauce (there's that sauce again!). The chicken was shredded and
>> mixed with the sauce; topped with grated white cheese (Oaxaca?) and
>> thinly sliced avocado served in 5 little teeny soft white corn
>> tortillas which they call tortillitas. There are freshly shredded
>> salad greens on the side, also lightly sprinkled with cheese.
>>
>> I was going to order the pork tamales but (here's where they didn't
>> have any) the man said, "We have some really wonderful chicken tamales
>> right now, freshly made." Okey doke, I'll have those. Two tamales
>> topped with a lightly spicy avocado/tomatillo sauce. Wonderful!
>>
>> After that I had some errands to run. Decided I wasn't going to cook
>> dinner, either. I stopped at the little store down the street since
>> they still serve their lunch buffet until 1:30. Dinner will be the big
>> meal (*if* I can eat all of it). Country fried steak in gravy, mashed
>> potatoes, green beans and a cornbread muffin.
>>
>> Jill
>>
>>
>
> Oh, Jill I wish I could have gone to that Mexican restaurant with you!
> Real Mexican? I haven't had that since Maui. I'm so jealous!
>
> kili

LOL! Where else would you get "real" Mexican but Hawaii? <g>

Sounds really good, but I'd rather go to the little store down the street.
I can't find one out here that serves food like that. It's easy to get
"real" Mexican food here.

--
Wayne Boatwright Õ¿Õ¬
________________________________________

Okay, okay, I take it back! UnScrew you!

Wayne Boatwright wrote:
> On Mon 13 Feb 2006 02:16:09p, Thus Spake Zarathustra, or was it
> kilikini?
>
>>
>> "jmcquown" > wrote in message
>> .. .
>>> My brother ordered one of the specials: grilled chicken tacos with
>>> mole sauce (there's that sauce again!). The chicken was shredded
>>> and mixed with the sauce; topped with grated white cheese (Oaxaca?)
>>> and thinly sliced avocado served in 5 little teeny soft white corn
>>> tortillas which they call tortillitas. There are freshly shredded
>>> salad greens on the side, also lightly sprinkled with cheese.
>>>
>>> I was going to order the pork tamales but (here's where they didn't
>>> have any) the man said, "We have some really wonderful chicken
>>> tamales right now, freshly made." Okey doke, I'll have those. Two
>>> tamales topped with a lightly spicy avocado/tomatillo sauce.
>>> Wonderful!
>>>
>>> After that I had some errands to run. Decided I wasn't going to
>>> cook dinner, either. I stopped at the little store down the street
>>> since they still serve their lunch buffet until 1:30. Dinner will
>>> be the big meal (*if* I can eat all of it). Country fried steak in
>>> gravy, mashed potatoes, green beans and a cornbread muffin.
>>>
>>> Jill
>>>
>>>
>>
>> Oh, Jill I wish I could have gone to that Mexican restaurant with
>> you! Real Mexican? I haven't had that since Maui. I'm so jealous!
>>
>> kili
>
> LOL! Where else would you get "real" Mexican but Hawaii? <g>
>
> Sounds really good, but I'd rather go to the little store down the
> street. I can't find one out here that serves food like that. It's
> easy to get "real" Mexican food here.

In Memphis it's pretty much "tex-mex". You'd love the little store down the
street! Every day they serve fried chicken (and it's not pre-made; I've
seen the woman back there flouring pieces of chicken). Then they have a
couple of other meat-type things - today along with the country fried steak
& gravy they had a tomato-pasta-beef dish using seashell pasta. 4 veggies
to choose from (pick 2) and plain or jalapeno cornbread muffins. $4.29 and
they don't skimp on portions! This will probably be my dinner *and* lunch
tomorrow!

Jill

On Mon 13 Feb 2006 05:32:34p, Thus Spake Zarathustra, or was it jmcquown?

> In Memphis it's pretty much "tex-mex". You'd love the little store down
> the street! Every day they serve fried chicken (and it's not pre-made;
> I've seen the woman back there flouring pieces of chicken). Then they
> have a couple of other meat-type things - today along with the country
> fried steak & gravy they had a tomato-pasta-beef dish using seashell
> pasta. 4 veggies to choose from (pick 2) and plain or jalapeno
> cornbread muffins. $4.29 and they don't skimp on portions! This will
> probably be my dinner *and* lunch tomorrow!

Yes, I would love that little store! I've been to places like that in MS,
but I've never found anything like that here, or in OH when I lived there.
I have to say though, that in Cleveland, there were numerous small places
that served great homemade Eastern European ethnic food. I don't find that
here in AZ either. I did find one place, the Iowa Cafe, that serves
without a doubt the best breaded and fried pork tenderloin I've ever eaten,
either in a sandwich or as a dinner. They also serve (and will sell whole)
30 different truly home-baked pies, much better than what most people I
know can make.

About 3 miles from where I live a new restaurant opened and has been
swamped from the first day. Called Fishin' Hole, they only serve 3 main
items; farm-raised catfish, breaded or peel and eat shrimp, and barbequed
ribs. Nothing is frozen. Although the catfish are filets, it's the best
I've tasted outside of channel cats in MS, perfectly coated in cornmeal and
perfectly fried. The entrees come with hushpuppies, and a choice of 2
items from a selection of 10, which include great coleslaw, fried okra, mac
'n cheese. Surprisingly, for a "fish" place, the barbeque is genuine, and
que'd 8-10 hours in a pit behind the restaurant. I'll be damned glad when
the snowbirds go home and leave some room for the natives and permanent
residents!

--
Wayne Boatwright o¿o
____________________

BIOYA

On 14 Feb 2006 04:55:34 +0100, Wayne Boatwright
<wayneboatwright_at_gmail.com> wrote:

>About 3 miles from where I live a new restaurant opened and has been
>swamped from the first day. Called Fishin' Hole, they only serve 3 main
>items; farm-raised catfish, breaded or peel and eat shrimp, and barbequed
>ribs. Nothing is frozen. Although the catfish are filets, it's the best
>I've tasted outside of channel cats in MS, perfectly coated in cornmeal and
>perfectly fried. The entrees come with hushpuppies, and a choice of 2
>items from a selection of 10, which include great coleslaw, fried okra, mac
>'n cheese. Surprisingly, for a "fish" place, the barbeque is genuine, and
>que'd 8-10 hours in a pit behind the restaurant. I'll be damned glad when
>the snowbirds go home and leave some room for the natives and permanent
>residents!

Ooohh...I should be coming through that area sometime in April, unless
I decide on another route to take to NM. Sounds like a good place
for a meal!

Christine

On Mon 13 Feb 2006 09:08:59p, Thus Spake Zarathustra, or was it Christine
Dabney?

> On 14 Feb 2006 04:55:34 +0100, Wayne Boatwright
> <wayneboatwright_at_gmail.com> wrote:
>
>>About 3 miles from where I live a new restaurant opened and has been
>>swamped from the first day. Called Fishin' Hole, they only serve 3 main
>>items; farm-raised catfish, breaded or peel and eat shrimp, and
>>barbequed ribs. Nothing is frozen. Although the catfish are filets,
>>it's the best I've tasted outside of channel cats in MS, perfectly
>>coated in cornmeal and perfectly fried. The entrees come with
>>hushpuppies, and a choice of 2 items from a selection of 10, which
>>include great coleslaw, fried okra, mac 'n cheese. Surprisingly, for a
>>"fish" place, the barbeque is genuine, and que'd 8-10 hours in a pit
>>behind the restaurant. I'll be damned glad when the snowbirds go home
>>and leave some room for the natives and permanent residents!
>
> Ooohh...I should be coming through that area sometime in April, unless
> I decide on another route to take to NM. Sounds like a good place
> for a meal!

You'd enjoy it! We could meet!

--
Wayne Boatwright o¿o
____________________

BIOYA