Mexican food has been one of my favorites for many years, but it wasn’t until I actually came to Mexico that I released that it was way better than I could have dreamed of. Many foods are bastardized when they leave their home country and are exported abroad, and Mexican food is most definitely one of them. This is not to say that the US version of Mexican food is bad, on the contrary in fact, but it pales in comparison to the real deal which you can eat south of the border. My buddy S R Buzzi and I often argue about which is the best Mexican food, and so I wanted to make my case by presenting these fabulous Mexican foods which you must try when you visit.

Tacos

I can’t make a list without mentioning tacos, the lifeblood of Mexico. Forget the hard shell tacos that you get in Tex-Mex restaurants, tacos here are made with soft tortilla made from corn, not flour. Usually the tacos are very small and filled with literally hundreds of different meats. My personal favorite is tacos al pastor which are made using marinated lamb, cooked on a spit, served with cilantro, onions and pineapple, with a splash of hot sauce. Tacos are everywhere in Mexico and you simply have to try them!

Tamales

Each morning and night you will see men and women riding around on bicycles, selling something very special from their baskets, tamales. There are many different types of tamales but the most common is those of Oaxaca style which consist of ground corn bring marinated and slow cooked inside a banana leaf, with chicken and vegetables inside. These are wonderful little snacks that taste delicious.

Pozole

Poole is a stew that is made using maize pieces which are cooked with vegetables and meat, usually beef or pork. The dish is garnished with radish, onions, cilantro and some salsa and it make for a truly hearty and filing meal. You must be careful when eating pozole because if the maize has not been cleaned well, you could get ill. In order to avoid this, make sure that you only go to a good restaurant to eat this, rather than buying it on the street.

Chilaquiles

The ultimate hangover cure and in general, one of Mexico’s nicest dish to have for breakfast is chilaquiles. In essnece, this is actually a very simple dish that consists of baked and broken up tortillas, like the tortilla chips that we buy in the US, that have been covered in a spicy and tasty sauce, red or green. On top of the tortillas they add some cream, some crumbly white cheese and then you can either have pulled chicken or some beef, with the option of an egg too. If you are feeling worse for wear, this is the meal that you need to try.