Food in Tijuana

[BangBangBoy]

One of the girls from Tropical showed me an alternative to Azul for breakfast after our TLN. It's on the side of Tropical, just around the corner on Nios Heroes. If you are staying in HK, you need to cross the street to the Tropical side and walk around the corner. Not sure if it is part of Tropical or independently owned, as the service was more professional, felt more like a real restaurant. The inside is nicely decorated and new. Only looked at their breakfast menu so not sure if they serve lunch / dinner as well. I ordered an omelette and it was definitely way better than Azul, that's why the girl I was with insisted we go there, although the service was a little slow (took 10 minutes to get our check). "Tecua" was the name it appeared under on my credit card. So if you don't mind walking across the street for better food in the morning, there you go.

[Sol12]

Sounds like Charly's is a bust. Single-tortilla and flavorless adobada. Some of the best adobada in town can be found at Taqueria El Guero, at the southern end of Revu where it turns into Agua Caliente. BTW, the flavorless white vegetable was probably jicama.

If you go to a taco place and they use only one tortilla just ask them for "doble tortilla" on the next one.

[Phordphan]

I just got back from Charlys and still think Tacos El Franc is the best. I got 3 adobadas and 3 asadas with Mexican coke. It came out to 180 pesos and left 50 peso tip. I had to pay for parking since it is near Revo and all the street parking seemed to be for buses. I did like the service as they gave me an extra plate of radishes and some other white vegetable they have that is flavorless. The asadas are only on 1 tortilla, but the adobada was crispy. I just couldn't get over the fact it was kind of flavorless. At least the adobada wasn't fatty. I finished it all and only had to pay 10 pesos for parking since it took me under 30 min. I'll report back if we eat at some place when I pick up people from the airport tonight.

Sounds like Charly's is a bust. Single-tortilla and flavorless adobada. Some of the best adobada in town can be found at Taqueria El Guero, at the southern end of Revu where it turns into Agua Caliente. BTW, the flavorless white vegetable was probably jicama.

[LuvMexicanas]

I just got back from Charlys and still think Tacos El Franc is the best. I got 3 adobadas and 3 asadas with Mexican coke. It came out to 180 pesos and left 50 peso tip. I had to pay for parking since it is near Revo and all the street parking seemed to be for buses. I did like the service as they gave me an extra plate of radishes and some other white vegetable they have that is flavorless. The asadas are only on 1 tortilla, but the adobada was crispy. I just couldn't get over the fact it was kind of flavorless. At least it was fatty. I finished it all and only had to pay 10 pesos for parking since it took me under 30 min. I'll report back if we eat at some place when I pick up people from the airport tonight.

I go there for basically one thing: tacos de tripas. I know, not for everyone. I might on the rare occasion get a taco de chorizo like last week. I should have clarified that Charly's is my favorite place for tacos de tripas.

[Member #4730]

Charly's isn't near HK but it is close enough to the fringes of the Zona to where in jest or a curious mind might ask whether you know about the Zona. It is a down to earth place and I have seen families with children eat there. But depending on the social status of the mother and little brother, it might be a tad gritty. I suggest you go by yourself and if you like what you see, take them next time.

I just got back from Charlys and still think Tacos El Franc is the best. I got 3 adobadas and 3 asadas with Mexican coke. It came out to 180 pesos and left 50 peso tip. I had to pay for parking since it is near Revo and all the street parking seemed to be for buses. I did like the service as they gave me an extra plate of radishes and some other white vegetable they have that is flavorless. The asadas are only on 1 tortilla, but the adobada was crispy. I just couldn't get over the fact it was kind of flavorless. At least the adobada wasn’t fatty. I finished it all and only had to pay 10 pesos for parking since it took me under 30 min. I'll report back if we eat at some place when I pick up people from the airport tonight.

[Captain Solo]

Al Capone was reopened with new operator.

We went in after midnight for hot Caldo de Rez before going home. The new chef made it with a fatty beef, like clod shoulder. Soup was thick, fatty, delicious but the vegetables were overcooked. The last chef, Jose, made it perfect with shank beef, nice, clean, clear but tasty broth, vegetables were slightly cooked, still crunchy.

There were no clients while we were there, no Chicago girls as usual. It's hard to survive the food business in Tijuana.

[ClownDays]

Thanks for clarification. Sometimes I'm skeptical if her perception on life is warped based on living in Sinaloa. My ex was from Tijuana and she was more independent and I guess Americanized as she didn't expect me to "take care" of everything, but then again she didn't cook me every meal as she was a working professional too.

If her family is from a small town, or a place that was considered a small town when they were growing up there, she's most likely going to have been raised with more traditional cultural values. If that's the case, it may be helpful to compare what she's telling you, to how someone raised 50 years ago in the South would be raised. Even though you met her in a club, Mexicans are still very culturally conservative and quite traditional, because of how deeply Old Testament Catholicism got entrenched into the culture.

[LuvMexicanas]

I'll try Charly's when back in town next week as long as it isn't near HK. I might even take the mother and little brother.

Charly's isn't near HK but it is close enough to the fringes of the Zona to where in jest or a curious mind might ask whether you know about the Zona. It is a down to earth place and I have seen families with children eat there. But depending on the social status of the mother and little brother, it might be a tad gritty. I suggest you go by yourself and if you like what you see, take them next time.

[Member #4730]

Yeah, Mexico is much more conservative on all of this. You have to remember that a married woman having a full time job there is only recently being seen as "normal," so it's expected for the man to cover meals out and stuff like that, just like it's expected of her to cook all of the meals at home.

$1,000 a month is probably about right for starting salary for someone with a College degree.

Thanks for clarification. Sometimes I'm skeptical if her perception on life is warped based on living in Sinaloa. My ex was from Tijuana and she was more independent and I guess Americanized as she didn't expect me to "take care" of everything, but then again she didn't cook me every meal as she was a working professional too.

[Member #4730]

Tacos el franc is awesome!! My girl is flying from Sonara so I will take her to that one at the Playa you wrote about.

You might be able to find better restaurants above the boardwalk, but I just wanted a place with mariscos and michelada. If you get a chance to go to Rosarito, then I'd recommend LOS Portales as it sits on a cliff above the ocean and only open Friday-Sunday. Friday is a DJ, Saturday they have live singers, and not sure about Sunday.

[Member #4730]

Got to love Mexico. You couldn't take nine people (I assume you had drinks) for food and drinks to a similar level restaurant in the states for less than $500 after tax and tip. As for tacos, I'm a fan of Charly's on Constitucion, which is just a short walk from the Zona.

We had mostly frescas since the aunt is more conservative and religious. The girl I'm seeing got a mojito so not sure if the aunt knows what kind of drink it was as it looks like lemonade. Everyone else got lemonada natural and regular coke. I got diet cokes which probably seemed awkward as everyone else got regular coke. I was going to pay with my credit card since it isn't bad deal for such a large party, but she told me to just put 1,000 peso towards the bill. I'll try Charly's when back in town next week as long as it isn't near HK. I might even take the mother and little brother.

[SeaBeeJoe]

I went to a birthday party at Churrascaria at Gallerias Hippodromo and it was pretty good. The bill came out to $200 for 9 people, but since it was just 2 of us, we left 1,000 peso toward the bill. Some interesting observations are the circus acts while waiting at stop lights on Cuahatemoc and all of the luxury condos and shopping centers being built in Tijuana. In 5-10 years Tijuana is going to be unrecognizable and probably only the wealthy CA and Mexicans will be residing in the city center. Every block seems to have some kind of development being built on it.

Also another interesting observation happened when we ate at a restaurant in Playas, Vista Bella restaurant and grill. The place had a group of Russian guys and not sure, but was told some Russian groups frequent the Zona. The restaurant was just ok, but the best part is the view of the playa. I wouldn't return unless I wanted a place to eat near the playa.

Some people may be able to provide more insight into Mexican culture. The girl I'm seeing says it is normal for the guy to take care of everything and I said in the USA The women usually help with bills and sometimes take care of the tab. She said that it is the guys responsibility and when she graduates with her engineering degree, then she will probably only be paid 9,000 peso every 15 days which seems shockingly low. Also she seemed upset when I didn't kiss her in front of her aunt and cousins. I didn't want to make it more awkward of a situation as they finally found out that I am almost double her age, but they said I look a decade younger. The funny thing is she said the family thinks it is acceptable with them regarding the age difference as long as she is happy. I learn new things everyday in Mexico.

Tacos el franc is awesome!! My girl is flying from Sonara so I will take her to that one at the Playa you wrote about.

[ClownDays]

She said that it is the guys responsibility and when she graduates with her engineering degree, then she will probably only be paid 9,000 peso every 15 days which seems shockingly low.

Yeah, Mexico is much more conservative on all of this. You have to remember that a married woman having a full time job there is only recently being seen as "normal," so it's expected for the man to cover meals out and stuff like that, just like it's expected of her to cook all of the meals at home.

$1,000 a month is probably about right for starting salary for someone with a College degree.

[LuvMexicanas]

I went to a birthday party at Churrascaria at Gallerias Hippodromo and it was pretty good. The bill came out to $200 for 9 people, but since it was just 2 of us, we left 1,000 peso toward the bill.

Got to love Mexico. You couldn't take nine people (I assume you had drinks) for food and drinks to a similar level restaurant in the states for less than $500 after tax and tip. As for tacos, I'm a fan of Charly's on Constitucion, which is just a short walk from the Zona.

[Member #4730]

I went to a birthday party at Churrascaria at Gallerias Hippodromo and it was pretty good. The bill came out to $200 for 9 people, but since it was just 2 of us, we left 1,000 peso toward the bill. Some interesting observations are the circus acts while waiting at stop lights on Cuahatemoc and all of the luxury condos and shopping centers being built in Tijuana. In 5-10 years Tijuana is going to be unrecognizable and probably only the wealthy CA and Mexicans will be residing in the city center. Every block seems to have some kind of development being built on it.

Also another interesting observation happened when we ate at a restaurant in Playas, Vista Bella restaurant and grill. The place had a group of Russian guys and not sure, but was told some Russian groups frequent the Zona. The restaurant was just ok, but the best part is the view of the playa. I wouldn't return unless I wanted a place to eat near the playa.

Some people may be able to provide more insight into Mexican culture. The girl I'm seeing says it is normal for the guy to take care of everything and I said in the USA The women usually help with bills and sometimes take care of the tab. She said that it is the guys responsibility and when she graduates with her engineering degree, then she will probably only be paid 9,000 peso every 15 days which seems shockingly low. Also she seemed upset when I didn't kiss her in front of her aunt and cousins. I didn't want to make it more awkward of a situation as they finally found out that I am almost double her age, but they said I look a decade younger. The funny thing is she said the family thinks it is acceptable with them regarding the age difference as long as she is happy. I learn new things everyday in Mexico.

Also the tacos at Tacos El Franc are the best in my opinion and better than Taconazo, but Taconazo isn't as packed and also cleaner establishment. Also found it odd that this is the second Mexican lady I've been with that is concerned with my caffeine consumption, but they don't mind downing endless amounts of alcohol. I guess we all have to decide on what kind of vices we find acceptable. Have fun!