Bad food - Good food
I only had one bad meal during my nine night stay in the interior city of Valladolod. I can blame that meal on the weather. I was out shopping after my Spanish class on my way back to the 2nd hotel I lodged in, and it started raining. It rained almost every day in the afternoon, but this rain was early and I was unprepared, so I ducked into a large covered market on the corner which had several different options for what I now understand is fast food. The ambiance was OK and I was dry, so I ordered a late breakfast of Chiliquiles-a Mexican dish with chips covered in salsa, topped with egg or meat and cheese. I did not clean my plate like I normally do, and I did not feel so great after eating. Bad choice. 
Here is an example of GOOD Chiliquiles
Here is an example of GOOD Chiliquiles
that I ordered on my last day in town at Restaurante Eleganzza
where I went several times because it is across the street from my 2nd hotel, the food was muy barato (inexpensive) AND good and I made friends with Adriana - more on that in the upcoming post: Valladolid - traveling alone.
Street food
I learned about local food-cart food from Cesar, a friend of Claudia who lives on a ranch nearby. Based on Claudia's introduction, he and I hooked up for breakfast just to say hello one morning and he took me to a market square where we had fresh made tamales from a street vendor he likes.
We sat on a bench next to the tamale stand and watched them sell out and shut down while we were there.
I returned to that corner for more food once on my own, and then on a different day braved a new food cart in a different neighborhood. This vendor was in the same spot every day on a street between my school and my first hotel.
When I was ready to eat there I watched from across the street for a while before approaching the cart and then I watched for a few minutes more as people came up, placed their order, took the food and ate standing at the cart or carried food out across the street
....like I did ( eating standing up in the shade with my plate on a building shelf) after I finally realized there was no line, just a continuous stream of people to keep the cook's momentum going. I never saw anyone pay so I didn't know the process. When I tried to pay the cook he pointed to another hombre who told me "siete pesos". Bacically 40 cents for one taco. Delicious!
Guacamole
I have been on a serious guacamole roll this entire trip. I can't tell you how many days I ate guacamole and chips for one of my meals. Here in Valladolid I did it three times. Once as take out from Consto, a restaurant near to and recommended by my first hotel on the second night in town. Once outside by the pool at Cenote Oxman, and once with Adrianna in a restaurant en El Centro. Here is a picture of one on the times I ate it with a Mojito in Tulum at a restaurant on the main drag at on outdoor table. Very satisfying to eat a whole order of guacamole all by myself!
Ceviche
I have also been on a bit of a ceviche roll. Here in Valladolid I had one in a large open air restaurant. This ceviche was OK, a bit salty, but I ate it and the restaurant's ambiance was good because it was outside the first Cenote I visited. ( see the upcoming Valladolid-Cenotes).
A few days later I passed a hand painted sign advertising ceviche near the entrance to a building on a corner near my second hotel. The place did not look inviting but did have a new paint job on the front entrance wall.
It was the second time I noticed the sign and I decided to go in even though there was no ambiance at all once inside and there were no other customers ( it could have been the time of day, I told myself, because the first time I noticed the place there were people at the tables). I think the husband and wife team that took my order and delivered the dish had to thaw the shrimp first because I waited a while for my food which I thought was strange since with ceviche, there really is no cooking involved. But the ceviche was delicious! Top quality medium sized shrimp with a fresh tomato/onion/cilantro salad bed. ( the first ceviche I described above had small and not top quality shrimp and was served quickly, so in retrospect was probably from a can rather than freshly prepared)
Eating out is always an adventure - often you are going in blind and hoping for the best. That's one reason I like to stay more than a day or two in a town - gives me time to research and ask for recommendations, recover from a bad choice, and if I'm lucky, have time to return for seconds if it was a good choice. In this case, I tried to get back for more good ceviche, but didn't make it in favor of the good Chiliquiles mentioned above.
Most Unusual Table Award
I walked in to La Ville Restaurante about 8:30 at night thinking I'd have a small bite and head home early. The place had a French restaurant theme with this table in the empty back room right next to an open door which let in a cool breeze. The table had two swing chairs hanging at the perfect comfortable level from the ceiling.
This chair and breeze were so comfortable, and ordered a full meal ( and took half home for lunch tomorrow) and I sat there so long enjoying my food, my phone and the cool breeze, that I ignored the large party of people who arrived at what I thought should be closing time. The owner finally came and asked me how I enjoyed the place and the food and I realized that was his polite way of telling me to get the heck out - he was having a party!
I realize the reason people take pictures of their food. It is not so much about the food itself as a way to preserve the good memory of the whole experience!
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