5/28/00 how can you tell what is a great restaurant?? well i heard of one
supossed here in merida, only open for lunch when they feel like it. so as
this is my final day in merida i was happy to see the doors open. it was a
small clean but sparce place with photos on the wall of the owner with the
pope, bull fighters and the local music stars so i knew it was going to be
fun and as its name is "el cangrejito" (the crab) i was sure that seafood
was the speciality. and as a recent veghead turned fish eater i was
excited. all the foods were served by the owner himself from behind this
small glass stand and all of the tapas like foods were served as tacos with
superb admixtures. i orderded one of each as there were only 5 (shrimp,
lobster, fish, crab, conch) sucked them down quickly with a beer and the
"fish nazi" watch my every move to see if i liked. and then he came over to
see what i thought to the dislike of other patrons whom had to wait while
i commented as no one else could get back behind the maestro's glass
arena. out of respect i said another round and el capitain smiled like a
cheshire cat and made me up another round. i stuffed them down with
another beer and was about to burst and i was about to get the check
when another beer arrived from the waitress whom said was from the
chef whom had misteriously disapeared to the kitchen. when he returned
he told me to wait and at this point some guests had walked out do to no
service and the whole time i was there the phone was ringing and
maestro picked it up "yes were open" and hang up the phone without
another word. boom another plate of tacos is placed in front of me and as
i feared it was no fish but what appeared to be an animal from the inside
out, which reminded me of when i was in north thailand one chinese new
year hanging with the chief of an opium hamlet and i had to sit by his side
as guest and get the prime parts of a rarely eaten bird again from the
inside out. the grandson started with the brains and i was next and i
started with the womb and its egg--scary shit!! at this point i had the
whole restaurant watching me as i was now eating more tacos than two
huge mexicans and must be important to get all these "specials". i ate
them as fast and as respecfully as i could and was hoping to bolt back to
the hotel to hang with my good friend Anna Rexia when another beer
appeared and the place was put on hold again as el freako ran off
laughing to the kitchen to come back with one final taco. not recognizing it
at all i sluged it with beer down with the chef towering over me awaiting
my responce. "excellente senor, que es??" at which point he takes his hat
off and said "brains me amigo brains" something i thought i didnt have for
steping in here.....
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