Even though we regularly had freshly made guacamole, flour tortillas and frijoles in the Crockpot at home, there was always something special about a visit to Pancho’s Mexican Buffet when I was growing up. I could never decide if my favorite part was dousing the greasy sopapillas with honey or raising the little tricolor flag at the table.
Fast forward a few decades and I celebrated my most recent birthday with a multi-course modernist menu at Mixtli. Between those two memory-making restaurant experiences is a lifetime of learning and coming to terms with the range of different dishes called “Mexican.”