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Let's Eat for $7.70: For the night before...or the morning after

The Capital Times  —  9/04/2008 11:52 am

Chilaquiles con huevos is an authentic Mexican dish with triple the appeal — it can be eaten for breakfast, lunch or dinner. It's also the perfect cure for a hangover (so we've heard), and, at $7.50, the meal is a shade under our weekly $7.70 tab.

Described as a "platillo tipico" or typical Mexican entree, chilaquiles are tortilla chips cooked in hot salsa, covered with melted cheese and fried eggs, and served with rice and beans. Stop by El Pastor Restaurant and Bar, a tasty taqueria at 2010 S. Park Street, for this delicious dish.

Located in an anonymous strip mall, the restaurant is easy to overlook. But that would be a culinary crime.

Managed by Lino Ruiz and owned by Maria Jimenez, who lives in Mexico, the cheerful restaurant has built a reputation over 10-plus years for serving Mexican food that caters to the Madison area's Hispanic community.

Ruiz said a growing number of non-Hispanics are also learning to love exotic specialties like campechana (a combination octopus and shrimp cocktail), horchata (a rice and sweet milk drink flavored with cinnamon) or quesadilla de huitlacoche (corn mushroom).

El Pastor also offers an array of Mexican beers, and colorful jarritos (sodas) including grapefruit, pineapple, sangria, mandarin, lime, guava and tamarind. The south side spot offers an inexpensive and tasty trip to the bright flavors of Mexico.

Have a suggestion for Let's Eat for $7.70? E-mail 77tips@madison.com.

The Capital Times  —  9/04/2008 11:52 am