La Comida Mexicana

I know I've already written about Berkeley; but Mexican food is a topic that's near to every Snyderite's heart, and I just discovered a GEM that y'all will all want to check out if you're in the Bay Area.

I have this friend in San Francisco who kidnapped me the other day, took me over the Bay Bridge, and sat me down at Mario's La Fiesta on Telegraph Avenue in Berkeley. He's been going there for thirty years and just raved about it. Being from Texas, I had low expectations, but boy-howdy was I happily surprised! They've got some of the best-tasting guacamole this side of the Colorado River, and their chiles rellenos rival those at the Spanish Inn (sorry, Papa Chon, but they do!). In California, "Mexican" typically means lots of sour cream and an emphasis on burritos, but this place was very reminiscent of the Tex-Mex I grew up eating. Only Spanish was spoken in the kitchen, which is always a good sign. And the best part? Their prices are virtually identical to those at the Spanish Inn. In other words, very inexpensive for the Bay Area.

If you're in town for more than a few days and get a hankerin', it's well worth the short drive over the bridge. Plus, it turns out there's a whole slew of good restaurants in Berkeley, so you could easily make a day trip out of it. Besides Telegraph Avenue, which is lined with all manner of shops and close to the Berkeley campus, there's also Fourth Street, which is presently all ablaze with Christmas decorations. There's lots of chi-chi shops that sell silly products at ludicrous prices (we saw a 'gnome stump' for $1,300), but there are also some one-of-a-kind stores that mere mortals can afford. I went into a lighting store that had fantastic hand-made lamps, each one unique, and not a single one over $100.

One cautionary note: Despite the zillion places to shop,acquire stuff, and spend your money, the Fourth Street shopping district seems to have only ONE public restroom, which is at Peet's Coffee. Consequently, I've come up with a plan to make my first million. You can check it out here, just don't steal my idea!

Thanks to alicewebber for the Mario's photo!