Travelers to Mexico often think there’s nothing much to discover in the local cuisine thanks to commercial establishments back home that offer cheap imitations of “traditional” Mexican dishes.

Today, we’re here to set the record straight and countdown ten of the must try foods you should definitely partake of when you visit this wild and beautiful country. Forget the blobs of murky beans, packaged tortillas or slimy cheeses that have obviously been overcooked because these are definitely not what you’ll be feasting on. If you’re used to flavorless tomatoes served with dry, tasteless chicken, like the ones you get at that Mexican food stand at the corner near your house, then you’re in for a real treat.

Mexican food is full of life and flavor. There’s character in every bite, and we won’t be surprised if you ask for a second helping. Mexican food is also healthy, contrary to popular belief shared by those who only know Mexican food through fake restaurants that put too much cheese in everything they serve. Lots of vegetables are used for plenty of dishes, and unlike Brussels sprouts, these definitely taste good. We hope that with the help of some of our recommendations, you’ll be able to come to Mexico with high expectations and an empty stomach, and return home with a big smile on your face and a satisfied appetite.

Tacos


Before anything else: stop. right. there.

You might think you’re all too familiar with the famous taco. After all, you’ve had dozens of it before in food fairs and at the cafeteria; but there is nothing the like having a taco in its hometown. Ordering a taco from a fast food chain back home is different from stepping outdoors at seven in the morning, the sunlight hitting your half closed eyes still yearning for sleeps, and wobbly making your way to the corner to join the other people in the neighborhood who are lining up for some fresh, steaming tacos on their way to work.

Make sure you pace yourself when the taquero expertly carves the meat and spoons it onto the warm tortillas; then watch closely as he folds the tortillas into manageable, moon-sized pieces. Bet your local food chain doesn’t do that.

The real Mexican taco comes not just with ground meat and cheese but also a number of other toppings starting with the guacamole, some cilantro and a dabble of chili sauce to spike. These flavors go terrific with the taste of the corn and meat that there’s simply no point in comparing it to the ones back home. It is also customary to finish off the taco with your fingers, licking each one to rightfully end your meal.

Fresh tortillas

When we say fresh tortillas, we mean those that have just come off the comal, or the grill. The round comal is fashioned out of clay and is traditionally used to heat tortillas that are usually hand made and had pressed. As the tortillas cook, the senoras watch for the right time when they puff up a bit, where they quickly flip them over. When the tortillas are cooked, they are then filled with meats and vegetables to make sumptuous memelas, quesadillas. They can also be used to make empanadas, which emit a little bit of steam when you break them open.

The empanadas and also the quesadillas are basically tortillas that are filled with squash flowers, huitlacoche or pork rubbed with chile, and also mushrooms. If you notice, only one ingredient is made of meat, and the rest are vegetables, so this is a pretty healthy dish to eat. In other countries, the locals have taken the empanada and made it their own, adding local ingredients such as potatoes, chicken, carrots, peas, and sometimes raisins. It’s an ideal snack because it’s quite filling and isn’t messy to eat; also, it’s a good meal to have at any time of the day. A memela, on the other hand, is a tortilla warmed to the right temperature and topped with black beans. It’s simple and delicious; and there’s nothing that can beat it.

Barbacoa


Last but not the least, we recommend you feast on some barbacoa before ending your holiday in Mexico. Barbacoa means roast meat, which can either be from sheep or perhaps lamb. Instead of cooking it on a spit, locals dig a pit in the earth and place the meat inside, securely wrapped in leaves or foil; while the pit itself is cleverly disguised by maguey leaves on the surface. After the meat is cooked (keep in mind that no marinades were added beforehand), it is served alongside guacamole, some lime, and various sauces.

Micheladas or sueros


As in many countries, Mexico has its own special set of drinks. The most popular one is probably michelada, which is basically beer mixed with a whole lot of different chile sauces. Yep, you heard us. Apparently, adding chile to fruits isn’t enough, they just had to add it to their drinks as well. If you’re up for a tear inducing, eye squinting drink, then step right up and order a michelada. First timers who manage not to wince will automatically win over the crowd and own bragging rights.

But if you’re not quite up to the challenge, you can opt to drink the suero, which is basically a beer mixed with some lime juice and salt. You can pair either of these two drinks with a Corona, Dos Equis, Victoria or Indio.

Pozole


If you’re visiting from a temperate country and the sudden change in weather gives your body a ajolt, we recommend having a rejuvenating bowl of some steaming hot pozole to clear your sinuses and put you back together. The pozole is a soup mixed with lime to give it that tangy taste. Again, this dish makes use of vegetables such as radish and cabbage which should be good news to our health conscious travelers.

Chilaquiles


Like plenty of other dishes from different cuisines, the Chilaquiles basically a dish invented by people who had leftovers, in this case, tortillas, and didn’t want to let them go to waste. Mothers and cooks have learned to refine the recipe for Chilaquiles, which is now a main dish in its own right. This dish should be served literally sizzling hot and fresh from the oven. In the clay pot, the sauce should be bubbling away nicely, giving off an aromatic scent that fills the entire kitchen; and the white cheese should be fresh as well.

If you want to try making your own Chilaquiles, you’ll need some sliced onions, a type of Mexican herb called the epazote, and also some sour cream. The cream will be responsible for the clashing of tangy flavor and creamy texture that is the dish’s trademark.

This dish comes with one of two sauces: red and green. The red sauce or red chilaquiles, is made with tomatoes mixed with purple chiles, and sometimes red ones as well. The green sauce or green chilaquiles, is made with tomatillos.

Mole


Mole is an important dish in Mexican culture. It is served during big, important occasions such as weddings or birthdays, funerals and Sunday lunch with the whole family. We guarantee that this is something you don’t have back home, so try it and taste it for yourself. Your Mexican friends will be proud to know you had some of this dish while you were on vacation in their home country.

To make this dish, you gather some peanuts, salt and bread and grind them finely. Next, you fry some chiles and boil some chocolate. Then you get cinnamon plus some bananas. Cloves and herbs such as oregano and thyme are also needed, and last but not the least, black pepper. Grind everything to together for some delicious mole.

Tamales


Tamales is another dish that you simply can’t not eat while you’re in Mexico. Thanks to peddlers whose voices can be heard many blocks away, you have no reason to forget about this dish during your vacation. The tamal is a dish wrapped in banana leaves. When you open it, you’ll discover sweet smelling, grainy maize mixed with different foods such as chicken with mole, some strips of jalapeno pepper, herbs, poblano, and a thick paste made from beans.

Elotes


Another healthy snack that’s worth a try is the elotes. This is usually eaten during the afternoon, when the man with the elotes comes into the scene, rolling his cart carrying steaming pots filled with—what else? Corn, of course! Elote is simply corn on the cob that is slathered with mayo, white cheese, a sprinkle of lime, and a dash of chile powder. If that’s a bit messy for you, you can always just ask for the esquite, which is practically the same thing except that the latter comes in a cup.

Fruta con chile


By this time, you might have already noticed that chiles are a staple in Mexican kitchens; they are never without it and love it so much that they even add it to fruit. This dish is so simple, even kids can do it, and the clashing of tastes that explodes in your mouth is something you won’t get tired of. Basically any fruit can be used to make fruta con chile. Like a mango, for example; you get some chili powder and sprinkle some on the mango, add some sauce, douse the whole thing in lime and finally, pop it in your mouth. Eating fruta con chile gives you an idea of that Mexico and Mexican culture are like: generally it is sweet and vibrant, but there’s a hint of wildness there as well that you can’t ignore.

Even vegetables can be used for this dish as well. Stands selling cucumbers and a local root crop called jicamas are common.