 
Lukabottle
Member
Username: Lukabottle
Post Number: 18
Registered: 12-2004
| | Posted on Thursday, March 08, 2007 - 10:45 am: |    |
Does anyone know of a Mexican restaurant on the southwest side that has some options for vegetarians. I am taking two student assistants out as a thank you for a project they worked on and failed to realize one was vegetarian. They are both really excited to go to the southwest side and try Mexican. |
Cambrian
Member
Username: Cambrian
Post Number: 742
Registered: 08-2006
| | Posted on Thursday, March 08, 2007 - 10:50 am: | |
These are vegetarians, not vegans right? They'll eat dairy? Cheese quesadilla, or how about a veggie, can't recall the name.....the sizzling dish they bring out on the skillet. Just have 'em leave the meat out. These are simple requests most restaurants would honor. |
Psewick
Member
Username: Psewick
Post Number: 80
Registered: 03-2006
| | Posted on Thursday, March 08, 2007 - 11:09 am: | |
I believe Los Galanes in Mexicantown (3362 Bagley St) has lard-free beans. |
Penelopetheduck
Member
Username: Penelopetheduck
Post Number: 7
Registered: 09-2006
| | Posted on Thursday, March 08, 2007 - 11:20 am: | |
mi pueblo on dix doesn't use lard and they are delicious |
Homer
Member
Username: Homer
Post Number: 103
Registered: 08-2004
| | Posted on Thursday, March 08, 2007 - 11:25 am: | |
Mi Pueblo also has seafood dishes if that is acceptable. |
Brougham
Member
Username: Brougham
Post Number: 12
Registered: 01-2007
| | Posted on Thursday, March 08, 2007 - 12:03 pm: | |
Mi Pueblo is excellent, they have an extensive menu of authentic dishes and home made deserts to go as well. Right across the street is a small neighborhood store that has homemade items as well as imported. |
Barnesfoto
Member
Username: Barnesfoto
Post Number: 3138
Registered: 10-2003
| | Posted on Thursday, March 08, 2007 - 12:14 pm: | |
El Barzon on Junction south of Michigan has great Mexican and Italian food. Great pasta!
Just don't let them try the red sauce that comes with the chips. |
Lukabottle
Member
Username: Lukabottle
Post Number: 19
Registered: 12-2004
| | Posted on Thursday, March 08, 2007 - 1:06 pm: | |
Thanks for the quick feedback. I think Los Galanes maybe the best option. The person is not vegan but I wasn't sure how lard would impact that if it is a religious reason. I'll look up Mi Pueblo to. If my boss thinks that isn't to far. |
Zutalors
Member
Username: Zutalors
Post Number: 1
Registered: 03-2007
| | Posted on Thursday, March 08, 2007 - 1:47 pm: | |
As another option, Armando's has a vegetarian fajitas meal that's pretty good--fried onions, peppers, tomatoes and squash. (*I* get it a lot, and I'm not even vegetarian.) I have a pretty hard-core vegan friend who gets this when she goes to Armando's, so I have reason to believe it's actually vegetarian, as opposed to just mostly-made-from-vegetables. I don't know if Armando's beans are made from lard, but you can get double rice-no beans in place of the usual rice and beans if you ask. |
Southwestmap
Member
Username: Southwestmap
Post Number: 728
Registered: 01-2005
| | Posted on Thursday, March 08, 2007 - 2:05 pm: | |
"I wasn't sure how lard would impact that if it is a religious reason."
Lard is rendered from a specific type of clear white fat found near the pork belly - "leaf lard."
For those who are not prohibited by religion from eating pork, or who are not vegetarians: lard can be better for your heart than hydrogenated fats such as crisco. The stuff in the supermarket, tho, is hydrogenated and thus has trans fats.
"Lard gets a bad rap.
Once a staple of a number of cuisines, the word has been spoken more as an epithet in recent decades than as an ingredient. That is beginning to change though, as fat-phobia begins to fade and gastronomes rediscover the joys of pig fat.
A number of food writers have pointed out that pure lard is healthier than the butter Julia Child so vigorously defended, having less saturated fat and more monounsaturated fat. It is also touted as a rich source of vitamin D.
The catch is, you have to make your own. The lard available in stores is hydrogenated, meaning it has the trans fats the health community wants you to avoid like the plague.
The good news is, once you get your hands on some pig fat, the process is pretty easy.
"Chinese restaurants use a ton of it" said Bill Lake, owner of Simply Meats in Rutland. "That's one of the main ingredients for stir frying. Some bakers might use it, too, especially if they're using old-style recipes." |
Livernoisyard
Member
Username: Livernoisyard
Post Number: 2711
Registered: 10-2004
| | Posted on Thursday, March 08, 2007 - 2:11 pm: | |
The store across from Mi pueblo is owned by the same extended family (Lopez, among several other surnames).
There's nothing exceptional about that store, though. Just about every other grocery-type or convenience store in Mexicantown has similar items or more.
(Message edited by LivernoisYard on March 08, 2007) |
Fury13
Member
Username: Fury13
Post Number: 1422
Registered: 10-2003
| | Posted on Thursday, March 08, 2007 - 3:06 pm: | |
Southwestmap, lard may not be that bad for you, but I guarantee you that vegetarians won't eat dishes made with it because it is an animal fat. There's no getting around that. Most vegetarians won't eat foods made with gelatin either.
I feed lard to my dogs to keep weight on. They love it. |
Southwestmap
Member
Username: Southwestmap
Post Number: 730
Registered: 01-2005
| | Posted on Thursday, March 08, 2007 - 3:09 pm: | |
I agree, and that's why I wrote:
"For those who are not prohibited by religion from eating pork, or who are not vegetarians..." |
Chris_rohn
Member
Username: Chris_rohn
Post Number: 280
Registered: 04-2005
| | Posted on Thursday, March 08, 2007 - 3:42 pm: | |
El Zocalo is the only restaurant in Mexican Town that I am aware of that has both chicken-free rice and lard-free beans. If there are others please let me know! |
Lukabottle
Member
Username: Lukabottle
Post Number: 21
Registered: 12-2004
| | Posted on Thursday, March 08, 2007 - 4:56 pm: | |
I didn't think about the rice issue. Good to know that El Zocalo is another option. |
Troy
Member
Username: Troy
Post Number: 198
Registered: 10-2003
| | Posted on Thursday, March 08, 2007 - 5:17 pm: | |
I am a vegetarian and I usually eat at taqueria Mi Pueblo just because it is way off the strip and locally authentic with live music at times. The have good Horchata as well. Xochimilco uses non lard beans and is the main stop for many mexican town regulars. Senor Lopez on Michigan ave is a great little joint serving vegetarian beans and vegetarian chili relleno.
Those are the three places I hit often. Eve's tamales have some good vegetarian tamale options however you have to call them, I think 3 hrs in advance for them.
I am not sure of your guest but knowing their diet restrictions is important. Seafood is never vegetarian and of course neither is Lard. Religious or non religious vegetarians do not eat anything that harms an animal. Ovo-lacto vegetarians will do dairy (milk, cheese) Vegans will eat nothing from an animal (including honey)
Hope that helps. |
Livernoisyard
Member
Username: Livernoisyard
Post Number: 2715
Registered: 10-2004
| | Posted on Thursday, March 08, 2007 - 5:29 pm: | |
The only poor food review that Mi Pueblo had concerned their rice. The review said their rice five years ago was "bland." I suppose they altered their cooking of rice after that review... |
Michigansheik
Member
Username: Michigansheik
Post Number: 181
Registered: 09-2005
| | Posted on Friday, March 09, 2007 - 12:27 pm: | |
MI PUEBLO is top shelf, clean, and they can handle special requests!
Armandos is 2nd place, IMO |