I first arrived in Mexico just over 7 years ago, I came to the country to visit my friend Rose Burillo who was cheffing in Mexico City. At that time I didn’t ave a great deal of money yet I quickly learned that this didn’t make much difference in Mexico because the cost of living is so low. One of my favorite things about the country is the food, and this is pretty similar to what everyone says after they come back from Mexico. Most people however discuss the street food yet today I want to talk about a different type of cuisine which can be found in the country and that is the famed Comida Corrida.
To those of you who may not know, this type of food is where you get a set menu, of a starter, main and a desert, for a set price. These places can be found throughout the country and here is why I love them.
Filling
As much as I love tacos, they do often feel a bit more of a snack, something to fill you up until the time comes to eat. With the comida corrida however you will always be able to ensure that you are going to be full up once you finish eating. Most places will serve you a soup to start with and then rice or pasta as a second starter, before you get your main, delicious and filling.
Authentic
Whilst the starter and the seconds starter will almost always stay the same, the main will often be seasonal and it is always authentic. For example when the chilies are in season you will often see chiles en nogada, a delicious stuffed chili pepper which has sour cream and pomegranate seeds. This was yet another reason why I enjoyed the food from here because it introduced me to many different Mexican dishes which I may not have otherwise tried.
Cheap
The beauty is that this is a meal that you can eat every day without it coming at a big cost and for just $3 your can count on this filling and delicious meal option. I ate this type of food just about every day when I was in Mexico and it is something which I miss a lot whenever I come back home.
Range
Predominantly this was food for the workers, hence the fullness of the meal and the low cost, over time however there have been some good quality chefs who have decided to introduce a bit more luxury to the comida corrida option, and have created high end options which embrace foods from all over the country, the style is the same, the price is ever so slightly higher and the range of dishes which you can choose from is much, much bigger than you would find on the street.
This is why I love comida corrida and why I would recommend this to anyone who is planning to go to Mexico.
