I never really thought of my life as one big Oprah show, until I began to frequent two Mexican fast-food joints this past month: Nico’s and Los Betos. It was at the drive-thru windows of these establishments that I came to grips with two issues I now wrestle with: emotional eating, and my love of carnitas.
Carnitas in the form of a burro is the food I loved best this past month when life threw me a fast one. Carnitas is meat, and the best kind of meat–PORK–cut in little bite size pieces cooked and seasoned in a way that could bring Dr. Atkins back from the grave (hold his tortilla).
I don’t like drama. The result is that sometimes, I act like I come from the loins of Spock. But if I don’t change soon, my ass will be too big to fly coach.
The other problem with emotional eating is that in my happy life, I love food. This doesn’t bode well for a woman in need of a good diet. I also can’t use the excuse anymore that the majority of my roundness comes from my years-ago habit of imbibing too many pints of dark dark stout. (I also tell myself often that stout pounds are permanent–something no diet can rid.)
The bright side of my recent Mexican meltdown? I discovered Nico’s makes the best carnitas: Surely, its pork is marinated in Prozac. Reality? Fatty meat rules. Los Betos is still there for me, especially at 2 a.m. at Campbell and Broadway. Nico’s, however, now holds my carnitas-loving heart.
I’m on the mend now. I haven’t been there in a week. It’s just nice to know Nico’s is there when life is crap.
This article appears in Nov 22-28, 2007.
Mexican food is one of the great guilty pleasures. You love carnitas burritos. You love tortas. But yeah, it’s fattening. Make a compromise or two. Lay off the sour cream, for starters. Go to Nico’s less often. Avoid the chips! Seriously…..avoid the chips.
The real secret to healthy Mexican-food eating is to put a lot of emphasis on the hot sauce. It’s intensely enjoyable for one, but equally importantly, it slows down your eating. Whether you’re stopping to gently pour hot sauce onto the next bite of burrito, or to sip ice water to sooth the steam coming out of your ears, you are being delayed from the scarfing reflex common to hungry Mex-food eaters.
I’m telling you, hot sauce is the secret.
Sam… You give good advice, except I met my cousin for lunch today at this great place on Grant and Oracle, and downed a giant Sonoran Sammy with everything… My cousin is a wimp and said the jalepeno sauce burns her mouth. I got the works. I kept thinking, “You know, a good beer would be perfect with this.” I also think we need to get these to Dodger Stadium and the Mariners park – STAT! A-me-rica! Don’t you love it?
Mari, Have you tried Zivaz yet?
It almost makes you think you are eating healthfully. Plus it’s way good and I do believe they have you passion there (and beer and maragaritas to die for.
I second the Zivaz recommendation. Their tortilla soup and guacamole rock. Avoid the enchiladas, though; they put the meat on the outside, which screws up the whole texture and flavor combination.
Dammit, this blog is making me hungry.
You know Zivaz…ehh… the tortilla soup was good I’ll give you that. It kind of reminded me of Rosie’s that used to be west of campus in the late ’80s, but I recall liking Rosie’s better. I don’t know what’s wrong with me guys. I’m not food writers like you two – Wanda and JB, but what it comes down to could be you just can’t take the Mexican lunch truck grease out of this girl. I’m a ruined woman. I should be saying some positive things on the roundness front. One pair of pants I have are getting a little too loose in the waist since we’ve returned to Tucson. Maybe a beer gut can reduce afterall… just s-l-o-w-l-y.
Must chime in here. I love Zivaz – http://www.zivaz.com too. Since it’s nearby I probably eat there at least once every two weeks. I go on these kicks and order the same thing for long periods of time and since it’s winter I will most likely keep eating the same bowl of sopa tlalpeno (soup) — it’s got a good kick but then I always add an extra dollop of their salsa verde to boot. Very satisfying.
I love Sonoran hot dogs too. That dish should be the official dish of Tucson because when my L.A. friends come to visit, L.A. with all its Mexican restaurants doesn’t have Sonoran hot dogs. They do have the kosher burrito though. Think flour tortilla stuffed with pastrami and refried beans.
Mari, I’m an emotional eater too. I wonder if women turn to food more than men?