Mexican Cravings

I was born and raised in a Spanish speaking household in a state where Hispanics are predominate. California has some of the best Mexican and Spanish food I've ever tasted although I still need to visit Texas and New Mexico! Many Taquerias and Mexican restaurants in California come very close if not exact to my grandmother's cooking. I love the combination of chili powder and cumin mixed and simmered in some of my favorite Spanish dishes such as Lengua and Albondigas served with a side of Fideo! Mmmm...Yummy!!! When I was kid, I used to dip my bread in these sauces and let it soak it up so I could taste the spices that went into these dishes. I didn't acquire a taste for corn tortillas until I became a teenager. Now, I gotta have my corn tortillas with some of my other favorites as well to feel at home. Bread doesn't do it for me anymore!

Being away from California, I have found that it has been extremely difficult to find good Mexican food. When I lived in Utah, everything just tasted so bland to me. The spices and heat from the meats were missing. St. Louis didn't quite have it either alhough I could tell they did try with the chili powder. In St. Louis, they even tried to pass ground meat with cheese as a chili relleno as if I wouldn't know any better! What were these people thinking?! Washington DC was the same story as far as taste. Close but no cigar type thing with each restaurant I went into. I always walk out not quite satisfied and longing to be back home eating my mom or grandmother's Spanish cooking. That or at Taco Morenos in Santa Cruz eating my taco carnitas. Oh geez, I'm drooling just thinking about that Taqueria! As you can see, I seriously long for my Spanish food and tend go through some frustrating withdrawals.

My hunger for good Mexican food hasn't changed here in Atlanta. My cravings for spicy food hit me one day so hard a couple weeks ago that I just couldn't shake it. I think it was because my mom had brought me some of her homemade Fideo on the plane when she stopped through Atlanta on her way to New York. Tasting it really made me homesick for some good home cooked Spanish food.

On my walks every morning, I pass by this Mexican restaurant called Matador Cantina which really appealed to me. It's located in this hidden quaint little village in the middle of the suburbs. I have been so curious about this place and then combined with my overwhelming craving for Mexican food got me to say something to The Tyger about it. We decided to make a night of it especially after I had pointed out to her that they have a full bar!


The place is MUCH smaller than it looks from the front. Inside there's about maybe 10 tables with most of the seating being outside. It's decorated very cute-like with all the old road signs written in Spanish, a Mexican blanket, and various other pictures representing Mexico. There's a small TV inside so we weren't too far away from home! The bar is pretty small too and can seat maybe about 6 people total around it The clientele is mostly families with small children coming in. We were the only two single girls hanging out drinking our beer as we waited for our food!


While we were waiting, they brought out chips and salsa to which The Tyger and I quickly devoured! The salsa was very good and even reminded me of home! So right away I was already impressed with this place! I thought to myself, "Finally! I might get something good here!".The Tyger and I both ordered different combo plates so we could get a taste of everything. I ordered the burrito, taco, and chili relleno. I loooove chili rellenos as they are another one of my favorite foods. It's usually the standard I order at a restaurant and tend to base the quality of the restaurant based on the chili relleno.

I hate to admit this but from here is where it took a slight downhill effect for me. The burrito was good and the taco was fine but I felt it lacked a little in seasoning. Basically, I felt they could've used more chili powder or something. The chili relleno was ground beef with cheese and chopped chili relleno. That's where I was disappointed. I was really hoping for a full chili stuffed with cheese and fried in the egg batter. *sigh* The meal itself was not bad nor was it as disappointing as when I lived in Salt Lake but it still didn't measure up to what I'm used to. The Tyger was quite happy with her order despite the overload of cheese they put on her plate! Beer and an abundance of cheese in the stomach is not really a good thing for someone who is slightly lactose intolerant.

So my final thoughts on this place??? I would go back there just to try their carnitas and see how they prepare them. I also did like the fact that the restaurant was a torn jeans and t-shirt casual kind of place where I could be myself. It was actually one of the better Mexican restaurants I've been to since I left California a few years ago. It's really hard to find things that remind you of home when you're somewhere completely different. But it doesn't matter...California will always be there along with all its Taquerias and other Spanish style food for me to enjoy.