Every creature on Earth survives by consuming nutrients. There is no doubt that a creature’s primary purpose is survival. Humans, however, have a noble difference, which is that they can eat or consume in various ways. Humans from unique cultures have come up with innumerable ways of cooking, and these presently drive consumer tastes. Among the many types of food, Mexican dishes definitely feature unique tastes and styles. Thus, The Ajou Globe (The AG) decided to introduce common Mexican foods people can easily enjoy.

                  Before anything else, there are some good-to-know tips to enjoy Mexican cuisine better. Mexican cuisine is a fusion of Mesoamerican and European (mostly Spanish) cooking. The basic staples, such as corns, beans, and chili pepper, came from the locales, whereas the meats are from domesticated animals of Europeans. Luckily, their combination results in unique tastes. For example, nachos, tacos, and Burrito all originate from Mexican cuisine.

                  Photos of Mexican dishes tend to give people sudden cravings, let us move on slowly. As the dynamic flavors of Mexican foods reached a wider market, many restaurants in town began serving them. The AG went to a place called Julio Mexican Cuisine near Gangnam St. CGV to sample their Mexican dishes. There are many types of foods to try, and the most common dishes are nachos and tacos. The AG also tried two more dishes: quesadilla and enchilada.

 

Tacos

                  Many people love eating tacos. Most people may know what tacos are but may not be aware of their Mexican origin. A taco is composed of corn or wheat tortillas rolled around a filling. The real charming part of tacos is that the fillings can be chosen by consumers according to their taste. Various staples can comprise the filling, such as beef, pork, chicken, and even seafood. Likewise, the vegetables and spices are variable. In case of Julio Mexican Cuisine, customers can select among beef, pork, chicken, and lamb. The fun part before tasting the tacos is in choosing among the four different sauces. The sauces are categorized by spiciness: very spicy, spicy, normal, and fruity. The spicy sauces are made of salsa, and the fruity one is a mixture of different types of fruits. The normal sauce is rather peculiar, called guacamole. This is a mixture of avocado, tomato, onion, and other spices with a savory and sweet taste. With the option to slather such sauces on the tacos, people can enjoy their meal according to their preferences.

 

Quesadilla

                  The next dish is quesadilla. Similar to tacos, this food also uses tortilla. Various types of toppings are sprinkled on the tortilla, such as cheese, meat, and vegetables. Then, it is cooked on a griddle and folded in half. Tacos and quesadilla share similar ingredients and sauces. However, both foods differ in size and texture. First, the quesadilla is bigger than the taco. People have to use knife and fork to eat a slice, whereas the taco is the size of an adult’s hand, which makes for much easier handling and consumption. As for the texture, the quesadilla, which is grilled on a griddle, has a more savory and sticky taste from the melted cheese inside. In Julio Cuisine, the quesadilla was overly cheesy and had less vegetables compared with the tacos.

 

Enchilada

                  The final dish is the enchilada, which holds the prize in being the most unique among the three. The enchilada packs more fillings in the rolled tortilla, such as meat, vegetables, and especially cooked rice. Finally, it is covered with bean and chili pepper sauce. As the enchilada is already garnished with sauce, people can easily slice and bite right away. The tortilla is fully filled in with rice and meat, and so people feel full after having it. In the case of Julio Cuisine, they offered nachos with the enchilada; the enchilada is eaten before nachos, which are served as a type of dessert. Similar to tacos, nachos can be drizzled with many types of sauces.

 

These three Mexican dishes are the most widely known; there are plenty of other dishes to experience the flavor of Mexican cuisine. Fortunately, many Mexican cuisine restaurants have opened and are easy to find in Seoul. The Julio Mexican Cuisine and others like it serve professional-cooked Mexican cuisine. If anyone remains unconvinced of the glorious taste of Mexican foods, The AG suggests the restaurant On The Border. This is a popular Mexican Restaurant with highly professional service. Especially, their Itaewon branch is decorated in Mexican style, which adds to the feeling of enjoying Mexican culture. If these restaurants are too expensive for your budget, Taco Bell may be an easy place to start discovering Mexican.

 

 

 

 

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