Traditional Mexican food has its origins in the pre-Columbian era and reflects a multitude of natural ingredients as well as the fusion of diverse cultural groups. With the subsequent arrival of the Spaniards, new ingredients were introduced creating a fusion of indigenous and European foods which are known today as Mexican cuisine.
Antojitos mexicanos
 Before enjoying delicious Mexican dishes, it is necessary start with a delicious antojito or Mexican appetizerk. Tacos, pambazos, sopes, huaraches, flautas, gorditas, garnachas, tamales, enchiladas, tostadas, are just some of the long list of wonderful Mexican dished designed to satisfy a craving (or antojo).
But Antojitos Mexicanos are not only delicious Mexican food, they also include a taste of Mexican History. Most of their ingredients are ancient contributions that Mexico has brought to the world.
 Corn is one of the basic ingredients of the Mexican antojitos. I was the main indigenous food, whose corncobs were a symbol of life, generation and food, and now corn or maize is the substitute of wheat in the basic diet of Mexicans.
 Another essential ingredient in Mexican food is Chile (or chilli pepper) that comes from the tzir native word that means spicy and irritate (tzilli), because according to the old Mexican indigenous palate, a chili had to be spicy and irritating. The best known chillies are the cascabel, pasilla, jalapeño, mulato, piquín, ancho, serrano and poblano.
And, what are antojitos without those delicious salsas (sauces) to accompany? Salsas are a combination of fresh ingredients, most raw, and served in a little bowl and added to meals according to everyone’s taste of. Typical salsas combine ingredients like chiles, a variety of tomatoes, spices, garlic, coriander or parsley, seeds and some times fruit.
If you want to enjoy these typical Mexican delights we have enlisted some of the fonditas or little restaurants in Puerto Vallarta that specialize in antojitos.
- Doña Clemen
Open since 1991, this establishment offers white pozole, a hominy stew served Jalisco style with beef shank, pork spine, pork feet or chicken. A large bowl costs $35 pesos (mixed $40 pesos), the small bowl costs $32 pesos and the mini bowl is $20 pesos. Menu includes tostadas, tacos dorados, sopes and flautas, which can be filled with beef, chicken, cheese, potato or panela cheese. Specialty: Vallarta style gorditas. México 1074, Col. 5 de Diciembre, Centro. Mon-Sat, 8:00pm-11:00pm. Tel. (322) 222-0297.
- María Candelaria
With an authentic corn meal flavor, these tamales are promoted as works of art because they continue to be made with the traditional process. Their varied menu consists of eighteen types of tamales. Those cooked in corn husks cost $10 and $12 pesos, and the ones cooked in banana leaves cost $14 and $15 pesos. Their specialties are Oaxaca style, Chiapas style and shrimp. They also carry vegetarian tamales.Guadalupe Sánchez 851, Centro. Mon-Sat, 8:00am-4:00pm & 6:00pm-10:30pm; Sun, 9:00am-1:00pm. Tel (322) 222-4603.
- Mi Casa
Offering red pozole in large and small sizes, served with pork leg or pig feet and sometimes chicken. They also sell tostadas, enchiladas, sopes and fried tacos. Side dishes include pork leg, pig feet, chicken, picadillo, potato or cheese and onions. Specialty: “cochecitos,” which are cooked with a hot chili pepper base. Abasolo 236, Centro.
Mon-Sun, 6:00pm-11:00pm. Tel. (322) 222-0021.
- El Campanario
25 years of satisfying locals and visitors makes them one of the most successful in the business. Although their doors open at 9:00 am, they begin offering traditional Mexican delights at 6:00 pm. Options include white pozole ($45 pesos), orders of sopes and fried tacos (four for $44 pesos), tostadas ($17 pesos) and tamales ($10 pesos).
Hidalgo 339, Centro. Mon-Sat, 6:00pm-10:20pm. Tel. (322) 223-1509.
- El Rincón de Tlaquepaque
Their specialty is tortas ahogadas – a meat torta drowned in sauce ($28 pesos). Their advertisement at the entrance promotes their giant tostadas ($20 pesos). They also offer birria (beef or goat brisket), broiled steak or carnitas for $50 pesos or $9 pesos in a taco, as well as fried potato tacos or eggs cooked to your liking. Libertad 159, Centro. Mon-Sun, 8:00am-9:00pm. Tel. (322) 205-6213.
- Cenaduría Ene
Offers red pozole at $45 pesos for a large bowl and $40 pesos for a medium bowl, with your choice of pork leg, tongue, pork skin, pig feet or chicken. They also sell red ranchero-style enchiladas, fried tacos, sopes and gorditas filled with chicken, pork leg, picadillo, cheese or cottage cheese. ( $38 and $40 pesos). Tostadas and fried chicken complete their menu. Aquiles Serdán 380, Emiliano Zapata. Thu-Tue, 7:00pm-12:00am. Cel. 044 (322) 120-6022.
 Another traditional meal that you will find in these kinds of restaurants is pozole, a delicious soup with maize grains, pork meat and lettuce or cabbage, radishes and onion. Pozole comes from Nahuatl "pozolli" that means foam, because, the boiling water makes foam with the large white maize grains that open like a flower.
Finally, make sure you drink something tasty and traditional like agua de cebada (barley drink), agua de horchata (rice drink) or agua de Jamaica (hibiscus drink). If you want a hot drink a good choice is café de olla (coffee prepared in a traditional manner) or atole a traditional corn-based Mexican drink.
These days many people do not want to eat antojitos Mexicanos for their condiments and high caloric content. But don’t be afraid. Everything in moderation. These delicious traditional dishes are really worth a try. Click here to see the map location of the little restaurants.
Buen Provecho and Viva Mexican Cuisine!
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