24 replies to this topic

[VenturaToMexico]

I went to this place downtown called Mystery? (yes, it's call Mystery, my first bad sign) I had a burrito and a beer and had a bad case of my ass exploding for a week. I do not recommend it. How should I avoid this in the future?

[bombero]

Its all luck. I have eaten down there hundreds of times with no problem. The only meal thats 100% safe is one you fix yourself.

[Ryu]

Its all luck. I have eaten down there hundreds of times with no problem. The only meal thats 100% safe is one you fix yourself.

I differ with that opinion Some guys are just not very good cooks, especially those who like to experiment when they're cooking. I rarely get sick but when I do, it's usually from a bad eating experience (my own cooking sometimes, what's this world coming to when you can't even trust yourself these days (sigh)) and a resulting sour stomach.

[richsinc]

Ryu;

Vermox Mebendazol was recommended to me by a friend who has used it, so I bought it but have not used it yet.

The package says it eliminates parasites in the intestines but the package also says a secondary reaction may be nausea and vomiting. I have it handy just in case; it was just a $2-3 USD.

Other people swear by that acrodolphis (sp??) dairy product stuff I think.

[Ryu]

a secondary reaction may be nausea and vomiting. I have it handy just in case; it was just a $2-3 USD.

Gee great, it's either stay sick or get sick.

[rosnjust]

Are you talking about the club Mysteries? ?

[richsinc]

Ooops! Should have addressed the Vermox info to Ventura; I thought Ryu was having the problem.

Anyway, my friend takes a 500mg Vermox tablet every six months as prevention and has never had any secondary reactions.

I never had a problem, but I don't eat much local food; so I still have the tablet I bought. I go food shopping in the US monthly for fresh hamburger, bacon, canned meat, etc. It's cheaper and I feel safer.

I don't quite understand why a supermarket like Ley here in Zona Rio doesn't carry canned meat like Dinty-Moore beef stew, corned beef hash, chili, Campbell soups, etc. Plenty of US nationals shop there. All they have is canned tuna (lots of it) and yes the indestructable SPAM! Go figure that one?

[JDTJ]

For those too lazy to cross into the states for food..here are a couple suggestions.

Costco or Smart n Final: costco charges a membership fee..smart n final does not. Both sell US tyson's chicken breasts and some u.s. meats. You can also save some cash by buying the bulk bags of veggies and stuff like that.

Calimex or Gigante: you can pick up the other essential stuff here.

Outdoor markets: I know...probably silly for a gringo but i buy a lot of my veggies here. occasionally some shrimp too.

between the three above, i always find what i need..

JD

[richsinc]

Thanks JD;

Never made the connection to go to a US brand store here for US type foods, duh! Should have thought of that. I'll check it out.

Any other info would be great, as far as brands carried, variety, New York sharp cheddar, Swiss cheese, Bratwurst, etc.

Shopping is a necessity for me not a past-time; no female gatherer instincts.

[Scribbles]

I've eaten at four of the revolucion tourist traps and the food was always so-so but with high bills. I remember being handed 2x1 drink flyers and going in and finding out the drinks are six dollars and hardly any taste to them if you know what I mean.
I think Tillys was the best of all the places, it is located in front of the Jai Alai Palace.

[otayBill]

I eat street food all the time in my colonia; Otay Modulos. I have never gotten sick from it.

One thing I hate about San Diego is streets are only for driving cars, not for eating food.

[BajaGringo]

I have been eating from street carts for over 30 years from Buenos Aires to Singapore to Tijuana and the only time I have ever gotten sick from any food I have ever eaten was a 45 dollar plate of shrimp and lobster in a high end restaurant in Long Beach. May be partly luck and it may be that some people have some very easily upset internal plumbing. My brother is that way - he is very careful about where he goes out to eat and heaves about 20% of the time after eating out. His wife almost hates to go out because of it. They visited last year and I took them to eat fish tacos on the boardwalk in Ensenada and he survived the experience. Everybody is different...

[finero]

Sorry to interupt here but as an expert on Long Beach there are no
high end restaurants. So the lobster must have been from San Pedro.

[otayBill]

I have been eating from street carts for over 30 years from Buenos Aires to Singapore to Tijuana

Was Singapore this Fall but, unfortunately, all the street carts are now gone. Put in government approved 'Food Courts.' Were they had a cleanliness rating; A,B,C; like San Diego.

Exceptionally good food though.

[libertythor]

Crap like that seems to happen more often from the tourist places than the local restaurants.

Produce is fine if you wash it. (As with anywhere. Remember the imported American spinach that sickened and killed Mexicans?) With meat....use your best judgement. Check the expiration dates and see how it is stored for sale. Most places that sell groceries are perfectly fine.

Restaurants: Well......Misteries and other big Revo clubs are probably more likely to have problems due to the huge crowds. I recommend walking over a block to Constitución and eating at a restaurant over there. You will get authentic Mexican food for less....and much less risk of having the "cagalera".

[SaborMexicana]

Singapore has very good food

[BajaGringo]

I just made a post and it disappeared? Will try again...

While working in Sumatra for Chevron-Texaco I was housed in Singapore and would get back late some nights. Not wanting to go back to the room and shower I would just grab some food off one of the food carts and take it back to the room. Some of the best food I have ever eaten was on those food carts near the Orchard Hotel. It was amazing what they could do with a wok on a propane tank on a 2X4 cart.

I don't know what some of you call fine dining but I always thought the Skyroom on the top floor of the Breakers Hotel in Long Beach to be very nice. Maybe some of you are just a bit more refined than this ol' gringo...

[Tj Jack]

I have had good, bad and great experiences eating at Tj's many food carts.

My system is if there are a lot of people eating there I eat there too

If there are not a lot of people then I don't

The problem is they pre-cook the food and let it sit until a customer comes along

When they are surrounded by customers they are cooking fresh as fast as they can

Just make sure it is fully cooked and too hot to put in your mouth when you get it

Food Poison usually comes from food that is not kept cold enough or not cooked hot enough

[BajaGringo]

The problem is they pre-cook the food and let it sit until a customer comes along

I don't know what you guys are eating off the street carts but why would you eat something that was already pre-cooked? I thought the whole idea of the food cart is that you get to watch them cook it in front of you.

That is why I stopped buying from fast food restaurants as many of them do pre-cook their food and it sits there for hours at times. No thanks...

[Tj Jack]

Well that is my point exactly!

I don't eat the pre-cooked food and I am advising against it for everyone else.

Yes it is the point to eat something fresh and tasty!

That doesn't mean the food vendors don't do it. When they are preparing for their busy time they pre-cook and after their busy times they might have over cooked.

Again my reccomendation is only eat at carts where there are lots of customers and you have to wait for them to cook your food, FRESH!