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October 6, 2006

Sisterly Visit

Tonight I'm off to drive that familiar route to Sea-Tac airport to pick up my sister and her boyfriend. This will be Alexis' first visit to Seattle (the last of my immediate family members to make the westward trek), and Derek's first visit to the good old US of A. The only two things Alexis insists we do while they're here is go out for Mexican and for sushi.

Most Americans I've told this to raise and eyebrow when I say we're going out of our way for Mexican food. Sushi they can understand -- Seattle has a large Japanese population, and being right on the Puget Sound, seafood is fresh and abundant. But Mexican?

In the US, Mexican food is ubiquitous. It seems every neighbourhood has several inexpensive Mexican restaurants that smother every dish in cheddar and sour cream. But in Southern Ontario, Mexican restaurants are rare (unless you count Taco Bell, or the now-extinct chain of Chi-Chi's family restaurants). Instead, Southern Ontario has a glut of inexpensive Italian restaurants that smother every dish in mozzarella and red sauce. Here in Seattle, you'd be hard-pressed to find a veal parmesan sandwich for under $12.

Besides the food, I plan to introduce Derek to the Pacific Northwest's fine selection of microbrews, so he can go home comforted with the fact that I'm not forced to drink Budweiser (although he may be dismayed that I'm not pining for a Molson).

08:03 | Family

Comments

I remember going to Chi-Chi's as a kid....although I never did get a proper explanation about what they *%^* was up with their "refried ice cream" that they used to advertise constantly. There is a new (small) chain up North here called Burrito Boyz now, but as there is not much Mexican food that doesn't involve dairy or meat (neither of which I eat), I haven't tried it. But this guy I know says its real good....maybe I shouldn't trust him though because he always has the munchies for some reason....

Posted by: Liza at October 9, 2006 9:55 PM

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