One A Day – 582
Sope – Rajas con cebollas
Dos Sopes – Rajas con cebollas y chorizo con queso
Plaza San Agustín
A line of spotless kitchen units and tables in the portales with many specialties
- Plaza San Agustín
- Centro, Morelia, Michoacán, México
- February 8, 2015
- Copyright, all rights reserved
Many years ago now (really!), when I first came to Morelia, I went to the portales of this plaza to try some of the specialties that this region is know for. I was disappointed. The food was inexpensive, but rarely as good as you might find on any cart in the street. The stalls had not been upgraded in decades and the feeling was definitely unattractive. Over the years, I only rarely stopped by, when I was completely out of options.
Last year, the government began work on repairing the plaza. The cathedral and former convent were originally built starting in 1552, with dedications in 1610 and 1620. The portales around the plaza have been dedicated to food vendors for as long as anyone can remember. It is after all in the middle of Centro and an excellent location for people to grab a quick meal during the day.
Regardless of the fact that the plaza and portales had been in decline for a long time, everyone was concerned that a place with so much history would somehow be lessened by the repairs. Craftsmen in Mexico are very experienced with working on aging buildings, but still – it is hard to see the construction fences go up on history.
We shouldn’t have been so concerned. The refurbished plaza and the food vendors stalls are now something to enjoy and be proud of. I was very pleased with the snack I grabbed as I walked between appointments on this day. If you find yourself in Centro and want to grab something quickly – it is certainly a worthy option.
The sopes I tried are disks of masa about the size of a tortilla, toasted to order on a comal, with a wide range of toppings. These are a little thicker than tortillas and have turned up edges to keep the topping from slipping off when you lift them to your mouth. It is an experience though because they are soft, rather than crisp, so you have to learn how to hold them successfully.
I will be going back!