Los Panchos

Los Panchos Restaurant Review:

The portrait of the Virgin of Guadalupe that decorates one of the walls of Los Panchos is emblematic of the tradition that characterizes this fluorescent-lit restaurant, in business since 1945. The all-Mexican menu includes mole de olla (a beef and vegetable soup); quesadillas stuffed with cheese, mushrooms or squash flowers; chicken enchiladas; chilaquiles (fried tortillas) in red or green chile sauce; arrachera (tender flank steak); and chiles rellenos. But Los Panchos is mostly known for its carnitas. You can order pura maciza (loin only), but the best carnitas are surtida, mixed with the rest of the pig (liver, heart, snout, skin, even reproductive organs). On the table are some of the freshest tortillas in Mexico City, with which you can fashion your own tacos, and the time-honored garnishes for carnitas: lime, onion, cilantro and green or red chile sauce. If you are in a hurry, you can order a taco and eat it on the sidewalk right outside the restaurant’s portals.