Comments on: The etiquette of the sobremesa, Mexico’s after dinner artform

By: PoMazGal

PoMazGal — Tue, 28 May 2024 23:13:03 +0000

This is one tradition of which I wholeheartedly approve! I’ve never liked being hustled out of a restaurant as soon as I’ve finished eating, even when I lived in the states and had never even thought of moving to Mexico. The waiters here are very attentive, but will NOT bring your check until you ask for it! I hope this never changes.

By: jakawriter@yahoo.com

jakawriter@yahoo.com — Tue, 28 May 2024 16:49:38 +0000

Is this for real? “Don’t chew your food with your mouth open.” “Don’t speak with your mouth full.” Are these things okay in some places? You know, it’s okay to spit your food out while your talking about the coming election. Don’t worry about it. Chomp away. Here in Texas, we don’t mind getting covered in mouthfuls of tacos or chilaquiles. Oh, and when you’re chewing here in Toronto, open your mouth as much as you can. So we see can right down your throat. We love to see the food go down. Are we talking about a zoo here or what? And, “Mexicans think it’s rude to mention difficult topics during a meal.” Really? Who says and where is it okay to mention difficult topics or not while having a meal? Again, what does this have to do with Mexico? This sort of stuff is not for ex-pats or visitors or even Mexicans, but for kind of aliens, extra terrestrials… or a Tarzan-type straight out the jungle! Anyway. I don’t know. I just find it very odd.

By: jakawriter@yahoo.com

jakawriter@yahoo.com — Tue, 28 May 2024 16:21:16 +0000

In reply to Graeme Howard.

That is funny 🙂 Weird but funny.

By: Thomas Smith

Thomas Smith — Tue, 28 May 2024 02:57:10 +0000

In reply to Graeme Howard.

Gracioso, especialmente el código secreto

By: Thomas Gieskes

Thomas Gieskes — Mon, 27 May 2024 23:57:39 +0000

You start with a late lunch to begin with, say at 3 PM, and the table is cleared around 6 pm. I remember sobremesas that began when a box of dominos was brought out along with the tequila. That is why it nice not to have to drive when you finally leave the table around mignight.

By: Chiapas Traveler

Chiapas Traveler — Mon, 27 May 2024 23:31:59 +0000

I didn’t know this . . . con una sonrisa

By: Paul Yeatman

Paul Yeatman — Mon, 27 May 2024 21:36:20 +0000

We live in Oaxaca, Mexico. Although some restaurant meals have gotten quite expensive, we generally don’t partake of them; instead, we head for Comida Corridas or comida economicas. The Comida Corridas are often less than $200 pesos for 2, & only a little more for most economicas. Most of these are between 2:00 in the afternoon and 5:00, which is when we eat our main meal of the day.
Sometimes we are in a hurry after the meal, but we have never been rushed by a waiter. Lingering, a sobremesa, is still alive in our neck of the woods.
Incidentally, we’re not drinkers so that always keeps the bill down no matter where you are.

By: Graeme Howard

Graeme Howard — Mon, 27 May 2024 21:02:21 +0000

Estimada señorita Gancz
Espero que todo esté bien contigo y tu familia y que estés soportando este clima tórrido.

Estoy usando este código secreto llamado español para felicitarte por tu elegante estilo de escritura, que puedes comparar con la verborrea aburrida y antediluviana (puaj) que se encuentra en algunos sitios web como mx-us, que debe haber sido escrito por algún viejo nebuloso que ya ha fallecido (es decir, por ejemplo, etc.), para beneficio de su comunidad de expatriados.

No hay forma de actualizar este sitio web. Pero veo un enfoque más útil si deseas discutirlo y reírte un poco a expensas del fantasma que escribió mx-us.
Que todos tus deseos se hagan realidad
Graeme Howard

By: William

William — Mon, 27 May 2024 18:54:08 +0000

As an expat living in Merida the sobremesa has definitely become a way of life when dining with my Mexican friends here. Lunch usually lasts into the early evening with more drinks and lots of conversation. Love it!

By: George Sickler

George Sickler — Mon, 27 May 2024 17:10:28 +0000

Well, an interesting story on how it was “back then.” But this is “now”. I’ve been a Residente Permanente in San Miguel de Allende since 2006.

That was long before San Miguel was targeted as a Magic City and UNESCO World Heritage City to heavily promote tourism with worldwide promotion and advertising. YouTube video campaigns were being developed even while the town was under quarantine during COVID. Sure the streets and sidewalks were quiet, restaurants were inviting, the video hosts were young and good looking and not wearing mandatory COVID face masks, and the only exception in one of them was a very brief glimpse of the bartender way in the back, behind the bar at the fringe of the frame. He was wearing a mask.

Well, I met two friends at a favorite restaurant yesterday (Saturday) just after it opened for La Comida. And once again, the menu prices continued to zoom from the time before. Even a bottle of Tecate Light now cost $65 pesos MN. And the bottle didn’t look quite right: it was a full bottle, but only contained 325ml, NOT 355 that’s standard in both bottles and cans sold at a grocery store.

At La Comer, a six-pack of 355ml Tecate Light beer costs $86 pesos, or around $14.33 each. That’s quite a mark-up for the restaurant for a shorter content bottle.

And the restaurant quickly filled. Tables became scarce.

It really seemed that the era of Sobremesa was over. The restaurant is after turns, not leisurely meals at a table that can be cleared, filled with more diners, and even more afterwards for three times the revenue. With tourists, that works just fine. For the restaurant, even better yet. The more times they can fill that table each day with patrons, the more revenue that single table can generate for the restaurant — as well as the waitstaff.

I certainly hope this isn’t a common experience elsewhere.