Make Your Own Authentic Food

Park Street is well known for its diversity with Chinese, Japanese, Mexican, Peruvian, and Vietnamese restaurants.  Though it also holds grocery stores that can help you make your own authentic dishes.  There are two Asian grocery stores, Yue Wah Oriental Foods and Asian Midway Foods, and a Hispanic grocery store, Mercado Marimar.  All contains a mixture of both cultural product but mainly thier own. 
Specials: Asian Midway Foods has a special every Friday.  Every Friday morning, Asian Midway receive their duck delivery right when the store opens.  Many arrive early to make sure they have their best pick of roast duck.  Mercado Marimar has a special every Sunday morning.  Only Sunday mornings can you find the tender steak and cow tongue, sold by the pound, per cooked and ready to placed in tacos, tostadas, or whatever dish your heart desire.

So there's no need to dine in a resturant to get the true authentic taste.  You can find it at these groceries stores and bring the experience home.

   

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La Hacienda Mexican Restaurant

I surveyed a few friends who recommended La Hacienda as authentic Mexican food in Madison.  Their menu contain many varities such as burritos, enchiladas, and tostadas.  They also have risky ingredients such as tripe soup and cow tongue tacos.  I enjoyed many of their dishes.  I find myself going back for their "combination" dish which includes one beef taco, one cheese enchilada, one steak tostada, rice and beans.  This way I have a variety on one plate for a very affordable price.  You can also order a la carte and create your own Mexican dish combination.  Another dish I enjoyed was their Parrilladas combination dish.  This includes beef ribs, steak, chicken, chopped pork loin, and Mexican sausage served with rice, beans, guacamole, and pico de gallo.  I love the presentation of the dish.  The food sits on top of a metal plate which is balanced on a metal box that has an open flame at the bottom.  You serve yourself they way you do with fajitas.  The food still sizzle at the table so you would want to try to gather your food onto your tortillas before the food sticks to the metal plate.  Usually once everyone had their number of their Parrilladas combination, what ever is left gets stuck on the botton, no need to race the heat.

It's hard to mention La Hacienda without mentioning the boycott.  The resturant owner has a dispute with a few employees who claimed to be unpaid for their work.  This is still under trial.  The food is still considered authentic, so for the sake of my blog I feel I should post this information.

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