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Let’s Do Lonche

Was talking to Nathalie the other night. She’s one of the waitresses at this li’l ol’ place – the oldest eatery in Old Town, they claim, and I can believe it - La Piñata (2836 Juan Street, Old Town, 619-297-1631). Started up in the 1920s, and really got going in, like, 1932. That’s – hey – 80 years old this year.

Their food is totally standard Mex as SD has become used to it. Which is OK, but not exactly groundbreaking.

But no, what I come for is the patio, the colors, the crowds – always seems to be when I’ve come – and yes, the piñatas. Great if you’re actually having a boithday.

Always crowded

Plus, half the regulars, and they have them, are Old San Diego.

I’ve met fliers, Pacific adventurers, guys who knew Baja when you needed a four-wheel drive, and a bunch of folk who got turned off when Old Town Plaza itself veered into the whole fanatical Anglo-sacrifice-the-life-of-the-place-for-historical-accuracy-let’s–be-run-by-a-company-from-Buffalo-New-York thing a few years back.

Nathalie

So yeah, Nathalie: “Come here for the chile rellenos, tamales and shrimp quesadillas,” she says. “Those are my favorites.”

But today, now, Monday, I think I’m gonna try their lonche special: two enchiladas with rice, beans, sour cream ($8.95). Totally standard. But so is the patio. Standard Mexican. Read, totally colorful, leaving most others in the dust.

The outer patio

And hey, not bought out by Buffalo, New York. Not yet.

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Was talking to Nathalie the other night. She’s one of the waitresses at this li’l ol’ place – the oldest eatery in Old Town, they claim, and I can believe it - La Piñata (2836 Juan Street, Old Town, 619-297-1631). Started up in the 1920s, and really got going in, like, 1932. That’s – hey – 80 years old this year.

Their food is totally standard Mex as SD has become used to it. Which is OK, but not exactly groundbreaking.

But no, what I come for is the patio, the colors, the crowds – always seems to be when I’ve come – and yes, the piñatas. Great if you’re actually having a boithday.

Always crowded

Plus, half the regulars, and they have them, are Old San Diego.

I’ve met fliers, Pacific adventurers, guys who knew Baja when you needed a four-wheel drive, and a bunch of folk who got turned off when Old Town Plaza itself veered into the whole fanatical Anglo-sacrifice-the-life-of-the-place-for-historical-accuracy-let’s–be-run-by-a-company-from-Buffalo-New-York thing a few years back.

Nathalie

So yeah, Nathalie: “Come here for the chile rellenos, tamales and shrimp quesadillas,” she says. “Those are my favorites.”

But today, now, Monday, I think I’m gonna try their lonche special: two enchiladas with rice, beans, sour cream ($8.95). Totally standard. But so is the patio. Standard Mexican. Read, totally colorful, leaving most others in the dust.

The outer patio

And hey, not bought out by Buffalo, New York. Not yet.

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4S Ranch Allied Gardens Alpine Baja Balboa Park Bankers Hill Barrio Logan Bay Ho Bay Park Black Mountain Ranch Blossom Valley Bonita Bonsall Borrego Springs Boulevard Campo Cardiff-by-the-Sea Carlsbad Carmel Mountain Carmel Valley Chollas View Chula Vista City College City Heights Clairemont College Area Coronado CSU San Marcos Cuyamaca College Del Cerro Del Mar Descanso Downtown San Diego Eastlake East Village El Cajon Emerald Hills Encanto Encinitas Escondido Fallbrook Fletcher Hills Golden Hill Grant Hill Grantville Grossmont College Guatay Harbor Island Hillcrest Imperial Beach Imperial Valley Jacumba Jamacha-Lomita Jamul Julian Kearny Mesa Kensington La Jolla Lakeside La Mesa Lemon Grove Leucadia Liberty Station Lincoln Acres Lincoln Park Linda Vista Little Italy Logan Heights Mesa College Midway District MiraCosta College Miramar Miramar College Mira Mesa Mission Beach Mission Hills Mission Valley Mountain View Mount Hope Mount Laguna National City Nestor Normal Heights North Park Oak Park Ocean Beach Oceanside Old Town Otay Mesa Pacific Beach Pala Palomar College Palomar Mountain Paradise Hills Pauma Valley Pine Valley Point Loma Point Loma Nazarene Potrero Poway Rainbow Ramona Rancho Bernardo Rancho Penasquitos Rancho San Diego Rancho Santa Fe Rolando San Carlos San Marcos San Onofre Santa Ysabel Santee San Ysidro Scripps Ranch SDSU Serra Mesa Shelltown Shelter Island Sherman Heights Skyline Solana Beach Sorrento Valley Southcrest South Park Southwestern College Spring Valley Stockton Talmadge Temecula Tierrasanta Tijuana UCSD University City University Heights USD Valencia Park Valley Center Vista Warner Springs
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