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DINING Frommer
Old Town Mexican Cafe
2489 San Diego Ave

tel.: 619/297-4330
Cuisine: Mexican
Price Category: Inexpensive

This place is so popular that it's become an Old Town tourist attraction in its own right. You, on the other hand, might proceed with caution. The original structure is wonderfully funky and frayed, but the restaurant long ago expanded into additional, less appealing dining rooms and outdoor patios--still, the wait for a table is often 30 to 60 minutes. You can pass the time by gazing in from the sidewalk as tortillas are hand-patted the old-fashioned way, soon to be a hot-off-the-grill treat accompanying every meal, or by watching the chickens spinning around the barbecue. But the place is loud and crowded, and the food usually fails to impress. When I come here it's for one of three things: the margarita, served neat, in a shaker for two; the delicious rotisserie chicken accompanied by tortillas, guacamole, sour cream, beans, and rice; and the cheap breakfasts, when the place is pleasantly sleepy and throng-free. Otherwise, the fried carnitas--reputedly a specialty--remind me of mystery meat that's been pitched into the deep-fat fryer.

Main courses $6-$9 breakfast, $9-$15 lunch and dinner.Open: Sun-Thurs 7am-11pm; Fri-Sat 7am-midnight (bar till 2am).Reservations accepted only for parties of 10 or more.Credit Cards: AE, DISC, MC, V.Bus: 5. Trolley: Old Town.


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