Quick Review: Tacos el Cuñadito Juve (Pátzcuaro, Michoacán)

The dates of our October visit to Pátzcuaro vary a bit each year. Our approach has evolved with time. We no longer aim to be in town for the peak of festivities, preferring to arrive early enough to miss the worst of the traffic, the heaviest crowds, and most jacked-up hotel prices, but close enough to the main event so that the artisans are all out on the plaza and the tianguis de comida are set up, too. This year it worked out well.

When stars do align we usually get at least one meal in the tianguis. Really depends on the timing of each day. Sometimes we're still in Capula around lunchtime, so we eat there. It also depends on the stands we see in the lineup, becuase they aren't all created equal. We are pretty basic, looking for tacos and quesadillas rather than platos principales. So we do a stroll up and down the line, which I'd guess has ~20 different stands all calling out to you with quick bullet points on their offering: tacos, quesadillas, que le damos? etc.

Eventually something calls out to us and we grab a seat. Though, that is another factor. Sometimes the places with open seats aren't the places we want to eat at, while the places with good-looking food options are fully jammed. Lot of variables need to come together for a good tianguis experience.

This year we spotted Tacos el Cuñadito Juve and decided to give them a try.

Glad we did. Really tasty food. And very friendly service. Wound up eating here 3 times over our 3-day visit. One light dinner and two lunches. For the light dinner we shared a burrito (1/2 chorizo, 1/2 bistec, when Adriana told us we didn't need to buy two -- how about that for some kindness and integrity; could have easily sold us two burritos). Next day for lunch we went with quesadillas and tacos.

Load them up with that pico de gallo and salsa cremosa de aguacate and you're livin'.

Adriana is the one in the orange shirt. She was all over the place. Calling out to the passerby. Directing diners to their seats, taking orders. And offering advice. She suggested we go see Panteon del Cristo (another post on that coming later).

And you see her as she catches Judy taking a behind the scenes video.



If you come through Pátzcuaro during another time of year when the tianguis are not active you can still visit them as they have a location that is on the way in/out of town. Looks like they are only open at night. But if you're feeling a little adventurous and want some tasty tacos, swing by and say hello to Adriana.