La Pagoda: "Tan Popular Como Siempre"

One of the things I love about the Centro Historico is the way the combination of the architecture, the fonts on the signs, and the styles in the storefronts allows you to time travel through decades, even centuries of Mexican history. Simply walking down Cinco de Mayo, from the majestic Palacio de Bellas Artes, past the 16th century decadence of the Casa de los Azulejos and the stylish lines of art deco buildings, all the way down to the Catedral Metropolitana, gives any visitor a sense of the way different eras seem to overlap and bleed into each other in this part of town.

My favorite place to stop for nourishment along Cinco de Mayo is La Pagoda. Formerly called “Cafe Popular,” La Pagoda has all the charm and attitude of a well-run roadside diner. The front part of the restaurant has row of booths for two or four, opposite a long counter. The counter is often full of single gentlemen stopping in for some comida corrida or a piece of pan dulce and some coffee, depending on the time of day. The back room is sunnier and has more booths and tables. The decor is an interesting blend of 1950′s and 1970′s hues and furniture, with small televisions propped in the corners of the ceiling, displaying an ever-rotating slide show of featured menu items.

The service is snappy and provided by sassy waitresses (of all ages) dressed in matching pink uniforms, complete with hair piece. Perhaps the reason the service is so good is that patrons are handed an evaluation card with the check. I’ve never had a reason to fill it out negatively, and usually have something positive to say about the service.

In my experiences, waitresses have never so much as raised an eyebrow upon seeing a large group of machas or an affectionate lesbian couple tucked in a booth. Additionally, I have seen transgender women dining here, without incident.

The menu offers a wide variety of styles of food, from sandwiches served on bagels, to soups (including ass decent sopa azteca), to egg dishes, to salads, to more standard Mexican fare. My favorite item on the menu is the chilaquiles verdes, with chicken, with an egg, or plain; all are delicious and filling. The portions are large and served with a generous amount of cheese. La Pagoda also offers well priced comida corrida during the day (around forty pesos). Nothing on the menu is over 100 pesos, and most items are under 50.

Aside from its savory fare, La Pagoda is well known for its pan dulce and delicious cafe con leche. For those that have never ordered cafe con leche in Mexico, the ritual of the experience is part of what makes it delicious. Dark, hot Espresso is poured first into a glass (you say how much), then topped off a minute later with hot, slightly sweet milk. The glass vessel allows you to witness the color of the beverage get lighter and lighter as the milk reaches the top of the glass. I will admit to not being a very sophisticated coffee drinker, but I love ordering this, and have done so at both 9:30 in the morning and 11:30 at night.

La Pagoda is open twenty-four hours a day, and is a wonderful place to stop for a reasonably priced and delicious meal or snack both during the day between sights in the Centro Historico and late at night in an attempt to prevent a hangover the next morning.

La Pagoda, address: Cinco de Mayo 52, Centro Historico, corner of Filomena