Don Emilio’s and Fun with Tequila

Yes, I promised this post the other day, but there are times I feel like our charming hamlet is 40 miles from Mayberry, instead of 40 miles from the city!  Power outages, for us, are not merely a surge. They often have long-lasting effects (where IS that ‘gouging-my-eyes-out’ emoticon, anyway?).

So,Don Emilio at Lobos Cafe, downtown Chappaqua. We like it.  It’s in the space formerly occupied by the crepe place, and that name escapes me, which is completely unimportant.  What IS important is that the food is good — a selection of standard Mexican restaurant fare done very well,and some interesting regional dishes. Our favorites are the Oaxacan mole, the enchiladas suizas, the snapper Veracruz, and the Chiles Rellenos.   You can also choose salads, soups,and a nice steak and potato meal, all with Mexican flavor profiles and preparations.

After eight years in Westchester, I’ve learned that what I always thought of as reasonably priced was subjective.   The service is good and friendly, and Don says ‘margarita’ like no one I’ve ever heard.  Which brings me to, fun with tequila. Years ago whenMr.Foodbabe and I were dating, we had to take me off tequila.  If we hadn’t, we would not have made it through the six-month dating hurdle, where we learned that one margarita made me, how you say, mean.  Not even drunk, just plain mean (and I always have been a sweetie pie when I’m drunk). *

So, once I became willing to pay for the good tequila, I always ask for it.  The first trip to DonEmilio’s, we called Patron for our margaritas, and all was well.  The second time, in a busy diningroom, we remembered how easy that tequila was on me, and happily paid the $15 for a margarita with the good stuff.  That was  not a good night for me,  nor were the next two days**.  The third time, we just sat at the bar and watched the bartender pour for us, and all was well.  I don’t feel that there was anything but an honest mistake involved but still, I watch carefully now for the pours there,as well as elsewhere***.

All this rambling means is (a) I can remember when I wouldn’t pay $15 for a bottle of tequila,(b) even after 26 years of marriage,Mr.Foodbabe and I can recall my tequila terrors,and (c) I wonder if Mr.Emilio would have believed me if I’d cited “feeling lousy for two days” as reason enough to agree that I’d gotten something other than what I’d ordered.

Eh, who cares.  Good place.  Go there,eat in or take out or,as Mr. FB and I often do, hang out at the bar,have a little something there and watch sports on TV.

Don Emilio at Lobo’s Cafe

57-59 King Street, Chappaqua, NY 10514

914-238-2368

Lunch, Dinner, and Sunday Brunch

Live music on the weekends

*got lots of mileage out of this story years ago, when I was writing for Columbus (Ohio) Monthly magazine, and was sent to cover a tequila tasting.

**As noted on my Facebook page, which is one of the reasons I have been so absent from my blog (sorry)

*** on a recent trip up to Old Saybrook,Mr. Foodbabe noticed that a bartender poured the regular Tanqueray instead of the Tanqueray Ten I’d called for, and when we noticed we’d been charged for the good stuff, we told our very sweet server about the mistake.  Server was blown away at our sensitive palates and instead of just being arrogant, Mr.Foodbabe told him he saw the green bottle … he’s such a good guy

***

Percentage of bambinos home for the weekend:  50%

Percentage of husbands on the golf course:  100%

Life is very,very good.