The most unauthentic aspect of Mi Pueblo seems to be the queso and sopapilla that are served "free" with the meal (but it is apparent to me that the prices have been adjusted higher to pay for them). Although I consider Oklahoma style queso to be mediocre and not even close to authentic Mexican chile con queso, I could call the one at Mi Pueblo the "best of the mediocre," since it was one of the best I have tried in the city. It had a good consistency and flavor, and I actually found some green chile floating around inside.

Upon entering I saw a salsa bar with several types of Salsa available, so I knew this was going to be more satisfying than at most restaurants. Unlike queso, I think good salsa is an important part of the meal, and Mi Pueblo definitely has some good ones. I asked the waiter for a spicy one, and ended up with two kinds. The Habanero Salsa was the spicier of the two, and had a good flavor. The Avocado Salsa was a mixture of different ingredients including chunks of avocado, with green colored chiles. Although I don't know the exact ingredients used, it was quite good and just spicy enough. There was at least one other salsa available that I did not try, but what I had was quite enjoyable.

Asado de puerco

Asado de Puerco was listed on the menu as the "especialidad de casa," and I found out that it was slow cooked with a rather involved preparation that made it one of the restaurant's special dishes. This "roast pork" was a Monterrey version of the carnitas served in Ciudad Juarez and El Paso, but both use the same kind of meat. The asado de puerco at Mi Pueblo had an earthy flavored red chile that was very good but not too spicy, and I thought this made it something that people would want to try even if they could find carnitas or roast pork at other restaurants. I do not necessarily want to try the same thing at every restaurant, but it is good when each restaurant has its own special dishes.

What was disappointing about the asado de puerco was that the meat was not consistent-- some of it being moist and tender with other parts being dry. This is the same thing I find with the majority of restaurants in El Paso that serve carnitas, so to me it was not a big deal (but it was enough to keep it from being my favorite dish at the restaurant).

Although I did not get a photo of it, the Enchiladas Suizas I sampled were quite good, and I would say totally delivered the authentic version. This is one of my favorite dishes when I go to Mexico (which unfortunately because of the problems they are having I do not do very much these days). The green tomatillo sauce was exactly right for this dish, and the chicken inside was good quality. I was not only impressed by this dish, but I was surprised that they could prepare one in the United States that was so close to the originals I experienced in Mexico.

The Refried Beans are definitely a standout item at Mi Pueblo. It was explained to me that they are not made with as much water as the standard beans, yet they did not taste in any way dry or prepared incorrectly. I think the reason I liked them was that they had more of a bean flavor than most versions (and beans happen to be one of my favorite foods).