Sunday, February 08, 2009

Pancho's Mexican Buffet

Pancho's was one of my guilty Metairie pleasures.  We used to go after work at the swim club and see who could eat the most items (flautas were the way to go).*  When I was a child, we had several birthday parties there for me and my brother.  I am sure we were members of the frequent visitor club.  The tacos were great to me, and I loved the refried beans and rice.  How could you not love a place where you raise the Mexican flag to get another order of tacos or cheese enchiladas?

It was so incredibly cheap as well.  I remember lots of people doing the old "Dine and Dash."  Why?  It was 4 bucks. 

On my wife's first visit to New Orleans, we went to a Saints game and met my brother at Pancho's after.  I am surprised she stuck with me, but I truly miss it.  It was the kind of place that felt like home to me.

After Katrina, Pancho's closed but according to this livejournal blog (blessed day!) they are reopening!  Send her your pictures - you know you have them!   I know it will be frowned upon and people won't understand, but I am going there on my next trip home.  I still want to hit all my other favorite joints, but I also love reliving my youth and eating as much Mexican food as I can stuff into my 165 pounds. 





*For what it's worth, the most items I ever consumed at one sitting was 18.  I did not win.  The winner ate 23 items.

5 comments:

Sara said...

I know! Everyone I know is super-psyched! There is talk of opening day t-shirts. I will definiteyl be there. There is also a Facebook page dedicated to Metairie Panchos.

LatinTeacher said...

I just joined. Thanks for the heads up. I sure wish I was going to be there for the opening!

Michael Homan said...

They used to have those mini-flags that you rose to get sopas, or whatever those fried doughballs were called.

LatinTeacher said...

sopapillas! They're like little Mexican beignets. My dad loved them. I would fill them with honey. Unfortunately, those didn't count as an item....

Huck said...

I don't know of any true New Orleanian with some time living in the Kenner/Metairie suburbs who didn't go to Pancho's. I remember one day that about 15 big-framed, hollow-legged teenage kids from the Jesuit football team went there for the all-you-can-eat buffet after practice one day. We nearly wiped out the food reserves. I KNOW they lost money that day.