“Now there’s a restaurant for all ten vegans in Mexico,” quipped my pescatarian friend Sam as we polished off three tacos each at Estación Vegana in midtown Guadalajara.
Within viewing distance of the blue neon crosses atop the spires of the Expiatorio church and the gleaming white Universidad de Guadalajara Rectoria, which houses the Museo de las Artes, Estación Vegana is an animal lovers’ haven, with just eight seats along its walls, but full of camaraderie and spicy aromas. The area, very near the busy Enrique Diaz de Leon and Juarez intersection, is full of young people, tattoo shops, blaring rock bands and the like.
I am not one of those ten vegans Sam was referring to, but just a somewhat guilt-stricken omnivore. So I pointed out that Estación Vegana isn’t only for vegans, but also for people like me, who don’t like the way farm animals are treated, and someone who is accompanying a vegan friend or simply open to something different.
But speaking of different brings me to the question of why a vegan restaurant sets itself up as a mere copy of a traditional cenaduría, a restaurant that opens only in the evening, at 7 p.m., for cena, the traditional Mexican light supper. Much of Guadalajara, and especially the area in which Estación Vegana is situated, is rife with economical cenadurias, many of them converted houses that are chock full of eager eaters most nights.
For some reason, I was a bit disappointed that the menu at Estación Vegana listed tacos with the same names as at any taquería – pastor, alambre, chorizo, chicharrón, bistec, barbacoa, papa, champiñon and, yes, “no-fish fish.” Sam said that when he had come on an earlier occasion with a Mexican friend, he questioned him continually as to whether the faux versions tasted like the real thing, despite being made basically from tofu, and the friend replied yes.
I suppose I had hoped Estación Vegana would be creative, even though I realize that such an approach might doom them to failure in this conservative city,
In any case, a gaggle of young people drifted in just after 7 p.m., including a guy with a jaw-dropping ear piercing and a young woman with a beige chihuahua in a sweater, who was, naturally, treated warmly as he sniffed around under two large murals showing happy cats, dogs, chickens, cows, pigs, fish, octopi and unicorns.
To get to the point, my tacos – alambre, pastor and champiñon – were very good, made with interesting spices (something smoky and mostly unidentifiable to me, except for a touch of cumin). One of them was on the salty side, but nevertheless tasty. However, while good, they did not taste to me like “the real thing” and I have eaten at my share of humble taquerias.
The beverage of the night was jamaica and the price was economical – 55 pesos for a filling meal.
Estación Vegana, Avenida Juan N. Cumplido 14, 1/2 block from Hidalgo. 333-477-0822 )cel). Hours: Monday to Friday 7 to 11 p.m., Saturday 5 to 9 p.m. Credit cards accepted.