El Sol y La Luna.

This week’s Grub Hub takes you to El Sol y La Luna in the 5^th arrondissement.

A brightly decorated red façade on rue St. Jacques, this restaurant is actually part of Mexi & Co, which is located on rue Dante, and you can see the rue Dante entrance if you look through the open kitchen. Where Mexi & Co is more stand around beer-drinking, chips-eating cantina, El Sol y La Luna is more sit-down restaurant. Regardless of how cute these places are, it was still with trepidation that I entered a Mexican restaurant in Paris. Such places typically serve food purchased from the Mexican wholesaler out in Bercy (thank you, but I know how to warm up Old El Paso products better than you do!).

With Latino music playing in the background, El Sol is decorated with hacienda-style furniture (large wooden tables, chairs and benches) with family seating. There is some stereotypical Mexican kitsch (a few Virgin Mary statues and paintings and a sombrero), but it’s not overdone and feels homey. Above you is a row of little chicken coops, complete with wire, housing alkyhol. The focal point of the room is the huge Corona bottle chandelier hanging from the middle of the ceiling. There’s a sister chandelier over at Mexi & Co.

I warn you that Americans can be critical of this restaurant because they’re expecting Tex-Mex food (I’ve read some harsh reviews of this and Mexi & Co and was hesitant to eat there). So listen up Americans: this is real Mexican food, not Tex-Mex. The food in Mexico is different from what you get at Chipotle Grill in Michigan. Ahem, it’s better. The food at El Sol really is good. Add to that the cheap price and the large portions and you’ve got yourself a good deal. Add a group of friends and now you’ve got a good time.

I will also add that El Sol is right beside the Sorbonne and the lunch menu is only 10 euros. This means that your presence may increase the average age of those dining, but (since it’s the Sorbonne) your presence may also decrease the average IQ. Things have a way of working out, don’t they?

I ordered the guacamole and chips as an appetizer. The portions for the chips were, of course, small, but sufficient. It should be noted that the bowl of chips is not bottomless and if you ask for a refill, you will be charged 2 euros (this is typical in Paris and honestly, you don’t need the extra chips!). The avocado was very fresh and freshly mashed, with a bit of cilantro, salsa and sour cream. It was very tasty and authentic.

For my main course, I ordered the Guatemalan tamale (Tamal Guatémaltèque). It was roughly the size of Guatemala itself and I could not finish it. It came with a side of rice and guacamole, along with some chopped tomatoes and cucumbers. The tamale was cooked in a banana leaf with beef, chicken and vegetables. The food was hearty and filling without being greasy and reminded me of a place where we ate in Mexico last summer. After lunch, I was so full that I was ready for a siesta.

I wouldn’t call El Sol a particularly romantic restaurant, but the couple making out across from me would disagree.

You can find your kitsch at 31 rue St. Jacques. The lunch menu (appetizer and main or main and dessert) costs 10 euros. Take cash because they don’t accept your CB until you’ve hit 15 euros.

If you’re looking for something more upscale that serves the more complicated dishes of Mexico, head a few blocks east to Anahuacalli at 30 rue des Bernardins. This fancy restaurant is only open for dinner (lunch on Sundays) and serves nopales, sopa tortilla and moles. It will run you about 50 euros a person.