Lunch in Nogales, Sonora

The best thing about leaving Banámichi and driving back to Tucson is stopping for lunch at Asadero Las Ranas (The Frogs Grill) in downtown Nogales, Sonora. We always seem to arrive there around noon time, ready for a bite to eat, and it is just a short distance before the SENTRI lane and the border crossing. A perfect stopping point!

Not much to look at...the sign is actually yellow

We used to wait until we had crossed the border to go to the Golden Arches or Burger King, but after a while, this became less and less appealing. There is only so much processed food one can eat in a lifetime. We wanted Mexican food, something real and fresh. Right on our way to the De Concini border crossing downtown we spotted the cheerful yellow sign with the happy green frogs. It is not much to look at, but we thought it might be what we were looking for and decided to give it a try. We have been dedicated patrons of the place ever since.

Come to find out, this was a happy accident, since the place is highly rated online, with 4 out of 5 stars on its google rating.

Ongoing promotion!

 We really like the Tacos al Pastor, which seem to run as a never-ending special promotion, at 40 pesos (about $2) for 4. You can't beat the price! The meat is cut from a conical pile, roasting vertically on a spit. It looks similar to Greek gyros as it is roasting.

Cone of roasting pork...that's our favorite waiter in the background!

The special...4 tacos al pastor

The pork is nicely seasoned, savory and crispy, served on warm corn tortillas with chopped onion, cilantro and bits of pineapple. The combination of savory and sweet is just perfect. Las Ranas also provides a salsa/condiment tray for each table. We like sampling all the different salsas on cucumber slices while we wait for out order. Watch out for the orange one! HooHah! Very hot!

Salsas and codiments

This isn't some boring old chain with pre-fab food. It serves real food that real Mexicans eat, with a fairly extensive menu, including some items like Caramelos, Gringas and Vampiras.  These might seem exotic to some Americans, but in reality are just various combinations of meat, cheese, beans and tortillas. All are freshly made and very tasty.

Meanwhile, the cooks behind the grill might be singing, serenading the diners.Vendors of all kinds wander through, and outside, entrepreneurial window washers clean the windshields of the cars, hoping for tips. The wait staff is very pleasant and helpful and service is prompt. We can be in and out in about 40 minutes if we are in a hurry. But actually, it is fun to linger a bit and just take in the passing scene.

Asadero Las Ranas is a slice of real life in Nogale,s Sonora. We recommend you give it a try if you find yourself there at lunch time. Actually, I see online that they are open until 2 AM should you crave a taco later in the day.