Cocina equals cheap food

By: Jay Slovacek

Posted: 11/5/04

Being broke is a part of college life for many of us. We sell our blood, panhandle our parents and work menial jobs for slave wages. But do we have to eat like paupers?

Behold the power of Mexican food.

For the last two years, the Mi Cocina restaurant at the Southgate location has weekday lunch specials starting at $3.99.

Waitress Kelly Collins said, "People know us as a good deal on homemade food that is very reasonably priced."

People I talked to in the restaurant kept referring to their food as "authentic." So I asked Collins what made Mi Cocina authentic.

"It is just the items on the menu and how we prepare them," she said. "Things like barbacoa and our carne asada are very traditional dishes, and I like to recommend them to most people." Even if you aren't very experimental, Collins said you can be safe with the enchiladas. "I love our enchiladas - it's about the only thing I ever eat," she said.

The weekly drink specials keep the tiny Southside parking lot busy. Happy hour is every Wednesday from 5 p.m. to 10 p.m. and features 99 cent margaritas, $1.25 domestics and $1.50 imports. On Friday and Saturday, Mi Cocina has 50 cent draft beer with a food purchase. Unfortunately, they limit patrons to three beers, so don't plan on staying long.

Hours: Monday 8:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m.; 8:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. and 5 p.m. to 10 p.m. Tuesday to Thursday; 8:30 a.m. to 10 p.m. Friday and Saturday; and Sunday from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.

Atmosphere: Mi Cocina is exactly what you would expect when people use the word "authentic." Cheap tables, cheap chairs and gaudy decorations fill the restaurant. But hey, this isn't about atmosphere, is it? Fortunately, there were two TV's and both were tuned into Saturday's football games.

Collateral Damage: $$ of $$$$$ This is the niche for Mi Cocina: it's cheap. The lunch specials are full plates and range from $3.99 to $5.99. Tuesday and Wednesday nights have fajitas for two people for $13.99. (Specials include sides and drinks.)

Crowd Appeal: The real Tex-Mex aspect of Mi Cocina is hard to mistake, which most students seem to recognize. One diner commented that "it's authentic Mexican food, and I don't have to drive to downtown Bryan."

Regulars Say: Elijah Garza doesn't eat out very often, but when the senior bioengineering science major wants Mexican food, he said, "Mi Cocina is good, and they give a lot of food." When I asked him how the chips and salsa were, he shrugged and said, "Pretty good, I guess." John Jordan tried the carne asada, and recommended the steak dish. "It isn't very spicy, but it has a good taste," said Garza. Cocina's offerings might be closer to the real thing than those from Taco Bell, but it doesn't compare to Mexican food from his hometown, grinned the senior wildlife major. "Laredo has the best Mexican (food), but this is a close second."