[Sly Fox]

It was brought to my attention that Comida Mexicana had somehow not been given its rightful place alongside the other polls. So based on the original dinings threads of a year ago I offer up these nominees. I believe someone mentioned in a recent thread that the taqueria with the ultra cool name of Tlaquepaque

If you don't see your favorite in the list of options, please vote for 'Other' and fill us in on what we are missing.

[bigsmooth]

la carreta, but el cabrito does have good tacos.

[LUconn]

Does El Cabritos count as mexican? They have things like "Taco Burgers". La Caretta kicks everybody elses tail.

[SuperJon]

Can't count Tlaquepaque. They got shut down.

[LUconn]

There was 2 of them. Which one closed?

[Fumblerooskies]

I saw the title and immediately thought...


....LANDSCAPING BUSINESS!

[SuperJon]

There was 2 of them. Which one closed?

Both. Caught having illegals, half got deported, owner on the run to save himself from going to jail.

[LUconn]

While I certainly believe it was run by 100% illegals, I'm skeptical that anybody of authority cares. We don't deport or arrest people for that.

[SuperJon]

Well either way, they were completely shut down.

[The Rock]

While I certainly believe it was run by 100% illegals, I'm skeptical that anybody of authority cares. We don't deport or arrest people for that.

This was the best place in Lynchburg, believe me I eat wings 3 nights a week and Mexican the other 4, ahhh just last night

Eatery closes after DMV finds it employs illegal immigrants

Bethany Fuller
bfuller@newsadvance.com
February 10, 2007


A local Mexican restaurant closed in December after Department of Motor Vehicles agents discovered it employed illegal immigrants.

Authorities were originally looking for Benigno Garcia, a suspected illegal immigrant who was accused of using someone’s identity to obtain vehicle titles and registration, said Bill Foy, state DMV spokesman.

Foy said the investigation led DMV and Department of Alcoholic Beverage Control agents to Tlaquepaque in Forest, where Garcia was employed, on Dec. 11.

While there, the DMV discovered the restaurant was employing seven illegal immigrants. It also seized an undisclosed number of fraudulent documents, Foy said.

Foy said Garcia was arrested later that day at his home in Goode.

Owner Gualaupe J. Garcia-Ayala and manager Jose Leal have been charged with knowingly employing illegal immigrants, which is a Class 1 misdemeanor under Virginia law. Garcia-Ayala was arrested Jan. 4 in Henry County.

Leal is also charge with two felony counts of forging and uttering legal documents, Foy said. Uttering is the presentation of forged documents as one’s own.

Foy said Leal is believed to have fled to Georgia, which is where his legal address is, according to a previous General District Court filing. Foy said Virginia State Police have a warrant for his arrest.

Foy said the Bedford County Sheriff’s Office and Immigration and Customs Enforcement, a division of the Department of Homeland Security, were notified, but did not participate in the operation.

Foy said the Forest location and a second location in Campbell County were voluntarily shut down after the incident.

Benigno Garcia has been charged with six felony counts of unlawfully obtaining documents from the DMV, three in Franklin County and three in Roanoke.

According to the General District Court’s Web site, the Franklin County cases have been sent to a grand jury and Garcia has been arraigned in Roanoke.

ABC spokeswoman Kristy Smith said Garcia-Ayala voluntarily surrendered the Campbell County restaurant’s ABC license. The ABC license for the Forest restaurant is still active, although it will expire in March.

Foy said DMV and ABC agents did not take the seven illegal immigrants into custody, and they were not detained. He said state and local law enforcement officers can’t enforce immigration violations.

Immigration and Customs Enforcement spokeswoman Pat Reilly said local law enforcement has nowhere to house offenders.

[LUconn]

I stand corrected. How about that. The DMV is doing the INS's job.

[thesportscritic]

LA Carreta.

[Sly Fox]

Surely a reasonably priced taqueria will step up to fill the void between somewhat overpriced La Carreta and low grade El Cabritos. There used to be a decent place on Wards Road across from K-Mart back int he day that had decent Jalisco-style grub. But it was gone on my last visit.

I know in previous discussions I have told the story of the old Tony Taco commercials for El Cabrito. Somehow we didn't have a goat in the claymation spots alongside Tony Taco, Billy Bean and the drum-playing iguana. If those are still in circulation in the system at WSET, I'd love to see someone upload those spots to YouTube. They were epic.

[Cider Jim]

A new Mexican place is going in where Tlaquepaque used to be on 221. It's called Fiesta Tapatia, or something like that.

[ALUmnus]

I think the poll needs to be readjusted, and add La Fogata in Wyndhurst (which is excelente) and the one next to movies 10 which I cannot think of the name for the life of me even though I've been there tons.

[Libertine]

the one next to movies 10 which I cannot think of the name for the life of me even though I've been there tons.

Pueblo Viejo

[Cider Jim]

La Fogata in Wyndhurst

I went there once with my Texan wife: good food but hated the Spanish rap music.

[SuperJon]

the one next to movies 10 which I cannot think of the name for the life of me even though I've been there tons.

Pueblo Viejo

That's the only other one I've eaten at. It's pretty good (although I've only gotten one thing).

[El Scorcho]

Yeah, I've got no complaints about Pueblo Viejo.

I'd like to try the one in Wyndhurst.

[olldflame]

La Fogata in Wyndhurst

I went there once with my Texan wife: good food but hated the Spanish rap music.

That sounds like Reggaeton, which is a combination of hip-hop, reggae and latin beats sung/rapped in Spanish. Most of the top artists like Daddy Yankee are either Puerto Rican or of PR descent, with some Dominican. In addition to PR and the DR, it is becoming very popular in the entire Latin-American community. I'm not particularly fond of it either, but with exposure it has grown on me a little (kinda like a fungus).

[Sly Fox]

Thankfully Reggaeton is dying as quickly as it sprang to popularity 3-4 years ago.

I'm curious to what standard do you measure your favorite Mexican restaurants.

Enchiladas?

Fajitas?

[SuperJon]

Nachos and tacos: the only two things I like.

Some type of tortilla, meet, and cheese. That's all I want.

[LUconn]

Here's the items that I get

Beans
Rice
Enchiladas
Tacos
Chile Rellanos
and occasionally Quesadillas

The cheese, rice, and taco sauce on the enchilada are what makes the restaurant for me.

[Sly Fox]

Most TexMex afficionados use enchiladas and fajitas as their standards of measurement.

[JDUB]

Yeah, I've got no complaints about Pueblo Viejo.

I'd like to try the one in Wyndhurst.

ok, i ate at pueblo veijo by the movies, and was going straight back to the dorm. i had to stop behind the ice center and throw up, i couldn't make it to the dorm. i don't remember what i ate, but i can tell you i won't go there again