I had a great lunch today. Not only was the food really good, but I also had a great time talking with my fellow diners.

We ate lunch at a small taqueria that I had heard many good things about.

Ernie’s Taqueria is in downtown Patterson, California just a block from the central circle. There are many taquerias in Patterson, but this is the one that all my friends have talked about.

One of my friends asked me to go with them for lunch today along with a couple who were visiting at church services this morning.

From the moment I walked in, I felt like I was in Mexico. The colorful walls and small seating area are typical of many restaurants in Mexico City. Ernie’s does not have a very big seating area. The sign shows a maximum capacity of 44, but I could not even imagine that many people in the dining area.

I really like the murals on the wall. They made me think of Diego Rivera the famous muralist from Mexico. They are definitely in a style that he would use. I really like this one as it shows the outline of the Mexican states, but also scenes from the California Central Valley. Agriculture is a large part of our economy in the central valley.

Oh, you want to know about the food?

I had the carnitas combo. Very nice taste. The carnitas were nice and crunchy as they should be, the beans were creamy and the guacamole and rice tied it all together. The meal was also served with flour tortillas that you could fill to your own liking. Definitely a taste of Mexico.

One of my friends had carnitas tacos and they looked really good. It may be my choice for my next trip to Ernie’s. The tacos are in the traditional Mexican style. Tiny little tortillas with toppings that are just enough for a couple bites.

We had a great time visiting at lunch today. The couple that we took to lunch were from Germany and the Dominican Republic. Several of us knew a little bit of German, and all of us knew some Spanish (some more than others). The conversation switched back and forth between English and Spanish with a tiny bit of German thrown in here and there. I was actually surprised as to how much of the Spanish conversation I understood. But, don’t ask me to speak Spanish.

Here is one last look at Ernie’s Taqueria as we are leaving. I really like their sign.

I will definitely be visiting Ernie’s again. Perhaps over time I will have a favorite order that will become my usual order.

For another post about a California taqueria, click on my post: The Usual

Do you have a favorite taqueria?

Steven