Discovering Cinco De Mayo Dos: Baltimore's Hidden Gem for Authentic Mexican Flavors

 

Discovering Cinco De Mayo Dos: Baltimore's Hidden Gem for Authentic Mexican Flavors

By: Danielle Tran

Baltimore is a diverse city with many good restaurants and places to see. One in particular that I discovered during my freshman year at Loyola is Cinco De Mayo Dos. It's a small local Mexican restaurant located at 1312 Eastern Ave. in Baltimore, MD. Cinco De Mayo Dos is a traditional and authentic Mexican eatery with the most delicious food. Their menu offers a variety of dishes from menudo which is a beef tripe soup served with cilantro, onion, lime, and tortillas on the side to taco lengua which is beef tongue tacos served with all the traditional sides. 

My personal favorite dish that they offer are their birria tacos, which are made with slow cooked beef that packs so much flavor with each bite. They are crunchy, flavorful, and refreshing with the lime, onions, and cilantro. Each bite has the perfect ratio between meat and cheese with the light hint of lime, onion, and cilantro. Not only to mention the delicious food that Cinco De Mayo Dos serves, but the homey atmosphere that they create. They are a restaurant but they also sell Mexican products and have a butcher shop. The workers are extremely friendly and create an authentic and homey environment for their customers. The restaurant is also decorated with the Mexican flag, colors, and their values. 

Mexican culture doesn’t only offer delicious food, but a rich culture as well. They are also known for their strong family values, festivals, rich history and traditions. Mexico has beautiful beaches as well as Mayan temples that are up to 4,600 years old that are available to the public to see. Having an authentic Mexican market in Baltimore allows for people to taste a little bit of the culture and enjoy the delicious food that they make. People are able to learn the history behind certain dishes and eat foods that may be outside of their comfort zone. There are millions of people of Mexican descent living in the U.S., embracing and enjoying their culture and foods helps foster an appreciation for cultural diversity. Mexican food has also influenced American cuisine in many ways, it has led to the creation of “Tex-Mex”. The blending of foods and flavors has led to the creation of places like Chipotle, Qdoba, and Chili’s which are all places that Americans love. Ultimately, Mexican food is about the connections, traditions, and appreciating the flavors and stories that are behind every dish!