I've caught a couple observations over the past couple years about Spanish speaking people's in the service industry. Whether it be at a restaurant, a bar, a trainstation or among new faces, speaking their language automatically bumps you up in the respect and friendliness scale.
I have a million and one stories to validate my point, but I remember one specific time while in Playa Del Carmen. I went to find a fellow American in our hostel, and found him out in the veranda attempting to speak to our roommates, who happened to be Argentinean. He was glad to see me because we could actually have a full conversation. So we went at it full force with the metaphors, heavy american slang, and shit talk...basically about what was gonna go down that night out at the bars. Outta nowhere one of the Argentineans I met earlier said to me, "I like you better when you speak spanish."
hahahaah, he was just fuckin around, but I could tell he loosened up the second I responded in spanish about what my fellow american and I were speaking about.
Another instance I caught a shift in attitude was here...at Los Compadres. Literally, "The Godfathers." But with the service I received, I'd say it means, "The Friends."
LOS COMPADRES
I came into this place freshly back from Mexico (literally had gotten off the plane late the night before) and with a Spanish speaking tongue ready for the unleashing. I went the normal, most obvious route...
"Hola! Coma Esta?"
"Bien! Y tu?"
"Muy bien, muy bien!"
I followed by ordering my taco's in spanish, as well as asking her about the pastor(which I ordered) that was advertised as on a spit, or "trompo," out on their sign. She could tell I was a baby rookie in spanish, so I explained that I had just come off the airplane the night before from Cancun, and how I mobbed deep to Isla Mujeres, Tulum and Playa Del Carmen. I told her the reason I'm speaking spanish is because I want to be able to order taco's better :) She smiled and went on about how she's learning English at the adult school up the street, so she could serve taco's better. hahah, good times.
She must have liked me because I straight up got the VIP treatment. How you say? Let's just say she didn't give me the pastor that had been cooked earlier in the morning and was sitting in a heat pan. She went straight for a little fridge and pulled out freshly marinated pastor that was sitting in a little tupperware and threw it on the grill.
Did you hear what I said?? I said she straight up got the REAL shit outta the VIP SECTION and cooked my food FRESH TO ORDER. Hot off the fucking grill, straight into my buddha belly.
She even brought the plate to my table with two different salsas. What a sweetheart.
I think she marinated this pastor in some magical sauce and kept it cold in some sort of wizards fridge, then cooked it on a sorcerers stove, because everything about these taco's were magic.
Seriously, I love this. I've said it before, but this right here is what this blogs all about people. Finding a spot in the middle of nowhere, a random place that totally takes you by surprise and when you come out of it you feel ....happy.
Pro's
-Friendly mom's and pop's service
-Pastor on spit in the AM thru lunchtime
-If you're friendly enough, she might give you the VIP treat
Con's
-Ninguno (none)
Taco's ~ $1.25
Los Compadres ~ 633 N. Spring St. Ste 8 Los Angeles, CA 90012
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