Bienvenidos a San Augustin de Laredo, fundado 1755 on the banks of Rio Grande. (Rio Bravo). Currently part of the State of Texas and thus United States of America
Laredo has the distinction, unique for most cities and towns in America, of having been a Capital City of an independent country, The Republic of Rio Grande, which was a short lived failure.
None of the memory of the original inhabitants remain, the city now is more than 95% Mexicans and their descendants.
The friendliness of the inhabitants becomes evident to you when you stop at the Texas Visitors centre, at the entrance to the city. One must agree that it is one of the more attractive building housing a visitors information office anywhere in the USA!
I specifically enquired for a place to savour some Mexican food. The Lady behind the counter, printed out a list and also a map of the downtown area and directed me to , El Meson de San Augustin, in Grant Street, just around the corner from the Cathedral and the central Zocalo.
The centre of downtown is one of the more Mexican remnants. On the side street, in a distinctly ochre coloured building, an adobe style house which might have been quite at home in many a part of Mexico, houses El Meson de San Augustin.
I was not disappointed. The bright interior and a welcoming ambience. The restaurant is open only during Lunchtime and when I arrived at 3 pm, the place was emptying but still a full complement of diners.
The menu presented a variety of home made Mexican food, not the usual Tex-Mex combination. I chose to have Lily’s special which was broiled chicken soaked in cheese, with chilis, with vegetables as requested. A middle aged man came to say hello and said his wife is the chef and has been cooking for many years. We have been married for 40 years, he exclaimed, and he hardly looked much older. Did you marry when you were five? I asked him which brought a hearty laughter. No I was 19 and my wife was 15! This restaurant is the result of that conjugal bliss and I highly recommend that you make an effort to visit
El Meson de San Augustin in this city founded in 1755 and flew its own flag once upon a time..
