Today I went to one of my favorite restaurants, El Restarancito de Mamá Belem, and had something new on the menu: ropa vieja. Translated into English, ropa vieja means “old clothes.”

"Why that name?" I wondered. One look and I knew. Here’s a photo to help you understand, too.

Ropa vieja at Mamá Belem’s is made from shredded chicken and beef held together with egg and some tomatoes and onion thrown in for flavor.

What you see here on my plate is the ropa vieja--edged with fried platanos (bananas, which are grown here)--and some refried black beans with cheese sprinkled on top. It came with piping hot fresh corn tortillas and one of several aguas (“waters”) that customers are served there. Today, I had jamaica [pronounced hah-MIKE-ah in Spanish], which is an infusion of jamaica flowers (hibiscus) to which sugar is added. Here’s a recipe you can use to make yourself some agua de jamaica. It’s really very good.

This main dish was preceded by tortilla chips (called totopos here); a salsa of jalapeños, onion, and cilantro; and some dinner rolls. I was also served a wonderful soup—sopa de fideos (somewhat similar to Lipton chicken noodle soup only with a mild tomato flavor and real chicken in it)—and a small portion of coditos con crema, or elbow macaroni in a cream sauce (codo means “elbow” in Spanish).

And after I’d finished my entrée, I was given a tiny portion of dessert: a layered gelatin concoction, the kind that is very popular here in Xalapa and perhaps throughout Mexico. I actually like the small portions at Mama Belem’s because I like a little something sweet to end a meal, and the few bites served at Mama Belem’s are just enough. I always leave full but not stuffed.