Celebrating the many different cultures in Baltimore

My friends and I decided that we need to go to more events in the city, and experience different cultures. It is important to participate in community activities and enjoy the place you are living in. We planned on attending Fiesta Baltimore to see how the different cultures in Baltimore are celebrated, but unfortunately the event was cancelled due to weather. We did not check ahead of time and showed up to Patterson Park anyways. My friends and I were very excited to have a good time and more importantly eat good food. After realizing our mistake, we started looking for places to have lunch and saw Taqueria El Sabor Del Parque (2901 Eastern Ave. Baltimore MD, 21224) on the corner. We decided to try something new and see how this culture was celebrated.

When we walked in, we were met with a warm welcome by one of the employees at the restaurant. There was one other family eating there so the place was empty, but it was not quiet. They had Spanish music playing and you could hear everyone talking. It was a homey feeling, like you were safe and comfortable to just be there. The decorations were not like what you would see in an American restaurant. There was a large mural of Spanish symbols with a mix of some Baltimore landmarks. In addition there were some religious symbols, lots of animals, and special Mexican decorations hanging around the restaurant. It felt like you were no longer in Baltimore.

We got the menus and instead of being only in English the first part was all in Spanish. I thought that was so interesting because it is more common than I realize that people speak Spanish as their first language. Everything on the menu looked to be authentic food, items you wouldn’t find at a Tex-Mex place. I played it safe and got chicken tacos, but there were many interesting options (some that I didn’t even know you could eat, such as tongue and cactus). We got our food quickly after ordering and dug in immediately.

Genuinely, these were the greatest tacos I have ever had. They came with lettuce and were served on corn tortillas. I typically prefer having tons of toppings, but the chicken was so perfect I did not want anything else on them. Everything tasted so fresh and the chicken was, like I said, perfect. I attempted to try the sauces that they provided, but unfortunately they were too spicy for me. Even though this was not trying new food, I still feel like I had a new experience. The staff were so kind and made sure everything was to our liking. They made sure that nothing was too spicy, while also staying true to their roots.

I wish we were able to go to the fiesta, but I am glad that we pivoted. I have a new favorite taco place and we were able to support a local business. I think it’s really important to go out of your comfort zone because you can find your new favorite place.