A New Color
By Ryan - Sunday March 11th 2007
Guelaguetza, Olympic, Ktown
Mole Negro come the orders ’round the table.
Mole Negro Mole Negro Mole Rojo Mole Negro!
Meh. I’ve had it three dozen times if I’ve had it once, and
I’m not feeling it tonight. Too rich! Too…
Rich. Tonight.
Three men play a marimba that’s larger than my car. Do they drive it home?
The order comes my way and I change colors abruptly:
“Mole Verde! Espinazo de Puerco por favor…”
Soon enough here it comes. Piping hot:
My pork spine soup.
“What the Christ did you order?”
“Pork spine de mole verde.”
Verde. De veras.
Even Bourdain didn’t have pork spine soup when he came to LA. What the hell did he do anyhow? Eat in a shady Thai town noodlery and hang out with chicks on rollerblades? You totally win.