As prez of SouthWest Writers, my wife and I represented the organization at an awards banquet for high-school journalists who won in a writing contest.
I had never eaten at Los Equipales (a relatively new, old Mexican restaurant in Albuquerque), so I was eager to give it a try. I had the $10 tacos: 3 soft tacos with the fillings slightly more substantial than a stain on the tortillas, a couple of spoons of Spanish rice, and a demi-tasse sized container of beans. My first comment was, "I won't be able to eat ALL of this!"
The food being old Mexico-style, it was not very spicy (bland in my thought), so I got my emergency stash of crushed chiles from my truck and spiced things up a bit.
Then when I got home I had a sloppy joe sandwich.
My wife said she heard about a husband who ordered some extra rice to help fill him up. They charged him an extra $3.50.
I'm figuring on three things:
1. Once everyone eats there once, they won't eat there twice.
2. The owner is trying to make his profit on skimpy servings.
3. We won't be back, nor are a number of other people.
Two good things, though: I didn't have to pay for it, and it was mediocre enough, it might have been a good thing there wasn't very much of it.
But the local newspaper and the local classical station continue to talk it up. Go figure.