Chapter 12 – I'm Not Kidding

Taqueria El Cabrito – 1100 S. 11th Street, Milwaukee

I may have found my favorite Mexican restaurant in Milwaukee, which reminds me of why I started this project. And I could be done with it, and leave it at that, except, you know, when you find one four leaf clover among thrift-store Mitch Miller LP Hell, suddenly you're looking in X-mas album covers for the rare jazz record accidentally stuck in there. So I go on. But with a singing heart—after breakfast of Huevos a la Mexicana here, those pickled vegetables on the side, warm corn tortillas. I'm a morning person, so I'm always going to give extra points to the places open early, and the hours here are great, 7AM 'til late, seven days a week—and that includes Sunday! I found this place with the internet, asking for Mexican food “open now”—early one morning, and as I walked over I was thinking, internet must be wrong, because this is strictly a residential neighborhood (perhaps technically called Walker Square?), nothing for blocks but houses and churches. Kind of weirdly dead-center between National and Greenfield, and S. 6th and Cesar Chavez. Just an ocean of morning quiet. But then, there it was, like a man-made oasis. There's a dramatic old church kitty-corner, giving the odd impression you're in another country. Not overly friendly, that's just fine, because warm and welcoming is in spirit, and no bullshit. The décor is an art installation of decades of weathered murals upon murals, or gives that impression. I felt history, neighborhood, families, and regulars, no-nonsense. Maybe the best thing, though, was the smells. It might have just been me that particular morning, falling in love or something, but first there was the food, naturally, and my appetite through the roof. But then there was something else, maybe floral, maybe a waitress' perfume, but perhaps a cleaning product—I don't know—and I may never find it again. That happens. Will I spend another eternity chasing an ephemeral ghost? We'll see, probably. But it also gives me strength and hope to keep looking for next, and next—but that doesn't mean I won't be back here well before I try all there is to try.