Started By
Message

TulaneLSU's 2023 Top 10 items at Pancho's Mexican Buffet

Posted on 7/8/23 at 7:41 am
Posted by TulaneLSU
Member since Aug 2003
Member since Dec 2007
13378 posts
Posted on 7/8/23 at 7:41 am
Welcome Friends,



When the word of the Lord came to Jonah for him to get up at once and go to the wicked city of Nineveh, he got up at once. However, rather than run to Nineveh, the place of his calling, he ran from the Lord and headed to Tarshish. I always assumed it was because Nineveh would not receive well his condemnation. And so he ran, but you cannot run from God’s calling. A great storm came upon his ship, and the sailors, having figured out Jonah had been naughty, tossed him into the tempest where a giant fish swallowed the prophet.

Yesterday, the last moment I remember of my dream was a voice saying, “Humble.”Those first five minutes after waking are always the clearest of my day, as new information does not cloud the old. When I considered that word, Humble, I took it as a command to focus that day on humility. Then I considered, “Maybe God wants me to humble the proud? Or even humble myself?” And then it came to me: Perhaps it is a place, a calling.

So I used the internet to search Humble as a place. The first place that returned was Humble, TX, which a century ago was America’s largest oilfield. I continued my search, and found a link to Pancho’s Mexican Buffet. This once giant of the Mexican food industry has been humbled to three remaining locations: Arlington, Fort Worth, and Humble. I knew immediately that this was a call for me to leave at once. In retrospect, I should have called Tiger Ryno to join me.

Not wanting to share the fate of Jonah, I rose and told Mother, who was asleep, that I must leave and borrow her car. She did not protest except to say, “Do not speed and dobe return before church.”

My cousins who lived in Kenner loved Pancho's Mexican buffet and annually, the youngest of them would have her birthday party at Pancho's. The entire family and more than 20 of her friends would go. The backroom, next to the sopaipilla fryer, was reserved for us. I liked the main room more due to the more authentic decorations and being closer to the wrap around line of people waiting with bated breath to get their fill of the best Mexican in Metairie, perhaps even better than Taco Tico. I would argue that overall Pancho's as a restaurant was better, but that the tacos at the Tico were better than Pancho's tacos.

I vaguely remember being able to look out the old Pancho's backroom windows and see that old Rosedale Mall, which had two memorable stores: a really rundown pet store, I believe it was called Pets and Stuff, and an old Kershenstine's jerky store. I knew one of the owner's sons from the playground. This view was never worth the isolation the back room made me feel. Sitting in the main room was far more social and whisked the diner to the border towns that Pancho Villa roamed a century ago. It is historically comic that one of New Orleans' most beloved restaurants is named, most likely, after a Mexican national who invaded and attacked a U.S. city. History is a funny thing. In a century's time, could there be in this land a bin Laden's Saudi buffet?





I never had the pleasure of celebrating a birthday at Pancho's, but experienced it vicariously through my cousin. Each year, she received a sombrero to wear for a free Polaroid. Before the picture was snapped, she chose the pinata of her choice from the main dining room's tile roof. It was not filled with any goodies, and that did not matter. This was the 1990s and a pinata was a big deal to a kid in the Metro New Orleans. Pinatas were not a common thing -- you couldn't get one at Walmart or the local Latino grocer as you can today. Pancho's was the only pinata game in town, and it was only at your birthday, if you were a member of Pancho's Birthday Fiesta Club, that you could get one. That Birthday Fiesta Club was something else. Nowadays, parents might be hesitant to enroll their kids in such a program, giving out secretive data like address and birthday. But 25 years ago, parents allowed for it and the blessed ones got a little postcard in the mail about a month before the big day.

Once the sombrero was on and the pinata chosen, the staff would gather to sing Feliz cumpleaños. I was too young to know the meaning, but loved singing the words, or at least an attempt at the words. At the time, I thought they were singing "Felipe Cucos Honda Audi," so that is what I sang. When the last words were sung, the waitress would grab the restaurant's Polaroid. Children had the option: keep the photo or post it on the birthday wall. I always wanted my photo on the wall. In some years, I believe a glass, like the one I have from the auction, was also given as the holder of an ice cream dessert.

That Metairie Pancho's, as most of you know, was not the city's first Pancho's. Many old timers say that the first Pancho's was downtown. Not true, my friends. The first was actually located in Old Jefferson at 725 Jefferson Highway, which most recently was a radiator shop. That big curve in Jefferson, just past the Orleans Parish line, was prime real estate for Mexican food. In 1958 both Pancho's Restaurant and Manuel’s Hot Tamale and Chili House at 952 Jefferson Highway opened. What a year for Old Jefferson it was. It closed just three years later without much pomp or remembrance.

The Pancho's Mexican Buffet that is near and dear to so many old New Orleanians' hearts first opened in February of 1972 at 918 Gravier St. in the CBD. This El Paso chain was sweeping the nation, and New Orleans joined the club, with other locations in Longview, Corpus Christi, Austin, Houston, Dallas, Fort Worth, Albuquerque, and even Baton Rouge! Businessmen of the city rushed to join the novel Mexican food craze downtown, often spurning longtime favorites like Galatoire's and Antoine's for a slog along that hot foot line.







Pancho's was such a hit that its parent company, PAMEX Foods Inc., decided to expand to Metairie in the Autumn of 1974. The address was 3780 Veterans in Rosedale Mall, which technically was a mall, but not in the way Americans use the term. It was here that Taco Wednesday was born. For just a buck, five beefy and cheesy tacos could be had. Talk about a dollar menu! Many of Pancho's workers were immigrants and it was one of the first restaurants in New Orleans that sought Spanish speaking workers.

An all-you-can-eat meal in 1980 ran 2.99 for adults, which was a dollar more than it had been just a few years earlier at the downtown location. For many New Orleanians, it was Pancho's, not Taco Tico, that gave them a first taste of Mexican cuisine. Back in those days, the way Uncle tells it, Pancho's lacked in neither quantity nor quality. "The cooks and kitchen workers took great pride in their food in the restaurant's first decade," he told me tonight. In 1980, the restaurant opened its first Westbank store at 6575 Westbank Expressway in Marrero.
This post was edited on 7/8/23 at 7:48 am
Posted by TulaneLSU
Member since Aug 2003
Member since Dec 2007
13378 posts
Posted on 7/8/23 at 7:41 am to
The downtown location began to struggle, as businessman shied away from the glutinous, legume-laden hotplates that may have made after lunch deals a bit gaseous. The suburban locations, however, were booming. A third location, this time in Chalmette, opened in in April of 1986. It was located at 3027 Jean Lafitte, just off Judge Perez. It suffered catastrophic flooding in Katrina and was torn down. I remember once eating here with Mother. If my memory serves me correctly, you could look out the window and see the playing fields at the old Andrew Jackson High School. I also remember that this Pancho's tasted no where near as wonderfully as the one in Metairie, nor did its decor approach the Metairie flagship's intricate design.

The artwork in the Metairie Pancho's was dark, detailed and almost entirely oil based. The figures depicted macho military men and matadors. The women were shown in maternal or seductive ways. Once when I was examining the magnificent frame of one painting, Mother thought I was ogling the female figure’s cleavage. She corrected me and told me never to look at that painting again. She also talked to the manager to have that painting removed, which I do not think ever happened. I say I do not think because I made sure never again to look in the direction of where that painting was located.

Speaking of the frames, I have vivid memories of those painting frames. They were intricately carved wood, almost black in color, perhaps made of Katalox. Seldom if ever cleaned, I can remember thinking as a child, "These paintings and their frames are filthy. I wish someone would dust them." If memory serves me correctly, there was also a fountain near the middle of the restaurant with real running water, but that memory is hazy. I do know there was a soft serve ice cream machine in a center island of the restaurant. It was accompanied by a toppings bar filled with gummy bears, sprinkles, chocolate chips and other sweets. I hardly ever ate the ice cream because the sopaipillas were so good.

In the front, not far from the cash register, was a disgusting bar, which I assume sold alcoholic beverages, but gratefully I was never with an adult who drank alcohol. To its western side was a game room with a crane and claw game. It was owned by Lucky Coin Co. if I recall correctly, and I never once inserted a dime. They were and are after me, you know. There also were electronic video games in that game nook. At one time, it hosted Metal Gear. Mother would not let me play because it was a game of violence and she knew where that money was going. Cousin let me play once, though, and I lasted only about 45 seconds. Very early in my life I vaguely recall there was also a cigarette machine in that corner. How disgusting.

At one of cousin’s birthday parties, we went on a Friday night. And boy was it crowded. I remember we joined the line, perhaps 30 people out the door. The line was so long it wrapped nearly to the takeout counter on the southeastern corner of the building, which I never had the pleasure of trying. After all, you went to Pancho’s to eat all you could, not to get a premade dish of five items.

Waiting in that line felt like an eternity. The menu was located at the end of that long line, just where you turned right, only feet before the buffet began. That was the hardest part of the wait -- those few feet right after you made the right turn. You could smell those fatty, earthy smells. You could hear the metal heated trays hitting the metal tongs the first server used to grip the trays, because they were that hot. The steam rose from those hot water bins. And then finally, you made it. Kids plates were cheaper and you had the dishonor of getting a red plastic nest for your metal tray. Adults got the real deal, a black plastic nest. Perhaps the greatest gift of puberty was making that rite of passage where the red nests were traded for black ones.

Often the workers behind the glass sneeze guard, and this was in pre-Covid19 world, pretended they did not speak English well enough to take your order. So I then, to their surprise, ordered in Spanish. The chili rellenos, tamales, and flautas were first. I loaded up on these. Next were the enchiladas. They always had the cream cheese and cheese varieties, but there would normally be a third type, often just labeled green or red. Moving down the line were the rice and beans. I firmly believe that the workers were instructed to put an order of each on every plate. If they got your plate before you arrived to their territory -- and often that was the case as the workers were radically efficient in sliding your plate down the stainless steel line, just like a barkeep might slide a drink down the bar in the Old West -- you could be assured that rice and beans would be plopped unceremoniously on your plate as though you were in a Depression era soup line. I knew this tactic, so I always readied my lips with, “No arroz. No frijoles, por favor!” It almost always worked.

It was actually Pancho's that inspired me to learn Spanish. As an eight year old, I remember reading the signs over the door. "Bienvenidos, Amigos. Mi Casa Es Su Casa" greeted your entrance. "Gracias, Amigos. Vaya Con Dios" was written overhead the exit. Mother also did not know what it meant, so I asked her to buy me a Spanish dictionary and that summer, I spent many days memorizing the entire dictionary. Years later I learned the language's grammar. And those doors -- who can forget those heavy wooden doors clad in cast iron adornments and handles fitting for a Medieval knight?

By the time I made it to the end of the line, my plate was always full. But the tacos and chalupas were waiting! No problem, of course. The chef knew to grab one of those tan plastic plates and start serving. Usually the tacos were waiting, made just minutes before by the ever-efficient taco man. I enjoyed watching the craftsman at work, so I would often order two chalupas, just so I could watch him or her, as it was normally a woman at that position, make my chalupas, which I got with beans, meat, cheese, lettuce, and tomatoes. They were superb, and quite the novelty, as no where else I had ever eaten served tacos on a flat shell.

The drink section was next. I without exception got a tap water in those cheap, yellow plastic cups that had a comforting ridged texture. Although Jefferson Parish’s tap water is not as good as N.O. Sewage & Water Board water, it is still excellent. Often times, especially when it was crowded, you had to stand at the drink line to wait for the usher to bring you to an open table. Once there, everyone knows what came next. An absolute festival of extravagant eating. Without realizing it, a basket of chips arrived, but did chips ever deserve to hold a spot in your belly when enchiladas and tamales were ready and able claimstakers?

Soon it would be time to raise the flag, a term so endearing to so many New Orleanians. It was for many, not only their first experience with Mexican food but also with all-you-can-eat style. The flag was your one way ticket on this wonderful trip to obesity, diabetes, and heart disease. And did it ever feel so wonderful when you raised it! The service was always exceptional. I can hardly remember an episode where the flag flew for more than a minute. I figured the manager threatened staff with banishment if he saw that our flag was still there.

Friends, as in Chalmette, Pancho’s in Metairie did not recover from the floods. I was told that Broussard’s pumping station fiasco caused about a foot of rainwater to fill that Pancho’s. Pancho’s national was already undergoing cuts and consolidation. Profits at this store were already being marginalized by people eating Mexican food elsewhere.
This post was edited on 7/8/23 at 7:45 am
Posted by Northshoretiger87
Member since Apr 2016
4181 posts
Posted on 7/8/23 at 7:42 am to
This is your allotment on posts for the day.
Posted by LaPride55
Louisiana
Member since Nov 2017
363 posts
Posted on 7/8/23 at 7:59 am to
I wish we still had one in La.
Posted by thejuiceisloose
Member since Nov 2018
4872 posts
Posted on 7/8/23 at 8:08 am to
Posted by GT3324
Northshore
Member since Jul 2015
475 posts
Posted on 7/8/23 at 8:10 am to
Worked with a guy who went every Friday. After numerous flag raising, he would bite the ends off of a basket of sopaipilla’s, and fill with honey, convinced eating so much honey would make him immune from bee stings.
Posted by Macfly
BR & DS
Member since Jan 2016
8588 posts
Posted on 7/8/23 at 8:19 am to
Great info. I remember the places on Gravier and in BR.
Posted by Penrod
Member since Jan 2011
41845 posts
Posted on 7/8/23 at 9:07 am to
In the Rosedale Mall, the bathroom entrance was on the restaurant side of the checkout register, but the exit was on the street side. When we were in high school this lent itself to another Pancho’s tradition - All You Can Eat For Free!
Posted by PerplenGold
TX
Member since Nov 2021
1362 posts
Posted on 7/8/23 at 10:08 am to
Pancho’s by LSU, on Nicholson near the plasma center iirc. One time with a buddy, we tried the splurge and purge approach. Mind you (ear muffs for those with a weak constitution) we were not even nearly sober, the attempt failed miserably. After gorging on the deliciousness, Pancho’s revenged itself in refusing to return from whence it came despite several quite uncomfortable attempts. Teary eyed and stuffed, we resolved to never try that again. Good times.
Posted by Got Blaze
Youngsville
Member since Dec 2013
8968 posts
Posted on 7/8/23 at 10:39 am to
grew up eating at the Rosedale Mall location (Metry), then near campus while at LSU and dined at the Lafayette location on Johnson next to Rickie Smith Audio … brings back memories as I would crush Panchos right now.
Posted by Tygerfan
Member since Jan 2004
33773 posts
Posted on 7/8/23 at 10:57 am to


Posted by Salamander_Wilson
Member since Jul 2015
7798 posts
Posted on 7/8/23 at 11:29 am to
When I was a boy, my entire family could eat at the Panchos on Florida Blvd in Baton Rouge and then catch a movie at the Broadmoor Theater next door for less than $20.

Great work TulaneLSU. You’re a gem.
Posted by Bayou Warrior 64
Member since Feb 2021
365 posts
Posted on 7/9/23 at 3:16 pm to

Wow! Thanks for sharing. What a great trip down memory lane.
first pageprev pagePage 1 of 1Next pagelast page
refresh

Back to top
logoFollow TigerDroppings for LSU Football News
Follow us on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram to get the latest updates on LSU Football and Recruiting.

FacebookTwitterInstagram