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

1. Sopapillas with honey





My tooth has never been that sweet, so I am shocked to see that after all my calculations came in, the sopapillas have claimed the 2023 crown as the best food at Pancho’s. Perhaps it was because I had a lengthy discussion with Marie, who showed me how she made them, and then made a fresh batch just for me. Hot out the fryer, I poked a hole in the pouch and filled it with honey. Twice as good as the best beignet I have ever had, these sopapillas are iconic and are well deserving of the top spot this year.







As the sign above the exit says today, and as it did in all the Pancho’s, let us go out into the world today, going with God. Vaya con Dios!



Enchiladas, Tamales, and Sopapillas,
TulaneLSU

P.S. Uncle is a regular bidder at auctions around the world, but monthly at New Orleans Auction Galleries and Neal Auction Company. A few years ago, while I was with him, a lot of New Orleans ephemera made its way to the auction block. Glasses, menus, and bibelots from multiple now closed restaurants like La Louisiane, Brunings, Kolbs, La Riviera, Crozier's, and yes, Panchos.

Uncle did not have any interest in it, and there was a small bidding war between two small timers. The lot looked to be headed home at $250, even as I tugged on Uncle's sleeve to raise his hand.

Fed up with being ignored, impulsively I grabbed Uncle's paddle and raised the bid to 275. It was on. By the time the smoke cleared, the lot was mine with a hammer price of $850. The room erupted in uproarious applause, as I was quite dramatic and elegant in my bidding style.

Uncle was none too pleased, but I think he has come to accept it as a good deal, as he has given out many of those old menus to friends as gifts. While ten years ago these were not highly collectible items, today, they fetch a pretty penny on eBay.