Dining Guides

Three to four days refrigerated, two hours to get it in there. Here is how to store and reheat each component so it is both safe and good.

Traditional Mexican eating is close to what dietary guidelines recommend. Frying, melted cheese and portion size are what change the answer.

Most Mexican food is not spicy — the heat is in the salsa you add. Here is what is genuinely mild and how to order it.

The tortilla, rice and beans are the carbohydrates; the meat, cheese, avocado and salsa are not. Here is how to order around them.

Mole and pipián are thickened with nuts and seeds, and sesame is common. Here is where the risk sits and what to ask — and what cannot be guaranteed.

Street tacos are dairy-free by default; Tex-Mex rarely is. Here is the split, plus the drinks and sauces that catch people out.

Corn tortillas, beans, salsa and grilled vegetables are naturally vegan. Lard, broth and crema are where it goes wrong. Here is how to navigate it.

Mexican food is unusually good for vegetarians, but beans and rice are the two things to check. Here is what to order and what to ask.

Colour tells you nothing about heat. Here is how to judge a salsa before you commit, and what actually works when you have overdone it.

Menus are organised by what the dish is built on, not by meat. Learn that and the whole board becomes readable. Here is the structure and the vocabulary.