Mi Pueblo is always very good, but I wonder how Velasco's feels about them opening just down the street? May be a "coupon war".

I am always surprised by how much people love Mi Pueblo. I think it is one step above Taco Bell. I was suspicious the moment I saw the almost clear sauce on the burritos. Yuck.

But being from Texas, maybe it's just really different from what I'm used to. The best Mexican food I have found in California so far is Taqueria Uruapan on Bodega.

Mi Pueblo is no threat to Velascos. I agree with above poster, Mi Pueblo food is bland an "out of a can" meat flavor and texture.

Velasco's on the other hand is true mexican flavor and quality.

I think that, considering the number of Mexican restaurants within spitting distance of downtown (besides Velasco's and Mi Pueblo x 2 there's also Playa Azul, Cotija, and Taqueria Los Potrillos), the latest Mi Pueblo isn't going to ruin anyone. The original Mi Pueblo is always packed to the gills until at least 8:00 every night; the new place will likely just take the overflow crowd, and the people like me who've occasionally turned around and driven off upon seeing the 10-15 people waiting to be seated.

And yes, Taqueria Uruapan is phenomenal, but count me among the Mi Pueblo lovers as well. I love the food, and the staff is among the friendliest I've encountered.

The only Mexican place in Petaluma to seriously disappoint me has been Don Pancho's. Yuck!

Gotta try Lolita's off Lakeville! Good, inexpensive, and fast!! Try the Pork Pastor, and the best chili rellenos in town!

As a patron of Mi Peublo, what am I to make of this quote from yesterday's PD article by Paul Payne?

"David Beatriz, owner of Taqueria Mi Pueblo in Petaluma, said he was continuing to use red round tomatoes, mostly for salsa.
Beatriz said he called his supplier when he heard about the outbreak and was told the tomatoes would be safe with a thorough washing.
Customers didn't seem to mind. His salsa bar was as popular as ever on Monday, he said.
"Let's say somebody gets sick and the food was from me," Beatriz said. "They sue me and I sue who I buy from. But so far so good.""

Well, that is kind of an odd quote. I'm not sure what to make of it, but I think the amount of infected tomatoes throughout the country is miniscule. I have a couple questions:

1. Can you wash salmonella off of tomatoes, or does it actually get into the flesh through the water while the plants are growing?

2. Can this get into other products, such as bottled spaghetti sauce? Or does the cooking process kill the bacteria?

I got food poisoning last year from the olive bar at Safeway. It was horrendous and painful, I've never been so sick. It's a terrible way to lose weight (LOL), but it wasn't funny at all.

Contaminated tomatoes (and contaminated food in general) is a phenomenon of factory farming. Locavores don't get troubled by this so much, as small farmers of the sort that sell at the farmers' market aren't troubled by massive contamination. And if you've noticed at the farmer's market, tomatoes aren't in season locally. You can eat tomatoes from Mexico and Florida bought in Safeway and take your chances or eat locally produced Sonoma and California food in season. None of the 30 pints of tomato sauce we canned last year from our own tomatoes seem to be contaminated. Meanwhile Mi Pueblo is looking good downtown.

That is an odd quote, no doubt a sense of humor sneaking through. Gotta like that.

Now if the food was better at Mi Pueblo..... all due respect to their devoted patrons, but there is a lot better out there.

My take on the quote is that it speaks beyond tomatoes. Was he trying to be funny or was it a true expression of his attitude about the food he serves? I hope the former...

I don't know who Mi Pueblo's supplier is, but I was under the impression that tomatoes originating in California were given the "all clear" as far as the recent salmonella outbreak is concerned.