The long awaited post!
I have to admit, I’m VERY excited about it.
(I hope I don’t screw it up.)
It’s taken hours of preparation...
…and a little help from my mom. (Thanks, mom.)
So I hope you enjoy it. :)
THE “BERTOS” PHENOMENON
I don’t know if you are aware, but Southern California has A LOT of Mexican restaurants. They come in all shapes, sizes and price points. Living this close to the border, all you have to do is think, “Carne Asada,” and...
POOF!
A Mexican restaurant appears.
Now, when company comes into town, often a fancy Mexican Restaurant is chosen – someplace like Casa de Bandini in Old Town, or a restaurant with a great view in La Jolla or Pacific Beach...
...but on a normal, everyday occasion, the local taqueria is where people tend to go.
Because of this, restaurant owners have come up with a convenient way to keep up with their competition while still letting the general public know that they are in the business of selling Mexican food.
The answer?
Bertos.
Yup. You want to open a Mexican restaurant in San Diego? All you have to do is add “bertos” to the end of your name, slap a picture of a sombrero on a sign, and you’re in business!
Here are some pictures (proof) of eateries around town that I have recently collected...
...just to prove my point.
(A sampling…These are not all of the “bertos” restaurants. No, no! There are many more!)
We’ll start with the traditional: Robertos
Robertos has become so popular that they don’t even sell Mexican Food anymore. Nope. It’s VERY Mexican Food.
(Not sure what the difference is... bigger beans? More rice? No clue.)
Traditional Mexican name #2: Albertos
Another name you’d think to find as the title of a Mexican restaurant. No biggie.
But then people started getting creative...
“Aye! Someone already took the name Albertos! What am I going to use now?!”
(Aibertos)
Or...
“Hijole! Albertos is taken… Maybe no one will notice if I slip an “I” in the name... I’m not really Mexican after all...”
(Alibertos)
...”Prince Ali(bertos), fabulous he, Ali Ababwa..."
(Think Aladdin...)
This is one of my favorites: Gualbertos.
What exactly is a “Gual?” I’m not entirely sure, but there are enough of them to justify four restaurants!
This one is no nonsense. No picture to let you know what type of food is inside. The “bertos” at the end should just let you KNOW what kind of savory satisfaction you should be receiving...
Now, I’m sure that this restaurant is pronounced Hill-bertos, but I’ll also bet you that half the time people call it Jill-bertos.
...A perfect example of “bertos” being added to any name, and working. :)
Unlike Jilbertos, this next one went overboard with the sign art! Wow! Red, green, orange, white, black… I just don’t know where to look! They apparently have the best Mexican food in town though!
(I know a few “bertos” restaurants that might disagree, however...)
I’m sure the food is good there (though I have never tried it), but I have to admit, when I hear the prefix “Rigo-,”...
...“Bertos” is NOT my first thought for a suffix...
I wasn’t even looking for Mexican food signs when I ran across this one! Honestly, most of the shops and restaurants in this part of town are Vietnamese, so a Mexican restaurant was not what I expected to see.
...someone in the neighborhood must have said, “Carne Asada...”
POOF!
(Filibertos)
...and one more just to prove my point; that once again, adding “bertos” to ANY name will make it a Mexican Restaurant...
...even another Mexican name.
And there you have it!
The BERTOS Phenomenon
I hope this post has been both entertaining and enlightening! Now go forth and find a “bertos” near you...
I bet you’ll find one!!
Now on to other news...
I’m thinking of opening my own restaurant!
True, I have not rented any space, I have no menu, and no money to hire staff or buy ingredients, but after much thought, deliberation, and use of my artistic skeelz. I have come up with what I think is a winning restaurant sign!
(It’s the important things that count...)
What do you think??
Ole!