Morales Mexican Food Burns Down...

Well there was that hurricane that hit New Orleans. Then Gary Strong died. Now Morales Mexican Food, the First Street location has burned down. I don't know what the world is coming to. Somehow these events all seem connected.

I have eaten at Morales since I was a kid. It was called Iona's at that time but the quality of the food was always good and one thing I will miss is the big black velvet painting, 10 feet long big, of the city of Venice that hung on the north wall of the place. Maybe that is the thing that connects New Orleans. I know after a Jazz Fest trip when you returned home and Lufkin seemed a little drab and food just was not as good you could always go to Morales, eat a bunch of hot sauce sitting under that big colorful painting and get a plan together how you could come out of post jazz fest depression.

Lots of folks I know connect me to that place. I know the people the dishes are named after. The Wally's Special, Joe's Special, Bocho's special, I see those guys around quite regualar. How do you think the Lufkin High Football team made the playoffs this year? I was in there eating the Panther Special every Friday. I guess Gary fits in there too as a person connected to the place because he always ate there passing through town and through the years we had eaten there many times together. Gary was always quick to remind Bocho whey he had not been seen lately. "I have been eating at Rodriguez's" a competing place that is now closed down he would say.

Best wishes to Bocho and Juanita, the owners of the place. They are parishioners at our church and I hope they get things sorted out. Hopefully the employees folks, like Angel who seem to always be there morning non and night do ok too.

As for us we may be missing some things in our lives but at least we have the North 59 location to keep eating at.