Quote: One of the few places open for lunch or dinner in the area was "Los Tres Amigos" which claimed to be an "Authentic Mexican Restaurant". My coworker recommended it as a good place to go and try Mexican dishes. I had the impression that it was part of a small chain that was popular in the southern states. As we pulled into the parking lot just before noon, I noticed that almost all the parking spots were full. We were lucky enough to grab a spot as someone was leaving. I wondered if this was a result of how good the food was or because there were so few places open to eat.

Walking up to the restaurant you could see that this building, as did many others in the area, had taken a hit from the storm. A huge blue tarp was pulled over the front of the building where glass from the windows had been broken. There was also a temporary fabric sign attached to the unfinished storefront. As we entered, we were greeted by the host who sat us almost immediately. To the left was the smoking area and to the right was the non-smoking area. Directly in front was the entrance into the kitchen where personnel continually poured in and out. The serving staff was almost all of Spanish nationality and you could hear snatches of conversations in the language being spoken all around you. The decor consisted of the Mexican colors of green, red & white. Piñatas hung from the ceiling and the art and posters looked like they had a heavy Mexican influence.

We were shown to a booth along the kitchen-side wall where we could look over the lunch crowd. There was a good mixture of customers in business suits as well as construction workers and families. We were immediately provided with a basket of white corn tortilla chips and a tangy salsa to hold us over until our lunch was delivered. A waitress came over to take our drink and food order. I had the chorizo and egg platter which came with refried beans, rice in a red sauce and soft tortillas wrapped in tin foil. I also had a lime flavored soda that came directly from Mexico. My lunch partner ordered the chicken fajitas which was delivered still sizzling in the pan mixed with red and green peppers and onions. Refried beans, lettuce and tomato were served on the side. Everything was delicious with just enough spice with plenty of leftovers. The entire meal cost us less than $20 with the tip.

Surprisingly, the service was pretty good even with the volume of people. The inside of the restaurant was much larger than it looked from outside. Even if this was not one of the few options available for meals, I think it would normally be just as busy with customers

From journals Gulfport, Mississippi, after Katrina