Barney Brantingham

Shucking corn at the Santa Barbara High cheerleaders' booth are, from left, Emily Browning, Charlene Bautista, and Leanne Garcia.

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Munching My Way Through Fiesta: Here I am, desperately trying to lose weight, and along comes Fiesta.

But the powers that be at the Santa Barbara Independent strongly suggested that I get out there and taste, just as I have for years of Fiesta heartburns.

So duty and an empty stomach called me to El Mercado De la Guerra just before noon Wednesday, when the pots were just getting warmed up. That’s my Fiesta secret: Go early to De la Guerra Plaza and MacKenzie Park, scene of El Mercado del Norte. They open at 11 a.m.

On the Beat

Another tip: Head for the booths with the longest lines. Fiesta regulars have their old favorites. Then you can try the rest.

First thing, I headed for the Santa Barbara Hispanic Chamber of Commerce booth, where Raul Gil and the gang were serving genuine burria de chivo --- that’s shredded goat meat. Look, life is short. Try one. Brag to your friends. The spicy meat is spread on small tortillas, the juice spilling out and the flavor wafting up. $2.25 each.

Lupe Gonzalez had a big smile, happily scooping salsa onto her plate of taco de lomito asada, a traditional pork dish. She works at Santa Barbara Bank & Trust.

Barney Brantingham

Lupe Gonzalez ready to dig into her taco de lomito asada.

It was still before noon and already there was a long line across the plaza at the carnitas booth. Jeff Waxman was waiting to order one of those shredded pork tacos. “The great thing is that everything is in the same place every year. You know where to go. That’s the advantage of being local.”

Birria was being served everywhere at De la Guerra, it seemed, but usually made from beef, I learned. Not everyone is enamored about eating a goat.

But my heart leaped at spotting arroz con pollo --- which I learned to love during my days in Panama. Alas, since my return to the states I’ve never found it as tasty. I decided to try. There in line, at the IPUL Church booth (which stands for Iglesia Pentecostal Unida Latinoamericana) was Marshall Rose, former Downtown Organization chief and now honcho of the Hollister Brewing Company in Goleta. “Colombians are doing the cooking and the rest of the group here are from Mexico, Guatemala, and Ecuador,” Carlos Omar told me proudly.

I took a tentative spoonful of the exotic mixture. No, it didn’t have large pieces of chicken in it as I remember from Panama City but I must confess it was very, very good.

Then it was horchata time. You want to taste the real Fiesta? Swill down one of these traditional Mexican drinks made of rice, water and cinnamon. It was cold, swimming with ice cubes, sweet but not too strong. Thirst quenching.

I heard yelling over at the Special Olympics booth, as usual. They get loud. It was John Maloney, bent over a stove, calling out, “What time is it?”

“Taco time,” the bunch yelled back.” John’s been cooking at the Special Olympics booth since Father Junipero Serra used to drop by for a freebie. Here is where you get your father’s taco: crunchy tortilla, ground beef, cheese, and the usual stuff. No goat or pork. Standard stuff. But not this year. I took one bite. It was perhaps the best taco I’ve ever tasted in all my years at the booth. Fat, generous, and juicy and I highly recommend them. “They’re fresh,” Joe Cox, a newcomer to the booth, was shouting.

Then I spotted the tamale booth operated by Holy Cross Parish. I am a sucker for tamales. But my heart has been broken more times than a guy hanging out at singles bars. Fine at first glance, but disappointing a minute later. I shelled out my $3.50 and carefully unpeeled the wrapper. Ah, de rigueur corn husk covering. OK so far. I broke the tamale in half and was delighted to find it stuffed with spicy meat, not like some ghastly dry tamales where someone must have just waved a bit of pork over it. And it was hot. Nothing worse than a luke-warm tamale. This was a great tamale.

Over across the way I noticed a long line at La Casa de la Raza booth, where every year you can find tortas: tri tip stuffed into a huge bun. $8. Practically a meal in itself. But folks, I had to admit, I’d had my limit. The other booths would have to wait for another day. And I still had to taste around at El Mercado del Northside.

I spotted a familiar face, one of the unsung heroes who volunteer to make Fiesta happen. Karl Hove has been making the electricity go on at El Mercado De la Guerra since 1970. “I’ve done it every year since then.”

Hove was conferring with a guy who made the Mercado go this year, top honcho Kevin Goodwin, and his aide de everything, J.C. Gordon.

Verdict: The Mercado is in top form. The Mexican music is booming out, and the kids are dancing their hearts out on stage.

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