Feeding the masses with fresh, flavorful food is a job Erik Galindo takes seriously.
“To me, feeding people is a big responsibility. Doctors, they can cure people. Teachers, they teach people. To be a cook or be a chef, like we feed people, and that’s a big responsibility,” explains Galindo.
So when he opened Galindo’s in Southgate back in 2015, he wanted to serve up dishes from his hometown, Mexico City.
I remember being a little kid growing up in the city, and my favorite thing is eating tortas,” says Galindo. “That’s why I wanted to do it here in Detroit, I want to be different.”
Tortas are giant Mexican sandwiches. You could easily split one with someone if you wanted to. They are made with fluffy torta bread and almost always have a base of mayo, refried beans, avocados, tomatoes, jalapenos, and Oaxaca cheese. From there you can pile on a variety of different meats and toppings. They have around 25 different tortas on their menu, one of the most popular being the El Chapo which has breaded chicken, al pastor (seasoned pork and pineapple), and American cheese. Another favorite is the El Chupacabra which has breaded chicken, breaded beef, pork, salchicha (turkey sausage), and eggs.
His tacos are done Mexico City style as well, with two corn shells, meat, onions, cilantro and fries on top.
“That’s how we eat them in Mexico City,” says Galindo.
You can also find all the staples here too, including enchiladas, floutas, burritos, and more. Plus, they have a variety of Mexican drinks including horchata, a vanilla cinnamon-spiced rice milk, and agua de jamaica or a spiced hibiscus tea.
People seem to love his fresh take, as he has been able to greatly expand during the 6 years he’s been in business. Galindo’s now has two food trucks, a location at DTE Music Theater, another at the Little Caesar’s Arena, and he is in the market for another location.
“People feel welcomed here,” says Galindo. “They come all the way to the kitchen to thank my cooks. You know you feel happy about that.”
For Cinco de Mayo they will have a mariachi band and a DJ. Their food truck will also be at the Cinco De Mayo festival in Lincoln Park this weekend.
If you want to try out Galindo’s, it is located at 13754 Fort Street in Southgate. Watch the video above for more information.