UNDER 50 PESOS: Where to Eat in Colonia Roma

I've worked in Colonia Roma for almost nine years and have watched, amazed, as the place turns into hipster heaven (or hell, depending on your point of view). Roma has become the most talked about destination for creative cooking, with excellent restaurants like Maximo Bistrot, Rosetta, and Delirio drawing crowds from all over town.

On most workdays, however, I'm not looking to spend the kind of money you need to eat in these places. And sometimes I just want to eat, not to dine.

Luckily, Colonia Roma abounds in inexpensive places to eat well. I'm hoping my readers will respond with their favorites, but I'll keep this list short--limited to places I've been to multiple times, always with happy results. You're not likely to be asking for the recipes at these places, but you are likely to leave feeling contented.

Tacos de Canasta (at the corner of Jalapa and Álvaro Obregón). Quick, cheap and satisfying describes a lunch of a few tacos de frijol, topped with spicy green salsa, at this corner puesto, where a few plastic stools and an overhanging tree make up the ambience.

Torta stand (Tonalá between Queretaro and San Luís Potosí). A bowl of roasted jalapeños on the counter wins this simple stand in the middle of the street an extra star.

Comida Corrida: When I want something a little more comfortable than standing on the street, I'll go to one of the many comida corrida places that abound in Roma, which serve office workers and students in the area who can't make it home for mom's cooking. A complete meal will include a soup course, rice or salad, a main dish, agua del dia, and often a bit of dessert (usually jello or canned fruit). In many places the soup will be watery, starches will abound, sugar and salt will be the only flavorings. The following places are all a cut above average. They often get full after 2pm, but the turnover is fast.

El Axotleño (Coahuila 152, between Monterrey and Medellín). This busy place, adjacent to the Mercado Medellín, is my first choice for a satisfying comida corrida. Even an often dull dish, like albondigas al chipotle, comes to life here.

CoffeeLand (Zacatecas 117, near Orizaba). The sign here is so small you might miss it, but students from the adjacent university know this place and fill it daily. The only danger here is the basket full of fresh totopos (fried tortilla chips) that you'll find on each table--hard to resist.

Krika's (at the corner of Chihuahua and Monterrey). If you're in a hurry, this is the place. I've never seen waiters move so fast in Mexico.

WHERE TO EAT FOR FIESTAS PATRIAS?--ASK THE EXPERTS!

It's Fiestas Patrias time again, so that means food, and lots of it. Belt-expanding breakfasts, long, leisurely comidas, and visits to those late night taco stands are all part of the celebration. If you're not lucky enough to be invited to some abuela's house for comida, don't despair. You can still find the best food in Mexico City with a little help from the experts. I asked three residents of Mexico City who are known for their culinary expertise to tell us their favorite places to eat.

Nicholas Gilman, Lesley Tellez and Cristina Potters all write passionately about food, love to cook, and love to eat. They all blog regularly about food in Mexico City and beyond.

Nicholas Gilman is the author of 'Good Food in Mexico City'. To visit his blog click here. "There are more than 30,000 registered places to eat, so five isn't easy, but here goes," he said.

1. Contramar (Durango 200, Colonia Roma) - Excellent seafood, relaxed atmosphere. Try the pescado a la talla. Lunch time only, no reservations. (Their website: www.contramar.com.mx)

2. El Caguamo (Ayuntamiento, corner Aranda, Centro). The best puesto for seafood in the city--even the owner of Contramar eats here! (Read about both places here.)

3. Coox Hanal (Isabel la Católica 83, Centro) The best Yucatecan food in el DF--and I've tried them all. I love their pan de cazón. (Read Nick's blog post here.)

4. El Huequito (Ayuntamiento 21, centro) A little hole in the wall that does exquisite tacos al pastor, which are uniquely Defeño. (Read more here.)

5. Merotoro (Av. Amsterdam 204, Condesa) This is my favorite place for 'creative' cuisine. The menu constantly evolves, taking advantage of the amazing seasonal variety in Mexico. (Read more here.)

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Lesley Téllez blogs about Mexican food and culture in The Mija Chronicles. She also gives street food, taco and market tours through her company Eat Mexico. "Places I can walk or ride my bike to are more likely to become favorites," she confessed.

1. Tacos Gus. My favorite tacos guisados in the city. Get the swiss chard, calabacitas, or the green chorizo with potato (Amsterdam 171, Colonia Condesa). (See article.)

2. Merotoro. My husband and I like to go here when we want to splurge on a nice dinner. I love the crusty bread dunked in Baja olive oil, and the Ulloa wine. (Avenida Amsterdam 204, Colonia Condesa).

3. Tlacoyo and quesadilla stand in front of Mercado Medellín. (corner of Campeche and Medellín, Colonia Roma) The quesadilla de quelite drizzled with red salsa reminds me why I live in Mexico.

4. El Vislito. (formerly known as El Vipsito) Unparalleled tacos al pastor. It's only open after 10 p.m., which adds to the ambience. (Avenida Universidad near Petén, Colonia Narvarte)

5. Nicos. Traditional Mexican food made with high-quality and locally grown ingredients.(Av. Cuitlahuac 3102, Colonia Azcapotzalco). Read Lesley's blog post about this. "Well worth the trip to Azcapotzalco!" she notes.

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Cristina Potters shares her vast experience with Mexican food on her blog http://www.mexicocooks.typepad.com/ "I've eaten in 28 of Mexico's 31 states, plus Mexico City. These five popped up as first thoughts."

1. El Bajio, Classic Mexican food from star chef Carmen Tititia. Now in several locations, but the original in Azcapotzalco is still the best. http://carnitaselbajio.com.mx/

2. El Portalito, A simple fonda in Colonia Condesa which offers a great comida corrida. (Read about it on Cristina's blog post.

3. Jaso, High-end cocina de autor in Polanco. http://jaso.com.mx/

4. Rokkaku, Peruvian-Japanese fusion? Who knew? Read this for more information.

5. Tortas Los Compadres, On Calle Chilpancingo near the metro--reliable tortas.

VIVA MEXICO Y BUEN PROVECHO!

Also check out Ruth Alegria's food blog: http://www.ruthincondechi.com/2011/09/el-grito.html