Sommer's approach vs Pratt's approach

“Between the Drafts” by Nancy Summers writing is useful to the audience in various ways. The author is tells the audience that it is important as a writer to open new perspectives when it comes to revision. It is important for a writer to have authority and control of his/her ideas. She mentions that many drafts doesn’t necessarily mean that a paper improves. She argues, that it is the point of view, and how we revise that makes a paper a success. It is not about making it better, it is about getting your point of view across the best way as possible.

“Arts of the Contact Zone” by Mary Louise Pratt writing is not very useful on improving a writing process. The author focuses more on how “we” as an audience have different types of cultures depending on various factors. She argues that we would not judge a culture no matter what, we should welcome the culture an what it has to offer and learn from what it has to offer or teach.

Amigo Chino Review

Agustin Castrejon

October 24, 2011

English 101

Bigger is Better

             Imagine yourself starving; your stomach is growling. You feel as in you haven’t eaten in days. If you don’t get anything in matter of seconds, you feel like you are going to starve to death. You order a torta, yet you are not satisfied. Not because of the taste but because of the size of it.  Well that is not the case when you order out of, “Amigo Chino”. Amigo Chino is not your typical Mexican restaurant, anything served is supersized.  Amigo Chino is a Mexican restaurant located in the north side of Chicago, by Central and Irving Park. (5601 W. Irving Park.)

             I first visited Amigo Chino Restaurant in November of last year. As you walk in into Amigo Chino, you get a sense that you are entering a Mexican utopia. You automatically notice the art on the walls, painting of animals and roosters. You can hear the cooks in the kitchen, working on the grills with their spatula. You can smell the carne asada coming from the kitchen. Nature is very well welcome; by having plants all around the restaurant.  The restaurant has about 16 tables. On weekends the restaurant tends to have a lot of business; with all the tables full and many customers ordering food to carry out. Amigo Chino is not a fancy restaurant. The taqueria has more carry-out than sit-ins.

As I waited, with family members and friends, for a table; we knew it was going to be a wait. It was not until 15 minutes later, the waitress led us to our table. (Keep in mind it was about eleven of us.) As everyone took off their coats and sat down, the waitress quickly brought the menus, two baskets of tortilla chips, and three types of salsas. Salsa verde, salsa de cacaguate, and pico de gallo- all which were very good and spicy. La mesera, the waitress, asked everyone what we wanted to drink and I quickly replied, “Una coca para mi”. As everyone was looking at the menu, I already had in mind what I wanted to eat.  As the mesera brought everyone their drinks, she asked us if we were ready to order. We all hungrily replied yes!

As I grab a tortilla chip and added sasla verde, I did not know what to expect. As the tortilla chip touched my tongue; I could automatically taste the salt.  As I started munching and crunching the tortillas chip, my taste bugs gave me a sudden reaction. The salsa verde was spicy. Although I couldn’t see myself, I knew my face was red; the later felt a sweat break out. I quickly drank out of my coke.

I ordered torta de milanesa de res. A torta is like a hamburger, but instead of being round, it is wide. I ordered my torta de res; with lettuce, avocado, re-fried beans, sour cream, tomato. As the waitress brought our food to our table, in less than 15 minutes, all we could say is “Holy Crap!” The food servings were double the size to your typical Mexican restaurant. As the plate sat right in front of my eyes, I seriously did not know how to eat this supersized torta! So I used a fork and a knife cut and to eat my torta. The plate in which the torta came in was very long and wide. You can see the steam coming out of the torta indicating it was freshly prepared. La carne de res was sticking out the bread, you could see the sour cream touching the lettuce. You typically use your two hands to eat and enjoy a torta, just like a hamburger. As hungry as I was I couldn’t finish the torta, but I surely did enjoy it. Everything was great from the appearance of the torta to the delicious taste of the torta.   

            Mexican restaurants such as Los Comales or Coculas are family diners, known around the city of Chicago; they may be famous for their Mexican dishes but their torsta are all the same size and about the same on the pricing, which is about $3.75 plus Tax. When you go any Mexican restaurant or taqueria and order a torta, you notice that the telera, the bread the torta uses, are all the same size. Usually it is because bakeries make the bread for restaurants. What is so unique about Amigo Chino it is that they don’t have to rely on bakeries to make their teleras, because they make their own on the spot as well as their tortillas. Amigo Chino makes everything homemade so it is delivered fresh to the customers. Although, Amigo Chino tortas are double the size to a regular tortas the pricing will also be double. An Amigo Chino torta will cost you about eight dollars.

            Amigo Chino has delicious and supersized Mexican foods. Burritos, for example, are about four inches thick of meat and a foot long! Big right? I recommend Amigo Chino to people who are real hungry or also those who like to share food. I would definitely pay a visit to Amigo Chino anytime but of course I would need to be very hungry. What makes Amigo Chino so unique, are the supersized meals they have to offer. Despite, the restaurant’s name Amigo Chino, meaning in English Chinese Friend; it the restaurant has nothing associated with Chinese food. So don’t expect ordering shrimp fried rice and a taco on the side, because it is only a Mexican restaurant.