I doubt that Bart Simpson, who immortalized the phrase "Ay! Caramba" on The Simpsons, had any idea what Ay Caramba actually meant -- I mean, he was a kid, and he had Homer Simpson as a father.
Nonetheless, his words were often apt. The much-used exclamation means "Good heavens!" and is a flexible phrase suited to all sorts of news and surprising revelations.
Ay! Caramba Café in Harwich is a revelation of sorts. Their menu promises a truly authentic Mexican dining experience, with common-sense prices -- truly a rare combination on the Cape.
Their chile relleno, a roasted poblano pepper stuffed with queso fresco (fresh Mexican cheese) comes served on a bed of rice in a light tomato broth plus beans or vegetable for $8.95. The garnish, julienned jicama on a bed of shredded red cabbage, is tangy with lime and sprinkled with a dash of ground chili pepper.
You'd pay much more for this dish at a finer restaurant on Cape -- however, that restaurant would likely be taking an educated guess at Mexican cuisine for a nightly special. This spot, on the other hand, is the real thing.
Ay! Caramba's owner Ira Mendoza works with her brother, Ralph Mendoza, to recreate the dishes once prepared by their Mexican-born mother, Virginia Barrera. And like her, they use the freshest ingredients available. (Barrera, who was a ranchero singer and recording artist, brought the first Latin show to CBS in 1956.)
Ira and Ralph's love of their culture is continually revealed in the establishment's colorful décor. Chairs are painted candy pink, bright blue and yellow. Mexican textiles form window valances. Large, brilliantly-colored photographs of 21st-century indigenous peoples -- from Wampanoag to Aztec -- pop off cheerful yellow walls. A photograph of their own mother in full ranchero regalia graces the menu and t-shirts.
Their Burritos are large but not messy. (How do they do that?). Prices range from $4.75 to $6.50 for dishes prepared with beans, pork, beef and chicken, to extra meat. The seviche -- lime-marinated shrimp served with tomato, onion and cilantro, served on a crisp tortilla and layered with avocado --- is a meal in a salad for $10.95.