Cafe' 4 Staciones in Ajijic Cultural Center

In case you missed it, there was/is a food phenom in the US called,
THE CHICKEN SANDWICH WARS

During a trip north in 2020 we tried Popeye's version and quickly understood the obsession.  

Tried the Chicken Sandwich today at this new place above the Ajijic Plaza.  Huge breast with a crisp batter on a buttered and toasted bun (that did not fall apart), topped with equally crispy onion rings.  Comes with cheese, some pepperoni, lettuce, tomato.  A huge and satisfying sandwich worthy of a conflict.  130p comes with fries or potato wedges.

Also got their Eggs Benedict; I'll give it 2nd place to Cocinart's, but 4 Staciones offers hash browns on the side....mmmm, crispy outside, tender inside, good dark color.  110p

Now for the terrible news: no vino!  Open from 8 till 4; sat on their balcony at high noon with no sun issues.  Nice view over the plaza and the colorful umbrellas.  

I assume those are the diet plates? I’ve always wondered why Ore-Ida frozen hash browns in the patty form can’t seem to be brought here.

Ha ha...diet

As the saying goes, that picture of the Chicken Sandwich is worth a thousand words calories.

Sure looks good though!

I'm trying to figure out how one could actually EAT that "sandwich".  I know I'd have to reduce it to pieces that would go in my mouth!!  Looks good, though, as do the eggs Benedict.

Unfortunately there are three steep flights of stairs to get to this place, not easy for Senior Citizen...

artsnob wrote:Unfortunately there are three steep flights of stairs to get to this place, not easy for Senior Citizen...

Three? Yep. That does eliminate that sandwich!

They have to put in three flights of stairs to help work off that chicken sandwich. My arteries started hardening just looking at the photo.

It's on the 2nd floor....stairs are wide and deep, with handrails. Split into sections with landings (maybe 2, maybe 3). Not steep, maybe that's the reason behind the design??

My guess, maybe 15-20 steps in total?? Didn't count them.

To put it bluntly, I don't think it's worth the effort to master the stairway in order to get food that's way off the chart for "unhealthy" eating.  There are plenty of restaurants with easy access and healthy food options.

there are 33 steep steps

Unfortunately, not every restaurant/business can cater to the seniors/disabled..........

Considering how many places are not difficult to access, there is no reason to patronize the others. However, when someone on here does a restaurant review, it is useful when the ease or difficulty of accessing it is mentioned.

CanuckBob wrote:not every restaurant/business can cater to the seniors/disabled..........

Exactly. The notion that all businesses need to cater to everyone is odd. And certainly not all seniors have mobility issues, either. I'm 72 and knock on wood, I don't have any issues with stairs, although I do remind myself to always hold onto the railing, as broken bones don't heal so fast at this age.

I also don't see anything particularly "unhealthy" about that meal, as gringal classified it. Not everyone has to watch their weight or has high cholesterol issues, etc. It's not something I would eat on a daily basis, but looks good to me for an occasional meal out.

If that sandwich can't be called "unhealthy", then what can?

90% of my diet is seafood or veg.  I eat 2 or 3 unhealthy items a month, on average.  

I'm a senior, too.  Will hit the big Seven Oh this year.  I still average 7+ miles a week walking around town, keep my weight down (size 8), have low cholesterol and low blood pressure, take no prescription meds.  

It's OK to treat yourself once in awhile!

Yes, it's okay to treat yourself once in a while.
BTW, ComputerGuy would have loved that sandwich. Unfortunately, he liked to eat that kind of food regularly.

I remember CG's posts about food. I'll miss him.

My idea of a "treat" is the Caesar salad with shrimp at El Ancla. Delicious.

But...we're all different, and that's okay.

The chicken sandwich looks interesting but I agree there's no way to get your mouth around that thing and I hate to cut sandwiches into pieces. The fries looked interesting until I noticed they were coated with some spice. Why can't people just fry and salt the fries and let them be. I hate it when they ruin the natural flavor.

rafterbr wrote:  Why can't people just fry and salt the fries and let them be.

I actually wish someone would hide the saltshaker from kitchen staff. One reason I seldom go out to eat is that most restaurant food is way too salty for my taste. There's salt shakers on the table- let customers salt to individual taste.

ferret wrote:
BTW, ComputerGuy would have loved that sandwich. Unfortunately, he liked to eat that kind of food regularly.

Never knew him personally, but I read a lot of his restaurant reviews. Seemed like he just really enjoyed eating, period :-)

I suspect my grandfather, who died of a heart attack at age 65, and was also a diabetic, would have lived longer had it not been for my grandmother's delicious European Jewish cooking- lots of chicken fat and buttery struedels.

Luckily or unluckily, on both sides of my family we seem to die from vices like cirrhosis (that one should miss me as I quit drinking 48 years ago) but quitting smoking in 2006 wasn’t soon enough although I’m doing well with the emphysema I have but no oxygen needed yet.

Grandpa on Mom’s side died of cirrhosis (Irish cop who made his own home brew.)
Father and sister died of emphysema. Others died of cancer. None from heart or diet related issues that I know of. I would do poorly on a “healthy” diet. Ok if you enjoy it.

It's all in the genes. I have friends who ate in a healthy manner, didn't drink and exercised with passion. Many of them have died.
It's life. Live it.

ferret wrote:It's all in the genes.

Exactly. I have a friend who is my age, a retired doctor, who was constantly on my case about my smoking. He was super active, a surfer, ate well, wasn't a drinker. He had a stroke 3 years ago. He's still with us, but definitely at diminished capacity.

I'm super healthy- my brother, who is 2 years younger than me, has recently been diagnosed with Parkinson's and has suffered from psoriasis all his adult life.

We both grew up eating the same food, have similar eating habits as adults, neither of us are drinkers, and he has never been a smoker. I take after my dad, who lived to 92 and never had any sort of serious medical issues and would have likely lived to at least 100 had he not had a nasty fall, and my brother takes after my mom, who had a lot of medical issues.

None of which is to say that someone who lives on McDonald's "food", smokes and drinks is probably not going to live as long or be as healthy as someone who eats well and doesn't have unhealthy habits, but there's more to it than that.

I remember reading an interview about 30 years ago with what was then the oldest man in Canada, over 100. He lived on canned beans and toast and coffee, said he'd quit smoking at the age of 98, because everyone told him he should, but started again a year later.

I used to think it was 'all in the genes.'  My mother lived to 92, her sister also to 92 and her brother lived past age 100.  

Then last year both my brothers died, one at age 80, the other was 73. Both lived relatively healthy lifestyles, physically active their entire lives, not overweight.

I now think it's luck of the draw.