The cheese is strong and the oil heavy. A shrimp cocktail is not served chilled in a glass with veggies and a tomato broth, but rather warm on a plate with sliced tomatoes and onions. You won't find a drop of cool, refreshing tomato puree, no tart pucker. Ceviche can be equally strange. Again, you won't find much of a soup base, just a lot of lime juice and lethal jalapenos.
Tacos often look more like taquitos, rolled up and deep fried.
The best part of eating in central Mexico is the bounty of avocados and tropical fruit. Guacamole is served with everything, and nothing is quite as uplifting than a breakfast of pineapple, mangos, bananas and papaya. It's a potassium rush. Bakeries, called panaderias, are great places for midday snacks. Don't worry if you're fearful of local cuisine.