Passing through this family group one came to the curtained dining room
proper, although there were a number of tables in the family parlor to
be used in case of a rush of patrons. Luna's dinners were a feature of
the old San Francisco. They were strictly Mexican, from the unpalatable
soup (Mexicans do not understand how to make good soup) to the "dulce"
served at the close of the meal. First came the appetizers in form of
thin slices of salami and of a peculiar Mexican sausage, so extremely
hot with chili pepino as to immediately call for a drink of claret to
assuage the burning. Then came the soup which we experienced ones always
passed over. The salad of modern tables was replaced by an enchilada,
and then came either chili con carne or chili con polle according to the
day of the week, Sundays having as the extra attraction the chili con
pollo, or chicken with pepper. In place of bread they served tortillas,
which were rolled and used as a spoon or fork if one were so inclined.
Following this was what is known among unenlightened as "stuffed
pepper," but which is called by the Spanish, from which country it gets
its name, "chili reinas." To signify the close of the meal came
frijoles fritas or fried beans, and these were followed by the dessert
consisting of some preserved fruit or of a sweet tamale. Fifty cents
paid the bill and a tip of fifteen cents to Ricardo made him as happy
and as profuse with his thanks as the present day waiter on receipt of
half a dollar.

Accepting Luna's as the best type of the Mexican restaurant of the days
before the fire, our inquiry developed the fact that the dish on which
he specialized was chili reinas, and this is the recipe he used in their
preparation:

Chili Reinas