There’s a lot of talk in hoity-toity restaurants and among foodies these days about “nose to tail” dining. This sort of talk should not be discouraged; it’s only good for chefs and diners alike. But we should remember that many people—Mexicans, as one broad example—don’t know what the hell we’re talking about.

Pig cheeks, swine stomach and skull meat are par for the course among cultures not privileged enough to waste as much as 40 percent of the food they buy. Eating the whole animal isn’t chic; it’s simply the opposite of gluttonously stupid.

At Airport Road’s La Cocina de Doña Clara, the freaky (to most Americans) pig parts aren’t just served solely because of logical utilitarianism. The place is the Mexican dive of my gringo dreams, complete with slobber-inducing flavor combinations, salsa-cooling jugos, país-specific specialties and opulent pasteles to finish everything off in true cartel-boss style.