why are Mexican food restaurants plates so hot?

This is because they cook and plate the food and then right before serving it the put the whole plate into a salamander to melt the cheese on top.

A salamander looks like a drawer but in fact is a type of very high heat broiler and this gets up to temperatures you can not get to inside of a standard home broiler. Some salamanders can get up to over 1,000 degrees or more. Today many restaurants even have modern infra red salamanders which can get hotter still than the traditional ones.

Mexican Plates

The fajitas are cooked on a flat top stove for instance, then put on a blazing hot plate that you as the waitress, bring to the table and then add the fajita mix to the hot plate in front of the guest. The plate is heated to an intense temp. and then the food is added:)

Most common Mexican dishes are pre made. Such as enchiladas or tamales, beans, rice, they keep them warm. Then assemble the plate, add food, sauce, cheese ect.. Then place the entire plate under a broiler for a moment to warm everything and melt the cheese.

do you mean the food is hot, or the plates? Same thing in hometown buffet. I guess its because they dishwasher it., and since restaurants often get packed with people, they really dont have the time, or enough plates to coool them down.

Mexican Food Plates

nah!

not that hot!

it depends what and where,...

Real Mexican food... Only in Mexico. ( Fresh made )

They put them under the broiler to melt the cheese on top.

I was curious about this too