Restaurant Review #271: El Huarache Azteca, Highland Park

El super huarache with potatoes and peppers and "corn mushroom," $7.95

Duck into this casual, inexpensive Highland Park joint for an elongated pancake of fried masa studded with pinto beans and topped with your choice of two meats or veggies, a light crumbling of cotija, a drizzle of crema, thinly sliced red onions, and pools of red and green salsa.

I ordered mine with papas con rajas and the gourmet corn fungus known as huitlacoche. There are several other veggie options, including squash blossoms. The meat choices include the usual taco meats and chicken tinga. If the huarache doesn't appeal to you, you'll find your favorite Mexican dish somewhere on the extensive menu. It's cash only, and there's an ATM inside the restaurant, along with a somewhat unnerving live feed of the restaurant's security cam footage.

And yes, the super huarache was delicious. The first bite took me right back to my host mom's kitchen from a summer study abroad trip to Mexico many years ago.

El Huarache Azteca 
5225 York Blvd
Los Angeles, CA 90042
(323) 478-9572
El Huarache Azteca website
El Huarache Azteca menu

Restaurant Review #254: Howdy's Taqueria, Malibu

Dos tacos: carnitas and carne asada soft tacos, $7.95

Howdy's Taqueria in the Malibu Country Mart shopping center is a great choice if you're looking for a casual, inexpensive, unpretentious place to eat in Malibu. The restaurant offers a mostly predictable selection of Mexican staples like tacos, burritos, and quesadillas, with a few unexpected choices like a Hawaiian salad, mole tacos, wild salmon soup, and--get this--sushi.

I can't speak for the sushi--I really can't stomach the idea of ordering sushi at a Mexican joint, even if I can feel the ocean breeze while I eat, and even though I have no problem eating Mexican ceviche, which is raw fish soaked in citrus juice (also on the menu).

I did try the tacos and a quesadilla. All of the food, including the tortilla chips, was remarkably light and ungreasy for a Mexican restaurant. The meat was a little bland, probably from the lack of grease, but it was fine. The cilantro and onions added some kick, as did the selection of salsas. The salsa bar offers a milder, green tomatillo salsa, a basic red salsa, and a spicy orange salsa. They were all good, but not memorable; the same was true of the tacos and quesadilla.

Steak quesadilla

The restaurant was plenty busy, but we were able to get a table indoors. They also have patio seating, which can be noisy because of the adjacent parking lot.

Howdy's has mixed reviews on Yelp!, but I think its overall rating of just three stars is undeservedly low. True, it's not the most authentic Mexican food, but you're in Malibu, not the Valley. Yes, it's a little pricey for Mexican, but it's inexpensive considering the ingredients are organic and free range and, again, you're in Malibu.

I wouldn't go out of my way to eat here, but for a fresh, affordable, and relatively healthy lunch when you're already in the area, it's a solid choice.

Howdy's Taqueria
3835 Cross Creek Rd # A
Malibu, CA 90265
(310) 456-6299
Howdy's Taqueria website
Howdy's Taqueria menu

Restaurant Review #253: Senor Gomez Courtyard, Simi Valley

Chicken, beef, and shrimp fajitas - $19.99

Senor Gomez is a little pricier than the average Mexican restaurant, but it's worth the money for the quality of the food, the plentiful portions, and the attentive service. It's also one of the only non-chain Mexican options in Simi Valley where the atmosphere is nice enough to dine in rather than do takeout.

The interior decor is a tad dated, but the lighting is low enough at dinner and the food delicious enough that you won't really notice.  If it's a Saturday night, you might get to enjoy some live music in the main dining room. There's also a pretty outdoor patio that can be very peaceful as long as the folks at the next table over haven't had too many margaritas.

I'm not sure what they do with their fajitas at Senor Gomez, but they're far tastier than the ones you'll find at your favorite chain restaurant. My favorite dish at Senor Gomez, however, and a more unique option, is the pescado rico ("rich fish", below), a huge portion of pan-seared fresh orange roughy smothered in pickled jalapenos, black olives, fresh oregano and a light tomato sauce with loads of umami. The flavors from the main dish seep into the side dishes to make them extra delicious.

The entree portions are so generous that you definitely don't need anything else, but all entrees come with soup or salad, and you won't want to miss the albondigas (meatball) soup. For sides, you can choose a baked potato or grilled veggies for a lighter alternative to rice and beans.

Pescado rico - $17.99

The chile relleno is good enough, but for $11.99 it's nothing special--you'd be better off ordering this item from a less expensive takeout place. If you want the usual stuff, Senor Gomez has it--tacos, enchiladas, tamales, burritos. But Senor Gomez also has quite a few dishes that you won't find on a typical Mexican restaurant menu, like paella a la mexicana, Baja crab cakes with sweet corn and avocado relish, and lobster in tequila sauce. There are many other things on the menu at Senor Gomez that I'd love to try, too, like the chicken mole and chili colorado. But I love the pescado rico so much that I haven't made it any further into the menu.

Senor Gomez is not just a good restaurant, it's also an interesting one that's suitable for everything from a happy hour to a casual dinner to a date night to a bachelorette party.

Senor Gomez Courtyard
2916 Cochran St.
Simi Valley, CA 93065
(805) 527-5763
Hours: Open: 11:00 am to 10:00 pm, 7 days a week
Senor Gomez website
Senor Gomez menu

Restaurant Review #247: Loteria! Grill, LA Farmer's Market, La Brea

The first time I went to the LA Farmer's Market, I didn't try Loteria! Grill. $3 for a taco? Give me a break!

It's true--I have been spoiled by $1 tacos at cheap San Fernando Valley taquerias. But I regretted skipping the opportunity to try a restaurant I've repeatedly heard good things about. So on my second visit to the LA Farmer's Market, Loteria! was my first stop.

Nothing excites me more than new flavors, and the more things I can sample in one restaurant meal, the better. It's not just because I have a food blog that I regularly order too much food at restaurants so I can try multiple dishes.  At least, I do when I'm not feeling cheap.

With that in mind, there was no way I could pass up Loteria's taco sampler platter--the chance to sample miniature portions of 12 different taco flavors:

Nopalitos - Fresh Cactus Salad. Served with Salsa Verde and Queso Fresco.
Calabacitas - Zucchini and Roasted Corn Succotash Served with Salsa Verde, Finely Chopped Onion and Cilantro, and Queso Fresco.
Champiñones con Epazote - Mushrooms with Epazote Served with Finely Chopped Onion and Cilantro, Queso Fresco, and Salsa Verde.
Papa con Rajas - Potatoes with Roasted Poblano Peppers Served with Finely Chopped Onion and Cilantro, Queso Fresco, and Salsa Verde.
Mole Poblano con Pollo - Chicken in Mole Poblano Served with Sesame Seeds, Finely Chopped Onion, and Queso Fresco.
Tinga de Pollo - Chicken, Stewed with Chipotle Peppers and our home-made Chorizo Served with Salsa Roja de Chipotle.
Pollo en Pipian Rojo - Chicken in a Spicy Pumpkin-Seed and Peanut Sauce Served with Finely Chopped Onion.
Carne deshebrada - Shredded Beef Served with Fresh Guacamole, Salsa Chipotle, and Finely Chopped Onion and Cilantro.
Albondigas en Chipotle - Meatballs in a Tomato and Chipotle Sauce Served with Finely Chopped Onion and Cilantro.
Cochinita Pibil- Pork, Slowly Roasted in Banana Leaf Served with Citrus-Pickled Red Onion and Chile Habanero.
Chicharron en Salsa Verde - Pork Rinds in a Spicy Tomatillo Sauce Served With Finely Chopped Onion and Cilantro and Queso Fresco.
Carnitas en salsa Morita - In a Spicy Chile Morita Sauce Served with slices of Fresh Avocado and Finely Chopped Onion and Cilantro.

Each taco is teeny tiny--the tortillas must have been 2" in diameter. One person could eat the whole plate and still be hungry. And if one person shared this plate with three people, as I did, they would have plenty of room left to eat at at least two more Farmer's Market restaurants. I also had a canteloupe flavored agua fresca.

My favorite was the papa con rajas. I never would have thought a potato taco could have so much flavor. It's also rather unusual to find multiple vegetarian options at a taco stand. Most of the other flavors were not nearly as memorable, but I frequently think about returning to the market for a plate of full-sized potato tacos. Judging by the crowds at this place, I'm clearly not the only one who craves Loteria's unique flavors.

Loteria! Grill 

6333 West 3rd Street
Los Angeles, CA 90036-3109
(323) 930-2211
Loteria! Grill website
Loteria! Grill menu

Restaurant Review #214: Mijares Mexican Restaurant, Pasadena

Albondigas

It may not always seem like it from my reviews, but I genuinely want to like every restaurant I try. I think there's a common misconception that food critics like to, well, criticize. Maybe some life-hating critics go out in pursuit of a bad meal so they can rip a chef to shreds, but I think most of us are foodies trying to have as many fantastic culinary experiences as possible and share them with others.

So I really wanted to like Mijares. I went on a Sunday night and there was live mariachi music. The guitars and trumpets brought me back to the restaurant I always had Mexican food at with my family as a child. Back then, I was terrified of all strangers (actually, that hasn't changed a whole lot) and would hide under the table if the mariachi men got anywhere near us. This despite one of the main things I remember about them being what warm smiles they had. But as an adult, I think there are few better surprises than good, live music when I go out to eat.

In addition to live music some nights, Mijares has the chaotic, plate-clanking, tequila-fueled hustle and bustle and din generally found in American Mexican restaurants (or Chili's) along with plenty of screaming children. At least the music and the Cuervo drown them out somewhat.

The albondigas, a simple soup of meatballs in a yellowy-clear broth, was quite good. If I went back to Mijares, I would order this again. I love the richly flavored soup and the loose texture of the meatballs--they look sort of like the Vietnamese meatballs you'd find in a bowl of pho, but instead of being packed so tightly I think they would bounce off if I threw them against a wall, the Mexican equivalent crumbles gently in your mouth as you chew it. I think I might have liked the albondigas at Tia Juana's better, but that restaurant is gone now.


Burrito

The beef in the burrito had a slimy, wet texture and little flavor. The other ingredients didn't make up for the savory shortfall.


Beef fajitas

The beef fajitas tasted mysteriously like Chinese food. Maybe I just like more lime juice in my fajita marinade than Mijares uses, but if I wanted Chinese food, that's what I would have gone out for. Not Mexican. Apparently lots of people like the restaurant's totally ordinary, overly sweet margaritas, too, enough to vote them "best margarita in Pasadena." They do serve the thick tortilla chips I like, but the salsa has barely a hint of spice and the guacamole is nothing special. The refried beans, to appease the ever-health-conscious southern Californian, are made without lard, which in this case makes them exceptionally bland.

The thing that makes me sad is that this restaurant, according to its website, is apparently somewhat of a Pasadena institution. It has been family owned for three generations. I guess Pasadena isn't known for its Mexican population, and of course, fajitas are downright Tex-Mex (I should know better than to order Tex-Mex in the wrong state). I want to tell you that this restaurant that has been around for 85 years is terribly charming and that the food tastes like it came straight out of the kitchen of the Mexican grandmother everyone wishes they had. Did I order poorly? Did I visit on an off-night? It's possible. I want to tell you to try this restaurant, but you could get better Mexican food in my kitchen. I'm not Mexican, but I do know how to cook.

Mijares Mexican Restaurant
145 Palmetto Dr., Pasadena

(626) 792-2763

Hours:

Monday - Thursday: 11am to 9pm

Friday, Saturday: 11am to 10pm

Sunday: 9:30 to 10pm

Sunday Brunch: 9:30 to 2pm

Restaurant Review #184: Las Fuentes, Reseda

Burrito

Las Fuentes gets a lot of raves, plus it's located in the Valley, so I went in with high hopes for some tasty Mexican food.

I was expecting table service, so ordering at the counter was a little disorienting, as was reading the huge menu off of the wall in the cramped, crowded doorway. While the menu was extensive and had many different options, I was jonesing for some cheese enchiladas, so once I zeroed in on those I was ready to order.

Ordering was probably my favorite part of the meal. The staff, while very bilingual, actually addressed me in Spanish (though they have no reason to by my looks) which meant that I got to use my mad Spanish skillz. They were fast, friendly, and efficient in taking our order and explaining the slightly confusing food pickup system. Order at the cash register, get a receipt with your number, get another receipt with your chip and drink order. Hand over the chip and drink receipt at the chip and drink counter, then sit down and wait for your order number to be called (in both English and Spanish--most of the clientele seem to be Spanish-speaking, though).

Their homemade horchata is some of the best I've had. Chips and salsa are an extra $1.00 for a generous basket of tasty fried chips and your choice of several self-serve salsas from the messy salsa bar. Unlike most restaurants, Las Fuentes actually means it when they say their salsas are hot. The smokey, deep red salsa's flavor fell a little flat, while the standard spicy red was more flavorful but too spicy for me. My favorite was the green salsa, which had actual bits of fresh avocado and real flavor and kick. Most green salsas I try taste like almost nothing and really only serve to moisten my chips or tacos.

The rest of the meal didn't fare as well. Despite moist, tasty, albeit greasy shredded beef, I didn't think the wet burrito was anything to rave about, and the sauce was a little bland. The enchilada plate came with sickly looking (but perfectly edible) guacamole; pale, runny refried beans (less edible); average, greasy rice and two smallish enchiladas (cheese, at my option). I really like my enchiladas in red sauce but the sauce at Las Fuentes is mysteriously orange and doesn't taste like much.


Platillo de enchiladas rancheras

Las Fuentes is as brightly and boisterously decorated as it is noisy and family-friendly (read: lots of small kids). It's a place you can easily be in and out of in thirty minutes, and if you linger at your table you'll be causing problems because, though the restaurant looks large enough, there seem to be a lot more customers than tables. Food spills are waiting to happen at every crowded turn through the restaurant since it's average folks who are only half paying attention, not skilled waiters, carrying food to the tables. Two people can eat here and get full, if not have leftovers, for about $20. Overall, I'd say the experience was just okay and I wouldn't go back.

Las Fuentes
18401 Vanowen Street
Reseda, California 91335

Restaurant Review #181: El Super Taco, West LA

Al pastor tacos

El Super Taco occupies the former Mama Voula's space on Santa Monica Blvd. at Brockton. Unfortunately, the peaceful pastel color scheme of the former restaurant doesn't really go with tacos, so the walls have been redone in red, orange, and purple. The restaurant is still small and quiet, with diners focused on the flatscreen TV showing futbol games in Spanish. The restaurant is notably clean and the salsa bar offers four salsas ranging from a mild, creamy green to a hotter than hot orange. Unfortunately, the basic red leaves something to be desired in terms of both smokiness and spiciness.

So does the food: the al pastor tacos were both the smallest and greasiest tacos I've ever eaten. If you want the standard raw white onion and cilantro topping for your tacos, make sure to pick it up at the salsa bar, because El Super Taco garnishes their tacos with a heap of sauteed onions. The meat was of average to below average quality.


Super burrito

The super burrito was fairly flavorless despite a plethora of ingredients: rice, beans, onions, cilantro, lettuce, tomato, cheese, sour cream, and meat. I ordered asada (marinated, roasted beef), and was pretty disappointed--the meat was scant, and most pieces were fatty or gristly. Yet for some reason, this place is Zagat rated.

The horchata was some of the best I've had, and the service was friendly and took care to get the order right. The food was ready fast, and how many Mexican places do you know of that deliver? Even though the food was subpar, I might eat here again if I had a Mexican craving and didn't want to leave the house. Maybe I'll have better luck with the chicken torta.

The menu is short: tacos, burritos, and tortas, with a chicken tamale and a quesadilla thrown in for good measure. Tacos are $1, tortas are $4-5, and burritos are $5-6. All offer a wide variety of meat options.

El Super Taco
11923 Santa Monica Blvd.
Los Angeles, CA 90025
Map
310-312-6260 & 310-268-0610
Hours: 10:00am to Midnight daily
Delivery 10:00am to 9:00pm with $10 min.

Related Posts:
El Taco Llama (Van Nuys)
Tacos Por Favor (Santa Monica)
Taqueria Emanuel (Van Nuys)

Tags: Tacos Los Angeles Mexican Restaurant

Restaurant Review #175, Tacos Worth Begging For: Tacos Por Favor, Santa Monica

Al pastor and asada tacos

You plunge your hand into the paper bag and fumble amidst the tortilla chips for your foil packet prize. The metal scorches your fingertips, and you know it will be worse on the inside, where steam and grease will add to the pain. But this is no time for self-restraint.

You huddle in your car, which you've parked on a dark freeway bridge because there is no parking lot at the taco mecca. You don't have time to eat in, but to consume these tacos through the haze of driving would be blasphemy. Eating in your parked car is a viable compromise. Beemers and beater trucks whoosh past and you ponder the strangeness of this busy yet desolate spot. Headlights whiz by underneath you as you try to tame your empty belly at a slow enough pace that you actually taste what you consume. If you don't pace yourself, you'll all too soon be left with nothing but a fiery tongue tip and greasy prints on the steering wheel.

No, you must slow down and experience the marinade, the char, the chew, and that orgy of meat, tortilla, and sauce. Surely this is the most perfect sustenance ever conceived. Enjoy this moment, because in five minutes it will be a memory.



Asada taco


Tacos Por Favor
1408 Olympic Blvd.
Santa Monica, CA
310-392-5768
310-392-8978
They deliver! $7.00 minimum order, $1.50 delivery charge
Hours: Mon.-Sat. 8AM-8PM, Sun. 9AM-5PM