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Showing results for tags 'Mexican'.
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I ate dinner last weekend at Sin Fronteras. My Mother and her SO has been raving about the place, so I was glad to get to check it out. The parking lot of this place was packed, which has to be a good sign. My Mom really likes the Margarita Salmon. She told me to get the Chile En Nogoda which is- A toasty poblano pepper, filled with seasoned ground brisket beef combined with raisins and sweet plantains, topped with our delicious, homemade cold creamy Nogada Sauce served with white rice. It was delicious- it had a really good mix of flavors and was savory, but fresh. I thought the combination sounded a bit strange, but it was really good. Not a huge portion, but just right with the chips and salsa and everything else. My Mom got a seafood soup that I tried which was also delicious- it tasted like a latin version of a bouillabaisse. SO had the tilapia which was also very good from the bite I stole. The guac had more cilantro than I like, (but I don't like any cilantro) but was good. The margarita I had was more than acceptable in size. I loved this place, the interior is a bit like a sports bar/diner cross in feel, very casual. The owner was so nice and wanted to make sure we liked everything, which we did. They take a lot of pride in their restaurant and food. -
Didn't see a thread for this place, whose Logan Circle location I've been frequenting for dine-in and takeout at least once a week for the last month or so. I have nothing but good things to say about it. The menu is extensive with authentic, fresh Mexican food ("Mexican food made by Mexicans") at prices that make it easy to come back often. I've become particularly partial to the pescado and camaron tacos, each of which are a total steal at $3 and come on two house-made corn tortillas. The portion of fish and shrimp (big, crisp, fresh shrimp) in each of them is ample, and the slaw in the fish tacos packs a nice spiciness. The mole poblano is equally delicious, though the rice and beans it comes with are relatively plain. They advertise brunch, but I haven't been yet. The staff is always friendly and accommodating, with the owner (a former chef downtown, he told me) often sitting at the bar happy to chat before closing up for the night. And with the kitchen open until midnight on weeknights and 1 a.m. on weekends, it's one of the better, cheaper, more delicious late-night dining options that I've found in the neighborhood. The atmosphere is calm, with Latin soccer games on TV and most of the bar stools and tables occupied, but I've never had to wait for a table. It's an easy place to have a conversation, unlike it's cacophonous yuppy neighbor down N street. In short, you should go to this place if you're in the neighborhood and looking for some good food,- 10 replies
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- Mount Vernon Square
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If you happen to be in midtown Houston (adjacent to Downtown, Museum District, and Montrose), you could do worse than heading to the Mekong Center on Milam. While you could definitely hit one of Houston's top (maybe the top) banh mi shops in Les Givral's, I would recommend grabbing one of those to go after a lunch of home-cooked Mexican (like, real Mexican, not the delicious-in-it's-own-right Houston version of Tex-Mex) at Luna y Sol. Anywhere on the East Coast, this would likely be a relentlessly blogged-about and critically-acclaimed place. In Texas, it's good. Really good, but then, there are a number of these type of places tucked here and there, and everyone has their favorite neighborhood joint. You order at the counter from a fairly extensive menu, get a number, and have a seat. They charge for chips and a nice, aggressively-spiced red salsa that is served warm. The chips are on the thinner side and appear to be homemade. I would say it is worth the charge to get them, but many in Houston would get their pitchforks out and call for someone's head over charging for it. Enchiladas verdes were as good as they can get (which is very, very good), and could only have been better had the chicken stuffing been ever so slightly more moist. The salsa verde was mildly spicy and piquant...perfect degree of acidity from the tomatillos. Instead of drowning in cheese or crema, there was a restrained and appropriate dusting and squiggle on top. The charro beans were far from mushy, and simmered in a deeply-flavored broth that begged to be spooned over the requisite Spanish rice. I grabbed a bottle of hot sauce from the condiments counter but it remained unopened. That is a major compliment. As good as the enchiladas were, the highlight was an order of 2-bite al pastor "street tacos." These come 3 to an order, and are offered in a variety of meats and vegetables. Small, toothsome yellow corn tortillas topped with just the right amount of protein, finely diced onion and cilantro. The pork was excellent, with craggy bits of caramelization throughout. I'll have to try the rajas next time. No longer BYO, they have a good selection of Mexican beers, and make a mean michelada with whichever beer you'd like, and offer margaritas with a beer floater, though I can't speak to how good those are. There were a few other small Vietnamese joints in the mini mall that looked worth a visit, though there are approximately a million of those scattered throughout Houston as well. -
Cala (149 Fell Street (Van Ness Avenue) in Hayes Valley) has the worst service at any restaurant I've ever been to, and that is saying something. San Francisco has a wealth of good establishments (despite my feelings (mostly because we've been eating at the wrong places)). After today's experience, strike this one off the list and here is why: * We were ignored for 15 minutes after being seated while FOH staff attended to two large parties in front of us who were seated at the same time we were; * Staff described the menu to the aforementioned parties, we received only grudging, perfunctory treatment; * The pickled vegetables that you see in the picture below were just laid down in front of us with no explanation whatsoever. Just as the server was about to walk away, B flagged her down and asked for a description; * A minute after receiving the vegetables - which function as an amuse-bouche, a waiter arrived with drinks for the five and six-tops in front of us. He managed to smash one large goblet - somehow - while setting down the drinks, and in the process, accidentally doused B's clothes with alcohol. Shards of glass all over the carpet. No apologies whatsoever. * After that incident, they didn't automatically reseat us; when we asked to be reseated, the waiter glared at us as if our request was out of the question, then relented. * Most of the food is "meh". That's a pity because the menu reads well. At heart, it's overpriced Mexican food and there are much better elsewhere with a fraction of the preciousness. * We ordered dessert. After handing us dessert spoons, they also laid down the check in front of us even though dessert was on the bill but BEFORE we had gotten them. Confronted with this faux pas, staff justified that by saying he thought I had asked for the "receipt". Also, I ordered mint tea which I never received. They comped the desserts...small comfort. Stay away from here. You'll thank me later. Oh, you want to see pictures of the food. Ok... Left: apple-ginger mocktini with hisbiscus agua fresca.Right: Hisbiscus agua fresca. Dungeness crab tostada, celery root, habanero. Abalone tostadas, trout roe, purple daikon. These were "fine". They're basically corn chips with stuff on top. Sorry to sound harsh but you might say that the evening was already tainted. Camaronillas with bay shrimp and carnitas. Sopes playeros with black beans, crema and ricotta salata. If you like thick corn cakes with no flavor and almost flavorless beans, these fit the bill. Tamal with pork and achiote. Probably the best thing we ate all evening. The tamal was steamed inside a banana leaf. Opah salpicón with puntarella and cilantro, served with warm tortillas. Basically a do-it-yourself fish taco. Second best thing we ate tonight. Printing your dessert menu on dark blue paper is a great idea if you like your guests using pocket flashlights just to read them. Buñelo with apples and ricotta. My mom-in-law loved it. Flan de cajeta. Rich and intense. Perfect, actually. Blood orange sorbet.
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On my eternal quest to truly know tacos, I stopped in at La Fondita Michoacana a few blocks from my house in the Heights the other day and was not disappointed. Situated next door to Tortas El Angel (another place I need to explore), it ain't much to look at, but all of the middle-aged ladies working the kitchen and register were super friendly, even when my halting Spanish wasn't quite enough to meet their halting English. The standard taco fillings are represented, and served on freshly made flour or corn tortillas. The pastor and barbacoa were fantastic on flour, with a good red and green salsa available (I preferred the brighter verde). Enchiladas rojas were done well, with rather tossed-off sides of rice and refried beans. I'd put the tacos a few notches above Tacos A Go Go, a single notch above Chilosos (though I love Chilosos thick tortillas for breakfast) and on par with Unos Pinches. Tierra Caliente is probably still juuuuuuust a little better. That I can easily walk or bike to Fondita means I'll probably eat here more often than any of the others.
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Severna Park We were meeting friends who came in from Colorado near their parents house in Severna Park. We were having a big group dinner with friends and their little boys, so Mi Pueblo II was a good option, as it is very low key, affordable and casual. Lots of other kiddos there. There is a bar in the back, and it is pretty well stocked, but it isn't the type of place you go to sit at a bar, as it is pretty small just line of bar in the back of a gigantic box restaurant. You go for large heaping plates of rice and beans and various Tex-Mex with a few Mexican dishes sprinkled in. This place was packed at 5-7, but pretty much cleared out after that on a Sunday night, so definitely a family spot. The margaritas were good and they had a nice selection of tequilas, not a mix margarita. I got a special with a tamale, two taquitos, and some nachos with chicken, beans, rice, lettuce, tomato, guac and a sizable dollop of sour cream. This would have been a perfect super bowl meal. The tamal was a bit dry to me, but the filling was really good, and I just like my tamales a bit more moist than some styles. The taquitos were taquitos. The beans were more of a puree, but that was good with chips and guac and shredded chicken, and one of our younger companions really liked them. It was what you would expect for a suburban Mexican restaurant, but it was in no way bad if you go with that expectation. And they handled our huge table really well, with smiles and really positive, energetic service. It was our friend's birthday and they had roving mariachis singing happy birthday, the little boys were happy to wear the sombrero he definitely did not want to wear. They brought him out some ice cream coated with corn flakes and chocolate sauce, and I think the two pregnant women with us pretty much finished this off for him with no complaints. So for what we needed, a place to let us all sit around a big table, with kiddos, have some drinks, tell stories, etc, it was great for that and the food was fine for the purpose.
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Scenes from this weekend: Enchiladas con mole de pollo - sauce of chiles, chocolate, nuts, shredded chicken, tortillas, onion and queso fresco. Tacos de carnitas - two tacos of braised pork, orange, bay leaf, milk, cinnamon, beer, jalapeño, onion, cilantro and tomatillo salsa. Nopalito 306 Broderick Street (Oak Street) http://www.nopalitosf.com/
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Houston is a taco-rich environment, and I had come to believe that at a certain level of goodness, all tacos kind of play at the same level, without stand-outs. I was wrong. The tacos at Tierra Caliente are the truth. These are the Platonic ideal of taco. They are the essence of taco-ness. I sampled 3: lengua, pastor, and barbacoa. Both the corn and flour tortillas are excellent, each spending a little time on the griddle before getting wrapped with the meat and a generous sprinkling of onion and cilantro. Both red and green salsa tasted fresh and bright, with a little bite, but not so spicy as to overwhelm the other ingredients. My only quibble was that the pastor veered a little on the sweet side for my tastes. (I prefer the version I had at Taqueria Tacambaro the next day up in the Heights.) Grab your tacos, head over the the Ice House and grab a beer or Topo Chico. If anyone else can think of a place that consistently tops (or even meets) what Tierra Caliente is putting out, I want to hear about it.
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Good tacos and pupusas at My Las Delicias Deli, near the old Swahili space at that hideous junction of rt 1 and Rhode Island. Not sure what was there before. My Las Delicias Deli (Unofficial) Facebook Page -
A few years ago, Don helped me get in touch with Eric Ziebold, who in his vast culinary background once worked for Thomas Keller at the French Laundry. I was going to San Francisco and wanted to know where the chefs go to eat in their time off. La Taqueria was one of those places. I hit it again on my most recent visit this past week, and the beef head (cabeza) quesadilla was as good as it was when I first tried it a few years ago. The beefy flavor was intense and wonderful, beating the heck out of any ground meat that might find its way into a typical beef quesadilla. The line to get in is a testament to the place's reputation, and the lunch counter ordering and minimal seating have not dissuaded the multitudes from descending on some of the best fast-Mexican food in San Francisco. -
The owners of Guajillo and Casa Oaxaca are now in Manassas on Mathis Avenue. Wife and her sister went for lunch last week and were the only customers the whole time they were there. My wife and I were there for lunch Friday and there were three other parties the whole time we were there. I haven't been to Guajillo or Casa Oaxaca, so I can't speak to how it compares to them. I enjoyed my chorizo quesadilla and my wife's five tacos plate (steak, pork, chicken, fish, and lamb). Thin crispy chips and warm salsa were good. -
Could folks list restaurants (Middle Eastern, Greek, Mexican, Turkish) that stack their cones with real meat, instead of the processed stuff? I don't care if the meat is frozen; I just don't want it processed. I don't care if it's ground and mixed with spices; I just don't want fillers. I'm talking about something like this: as opposed to something like this: -
Is there a thread on Pepita? Google didn't find it. I had lunch there the other day. I had the tongue and goat tacos, the tongue was very soft and had good flavor, but the goat was really a star, the flavor combination was great with a little more texture than the tongue. We had chips and the salsa verde. The salsa verde was one of the best I have ever had- it was thicker in texture than most and had a nice kick to it. I also liked the music selection. $24 total for 2 people- 4 fairly good size tacos, chips, salsa and non-alcoholic drinks. Which isn't too bad. I would like to try the veggie taco because I think overall Mike Isabella restaurants have some great veggie dishes.
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We were absolutely blown away by dinner tonight at Cuchara. A kind of last minute decision, with kids in tow, all we needed was a couple beers, a patio, and adequate food. What we got were aggressive, authentic micheladas, perfectly crafted, soulful Mexican dishes, and...a patio. We started with a trio of dishes to share (and the portion sizes really are ample enough for sharing): huitlacoche quesadillas, nopalitos, and tacos chero. The quesadillas resemble empanadas more than what I've become accustomed to, but were filled with delicious white cheese and huitlacoche. Drizzled with cream, these are served with a small side of a smoky and a bit more than medium spicy salsa. The nopalitos are served essentially as a salsa, the cactus paddles diced with tomato, onion, and cilantro, alongside a plate of crisp tortilla chips. The tacos cheer were my favorite of the starters, 3 crispy rolled tacos filled with mashed potato and topped with an eye-opening salsa verde and crumbled cheese. Addictive. The huachinango Veracruzano comes in a small cast iron skillet. A sweet plantain and amaranth cake is topped with red snapper in a rich tomato sauce with peppers (both fresh and pickled), olives, and onion. The perfect balance of all the flavors here reveals a kitchen that knows their game. Sweet met salty. Sour held hands with rich, and everyone played nicely without a cross word. Bravo. Finally, the mole verde won me over by avoiding the dullness I often find with the sauce. Many times, the pumpkin seeds round out any fun sharp edges of the sauce, but Cuchara's version had plenty of piquancy to compliment the tender cubes of pork tenderloin bathed in it. I love getting blindsided by a delicious meal, and Cuchara completely won me over tonight. We'll be back to explore more of the menu (and definitely to try the unique brunch offerings).
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"Blue Corn - From a Mexican Family, 'A Fine Blend of Style and Authentic Substance'" by Craig LaBan on philly.com
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Senor Canales's Tortilla Grill and Cafe is not only a tiny jewel on the Hill, but one of DC's best hole in the wall secrets! The Canales family is one of the major players at Eastern Market owning three different stalls: Canales Deli, the stand with the fresh pasta, and Canales Meats. Several years ago the Senor of deli fame opened up a tiny eat in/take out store front serving El Salvadoran/Mexican food directly across the street from the Market. It was an immediate success, with lines stretching out the door. But one shouldn't been surprised when the kitchen staff was ordered to make the food like they would at home and a pork tamale, 2 mixed (pork and cheese) papusas with a side of plantains running you $8.
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This restaurant just opened up this week with high hopes, as the executive chef is from the acclaimed gas station taqueria in Elkridge, MD - R&R Taqueria. I absolutely, wholeheartedly love R&R - the devotion to food is incredible there. It was packed at 730. It's the former One Lounge in DuPont Circle and they did a fantastic job with the space. There is red tiled floors, beautiful wood ceilings, exposed brick, a nice bar. Something is different recently in terms of service in this town. Maybe it's a re-expression of what is important in a dining experience, or that people are just nicer, or social media is forcing customer service to be better. In any case, in the District itself, I find myself pleasantly surprised with service. We were told 45 min, and were called back in about 35 for our table for two. I know it's different with these higher end places, but there are not chips and salsa served with the meal - it's 4 bucks a pop. And since a few Yelp reviews stated that the salsa tasted canned and not fresh, I didn't order it. We got the queso fundido and the pozole to start. The queso was not melty goodness. It was silly putty consistency and not tasty. It was too hard to eat - you had to hand pull it to get it onto the tortillas served aside it. The pozole was tasty, fresh with cilantro and spice, but ... served cool! I mentioned it to the waiter, and he said he would tell it to the kitchen. We ordered two plates of tacos. We had the chorizo and the fish. The chorizo was almost as good as the R&R version, but a little different. Only one tortilla instead of two (I don't know why that matters, but it does to me). I don't know if it was masa, but it did taste good. The green sauce they gave with it had a bite, I liked it. The fish tacos were lightly fried and had a nice sauce, the typical white sauce of west coast fish tacos mixed with seasoning so it was brownish and tasty, but heavy feeling. Salsa was a few bucks extra, we ordered it, but they forgot. We didn't mention it. The kitchen was very slow, and the server came more than once to tell us how backed up they were. I'm very sad that this place didn't kill it. R&R is so amazing. The idea that they were going to have a real restaurant 25 minutes from me was so exciting. They don't have the Barbacoa, or the lamb stews. I saw fajitas at the table next to me that smelled and looked delicious. It was sceney- lots of pretty folks here. Nice service. Out of respect of the original location, I'll go back, but not for a few months. One question - does executive chef mean something unique? Does it mean his ideas but he isn't there? Because then it maybe explains away the food/execution. Simul- 8 replies
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El Sol de Americas a new Salvadoran and Mexican restaurant on 9th street right below U street, a few storefronts down from Etete. Dropped in the other night to try it out and found a very clean and vibrant layout and a very friendly staff. The waitress said they had been open for about a month now. The menu has the usual selection of Salvadoran and Mexican dishes at pretty reasonable prices. I stuck to the Salvadoran side and really enjoyed the fried yucca with chicharones and the bean pupusa. Both very simple but well prepard and fresh tasting. I also have to give a thumbs up to the exemplary tostadas and salsa. I don't know why it is so hard to produce a warm greaseless chip and a salsa with taste but very few places around here seem to be able to accomplish this. I'm curious to try some of their weekend soups and some of their seafood items. Not a destination restaurant but definitely something to try if you're in the area. -
I was sure this had been talked about on this thread but apparently not. And if that's the case, the fault is mine, as I'm the person who spends the most time on here talking about taco options on or near the H Street corridor. This place opened up earlier this year in the former Grace Deli spot on the corner of 7th and H. Per Prince of Petworth, they've applied for licenses for both outdoor seating and to serve alcohol, both of which would be nice. In my opinion, right now these are the best tacos on H Street. The tortillas at Impala remain the best, but I much prefer the tacos, and really the rest of the offerings I've tried, at Fresca, although in fairness they are very different establishments (Impala is a full sit-down restaurant with a bar and patio while Fresca is a small, counter-service establishment with minimal seating). So far we've mostly stuck to tacos and tamales, and I need to work through the rest of the menu.- 1 reply
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This is great news for Clarendon, and Arlington as a whole. Reported by Northern Virginia Magazine, Passion Food Restaurants (DC Coast, PassionFish, Acadiana etc) is opening a Mexican restaurant in Clarendon. With a tequileria on the first floor . Knowing this restaurant groups heritage, I'm predicting a KILLER fish taco, very excited. -
Ok. This place is part of our regular rotation. Its nestled in a little strip mall near the nicest trailer park you'll ever see. I can honestly say I have never had a bad meal here. I have also never had a great meal here either. Everything I have had is in a solid 7 range. The Carnitas, Barbacoa, and Stewed chicken are probably the best. Put them in an enchilada, burrito or taco... it's kind of the same. On Saturdays they have a Kid's eat for a buck promotion.... So I find myself here once a month. Most of the time they have a woman in there that does balloon animals. She is an artist. Really some the most elaborate balloon animal creations you'll see at a Mexican restaurant at 7pm on a Saturday (or anywhere else). Hey... I have three kids.... these things are important. With that said, they are doing a good job of playing to the Chantilly/SR demographics and tend to be full on a Saturday. My favorite thing here is actually their breakfast burritos. I like them better than Anitas (heresy!). The difference between a breakfast burrito with chorizo here and at Anitas is that El Fresco actually puts chorizo in theirs. If you are in the area, they are worth trying. I always get the chorizo with red chile. -
Its location as a stand in the Mercado la Paloma might lead you to believe that the food at Chichen Itza is casual or ordinary…until you notice the line (all afternoon, when I was there, and mostly of Spanish-speaking people) and the beautifully composed plates of colorful, book-cover-worthy food (not by accident – the owner wrote Sabores Yucatecos: A Culinary Tour of the Yucatán). The closest comparison restaurant I can think of is Los Agaves in Santa Barbara, for style of service and quality of food and presentation, though the menu at Chichen Itza is a much shorter list of curated Yucatecan specialties. You order at the stand and receive a # for your order, and the servers run the food out to you. They also bring silverware and drinks, and the tables/chairs are big and solid, nicer than most food-court operations. Based on many recommendations, we tried the cochinita pibil (prettily mounded, long shreds of incredibly tender, juicy pork, in a tangy sauce), fish tacos (crunchy, well-seasoned, and bright), plantains (nicely fried), and panuchos (basically a shredded turkey taco, with the tortilla fried – I thought it was dry but it was my husband’s favorite dish). Our friends got the tikin-xic (fish fillets in a citrus sauce over rice – I want to add this to our order next time), pork tacos, more plantains, and chips and salsa. Almost everything was sprinkled with the pickled red onions (which I ordinarily don’t like but in this case found delightful. Thank goodness.) Except for a few bites of the rather ordinary rice and beans, we polished off everything with gusto while proclaiming it delicious. Prices are so gentle you feel as if you’re getting away with something. The location is low key and families abound so fear not in bringing small children (though you might have a hard time finding a high chair). It’s less than a mile from USC and Exposition Park (home of the California Science Center, Rose Garden, and the Natural History Museum of Los Angeles County), so pairs perfectly with a day of exploring. I might not walk the distance, due to on-ramps under the highway and slight sketchiness of the neighborhood, plus there is a parking lot at the Mercado and some street spaces available. Really can’t recommend this place enough - I can’t wait to go back! -
I can't believe that I never got around to giving el Golfo its own thread. I'll warn to begin with that this will be one of the most biased shill-y posts to ever appear on this site. I love this place. It's the neighborhood gem that every area should have. Last night's Puerco Adovado (pork loin marinated in citrus) and Camarones Azteca (Shrimp and Broccoli in a light citrusy sauce) were delicious and hearty. Stick with the non tex-mex stuff and the fish (from their own market with its entrance around the corner) The margaritas serve their purpose. Last night I opted for a Negra Modelo. But it's more than the food that has made me become more than a diner, becoming a fan and cheerleader for el Golfo. When I go in during the week and see only a few tables occupied, I get worried. When I go in on the weekend and see the place full I get ecstatic. Mrs JPW and I have been coming here on a fairly regular basis since before Peanut was born. They've watched Peanut grow up (last night was the first in big person's chair) and are always genuinely pleased to see her despite the kind of messes that a 2.5 year old tends to leave behind. Everyone, from the busboys, to the waitors, to the owner, always greet you with a big smile and open arms whether you're 1 or 100. The owner has been a driving force behind attempts to develop an area business association to work on improving the crossroads. She really hustles: e-mail list, discount coupons in the SS Gazette, you get the idea. They've really developed an incredible atmosphere of COMMUNITY that you find all too rarely. I've had a discount card in my wallet for a couple of years, but I've never used it. Why? I'm lucky enough that the $3 or $4 it would save me are not too important. I could never begrudge el Golfo that extra couple of bucks. I'm happy to pay full price. You'll note well that I spend little time here talking about the food. It's good, dependable, and generously proportioned. It's just that some times there are others things that are more important. -
Quick shout-out to Pop Tacos, which is probably my favorite lunch spot in Baltimore. It's basically a family-owned version of Chipotle run by a super nice Korean couple. You can get burritos, quesadillas, burrito bowls, or tacos with your choice of chicken, pork, steak, fish, or Korean-marinated pork. Onions and peppers are sauteed to order and guacamole can be added for no additional cost. I'm not sure if it's the marinade, salsa, or what, but I've always thought that Pop Tacos' food is everything Chipotle should be. You can also get some Korean specialties like bibimbap and great breakfast burritos as well.- 4 replies
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Yesterday was supposed to be the first day for Gringos & Mariachis (see List of Restaurant Openings - 2014)), and although they still had their soft opening signs up, it was pretty well full, and I was fortunate to find a single bar seat. The bar staff I saw there could be described in three words: young, male, and friendly. For example, the Wizards game was showing on the flat-screen in front of me, but one of the gentlemen took the time to come up to me (who was watching the game) and asked me if I'd mind if they switched it to the Olympics. ("No, actually I'd prefer it - thanks for asking.") After enjoying a bottle of Breckenridge Agave Wheat ($8), I ordered a bowl of Pork Pozole ($5.95), a good appetizer-bowl of soup based on chicken broth, with all the requisites: morsels of pork, hominy, radish, a couple of tortilla chips for those who wish to break and dunk them, and tiny containers of hot sauce and dry spice for self-seasoning. This was a really satisfying bowl of soup, and even though it might not stand up to some of the more "meal-like" pozoles in town, I couldn't imagine anyone being terribly disappointed with it. I ordered a second bottle of Breckenridge Agave Wheat too soon, and should have gone with the Breckenridge Vanilla Porter ($8) as a more perfect match for my Mole Poblano ($14.95), two pieces of chicken - large thighs, I think - drowned in a 28-ingredient mole (according to Bethesda Magazine), and served with a large scoop of tinted rice. This was a good mole poblano that might not win any awards, but one which I certainly didn't regret ordering, especially on night number one. Playing a guessing game, if I had to pick out one restaurant Gringos & Mariachis feels like, it would be an early Bandolero, and the food - at least the food I had - was something comparable. I was pleasantly surprised by this restaurant which scarcely even has any signage up (Mia's Pizza will be your locator - this is in the old Bangkok One space). The tacos, even though I didn't order any, looked a bit on the small side, but I didn't really get a good look, so I'm going to pretend I didn't see them and initiate coverage of Gringos & Mariachis in Italic in the Dining Guide.
