Archive for the 'Mexican' Category

Tortas Frontera by Rick Bayless – Chicago O’Hare

Published by Gastronomer on April 19, 2012 in Chicago, Mexican, Restaurant Review and Vegetarian. 6 Comments

The Astronomer and I didn’t plan on checking out any of Chef Rick Bayless‘ restaurants while in Chicago because we have plenty of amazing regional Mexican food here in Los Angeles (despite what Señor Bayless believes).

Alas, when hunger pangs hit an hour before take off, I was forced to find a bite to eat inside O’Hare. While the smells emanating from Manchu Wok were damn enticing, my curiosity got the best of me and I lined up for a taste of Tortas Frontera. Lo siento, mi amigo Bill!

In addition to its namesake tortas (griddle-baked Mexican sandwiches with a variety of fillings), Tortas Frontera also dishes up molletes (warm, open-faced sandwiches), guacamole, soups, salads, and a “yogurt bar.” To the right of the kitchen and food preparation area is a full bar with plenty of tequila and margaritas to go around.

The food here is made using locally sourced ingredients wherever possible. There’s even a list of all the farmers and purveyors whose fruits, vegetables, and meats are employed by the restaurant prominently on display. I see this kind of name dropping at restaurants all the time, but this was a first for an airport eatery.

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Discovering Downtown One Bite at a Time: Grand Central Market, Chinatown, and Olvera Street

Published by Gastronomer on March 8, 2012 in Banh Mi, Downtown, Los Angeles, Markets, Mexican, Restaurant Review, Salvadoran and Vietnamese. 9 Comments

The weather in Los Angeles was even more gorgeous than usual this past weekend, so The Astronomer and I spent much of it outside soaking in the sunshine. On Saturday afternoon, I curated an urban hike through downtown that included plenty to see and eat.

Our first stop was at Grand Central Market, a bustling place where people gather to eat, meet, and shop. The energy inside was palpable, and everything gleamed with deliciousness.

After perusing the aisles, hemming, hawing, and gawking, we finally chose to sit down for a bite at Sarita’s Pupuseria. Here, the Salvadoran specialty made of thick corn tortillas stuffed with cheeses and meats is made from scratch and griddled to order.

Our pork- and cheese-stuffed pupusa ($2.50) arrived after a ten minute wait. A watery tomato salsa and curtido, a lightly fermented cabbage slaw with red chilies and vinegar, were available at the counter for us to garnish as we pleased.

The warm pupusa was crisp and golden on the outside and oozed with cheese and shredded pork within. Even with the curtido and salsa curbing the pupusa’s richness, one was more than enough for the two of us. It was muy rico!

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28 Hours in Tijuana with Bill Esparza: Tacos, Buches, Menudo, Churros, and Tortas

Published by Gastronomer on May 17, 2011 in Mexican, Restaurant Review, Street Food and Tijuana. 14 Comments

Following Sunday brunch at Scarpetta, I took a little jaunt down to Tijuana with my friend Bill. While escaping to Mexico for a day might be too hurried for some, it’s these impromptu getaways that I absolutely live for. After Bill picked me up in Beverly Hills, we hightailed it to the border, and not too long after, we were living large on Revolución. It had been well over a year since my last Baja eating tour, so I was beyond ready for another gluttonous spree.

After dropping off our bags at the hotel and freshening up a bit, it was time to cruise the streets for delectable Mexican eats.

At my request, our first stop was at Tacos Salceados. I ate here on my first Baja culinary tour, but wasn’t able to enjoy it to the fullest since it was the eighteenth and final stop of a two-day eating blitz. I always hoped to return because even though my palate was beyond spent at the time, I remembered that the tacos totally rocked.

The little taqueria was bright and bumpin’ when we arrived. We started off with a small plate of blistered blonde chilies and young spring onions dressed in a tangy Maggi-based sauce.

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La Super Rica Taqueria – Santa Barbara

Published by Gastronomer on March 18, 2011 in Central Coast, Mexican, Restaurant Review and Santa Barbara. 9 Comments

The Astronomer and I haven’t been spending very much time at home these past couple of weeks. Following our jaunt to The Bay Area, we jetted to the Central Coast to spend the weekend with our friend Lang—a professional cyclist from Seattle who is training in the area during the off season. Even though I was a bit exhausted from our earlier travels, I was super stoked to see my old friend and to visit a new part of my beloved state.

Before arriving in Buellton, The Astronomer and I made a quick stop in the beautiful coastal town of Santa Barbara for lunch. Los Angeles residents really have no business traveling to Santa Barbara for Mexican food, but we couldn’t help but line up for a taste of the famous La Super Rica Taqueria. Hype is a powerful force, one stronger than rationality and logic combined.

This unassuming taco shop on the corner of Alphonse and Milpas is best known as Julia Child’s favorite Mexican restaurant. The family-owned restaurant has built a loyal following throughout the years, as evidenced by the heaps of positive press it has garnered and the lines snaking out its doors.

Nearly everything is prepared to order, which meant a twenty minute lull between placing and receiving our order. The smells emanating from the grill teased us as we waited.

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Xoia Vietnamese Eats – Los Angeles (Echo Park)

Published by Gastronomer on January 24, 2011 in Banh Mi, Curry, Echo Park, Los Angeles, Mexican, Mi Quang, Restaurant Review and Vietnamese. 8 Comments

If The Astronomer and I were to combine our culinary heritages, we might come up with dishes like toasted ravioli filled with lemongrass pork and collard greens braised in fish sauce. Sounds intriguing and even a little tempting, wouldn’t you say? This sort of whimsical marrying of cuisines is exactly what the husband and wife team of Jose Sarinana and Thien Ho are doing at Xoia Vietnamese Eats in Echo Park.

Opened last summer, Xoia serves a mostly Vietnamese menu with a handful of inspired dishes that bring together elements from both Vietnamese and Mexican cuisine. The cultures collide most successfully under the “Taco” section of the menu. I really enjoyed the anise and cinnamon spiced phở tacos that I sampled at the restaurant’s soft opening and couldn’t wait to try another mash-up during my subsequent lunchtime visit.

My easygoing dining mate Nastassia was game for just about anything, so I ordered the mì quảng-inspired tacos ($5.75). The three tacos were served on warm corn tortillas with fresh cilantro, diced red onions, and a side of house-made red salsa. The tender pork was richly spiced with paprika and shallots; I added a squiggle of Sriracha for good measure.

The tacos’ flavors were brighter and more robust than a bowl of mì quảng. Concentrating the spices and upping the oomph allowed the protein to work terrifically as a taco filling. Next time, I’m going to sample the chicken curry tacos.

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