Decent Tex-Mex In Spain … Que Paso?

Mexicano Tex-Mex
Calle Jose Maria Torres Murciano, 12, 
29603 Marbella, Spain
Phone: +34 952 866 680
Web: www.MexicanoMarbella.com
Prices: € € € € 

I saw this place on Yelp and could not resist after 2 1/2 months in Europe and NO MEXICAN FOOD. The first time I went, they were closed as it was just after 4:00pm and they did not open for dinner until 8pm (Spaniards eat late). I found myself in the area on my last full day in town, so I meandered past and sure enough they were open. 

It was about 2pm and the place was empty. It is nicely decorated inside, looking like many of their stateside cousins with sombreros and other colorful decorations adorning the walls. The owner speaks very little English, having resided in Rhode Island for a year, and his employees speak even less, but in this part of town, most of their customers are locals. A nice young lady soon arrived with some complimentary chips and chili con queso, looking like it likely came from a Tostito’s jar.

I had to try the guacamole (€5.40 – $5.85), usually a clear indication if the place is authentic or not and I have to say it was not bad. Fresh avocados mashed with onion and a little diced tomato (not very traditional) in a deep-fried flour tortilla bowl sitting atop a small lump of cold mashed potatoes. I was not sure why the potatoes were there other than to keep the bowl of guacamole from moving around, but the guacamole was pretty good, needing just a little more garlic and salt. The quality and quantity were pretty “average” compared to many stateside Mexican restaurants, and the chips were decent.

They had no combo plates and my Spanish is rudimentary at best or I would have tried a few different things, so I went with the taco plate (€7.50 – $8.10). The three taco shells looked like any other pre-fab version, not unlike many restaurants in Lawrence, Kansas where I hang out, so I cannot fault them for that. With no rice or beans, €2.50 a pop is a bit steep, but the tacos were not bad either. Containing something more resembling chili con carne than ground beef, the only other ingredient was melted cheese except for a small amount of pico di gallo on the side of the plate. Having saved some guacamole and the little bit of lettuce beneath it, I had everything I needed to compliment the tacos. The lady even brought me some salsa picante, a fiery green concoction that was very good. The tacos were a bit greasy, but the shells stood up to the moisture well and did not fall apart like many places I have been.

I also had a Negro Modelo beer (€2.90) and a tinto de verano (€1.30), so the drinks were very well priced compared to the food, which was a tad pricey, but not as bad as the many tourist traps in Marbella. I ended up paying around €15 plus tip (after my 15% discount), not that bad for a starter, main, and two drinks. The service was excellent and the staff very friendly as we attempted to bridge the communication gap.

CombatCritic Gives Mexicano Tex-Mex 7 Bombs Out Of 10 … More Bombs Are Better … With An Extra Bomb Included For Effort!

Menu

As always, you can read my reviews on Yelp and TripAdvisor 

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Title: Decent Tex-Mex In Spain … Que Paso?

Key Words: Tex-Mex, Mexicano, tex, mex, food, menu, Marbella, Spain, Malaga, taco, enchilada, burrito, guacamole, CombatCritic, TravelValue, travel, value, food, definitive, review, guide

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One Of The Best (Not Tex-Mex) Mexican Restaurants in Lawrence? Not Much To Brag About!

Mi Ranchito

707 W. 23rd Street

Lawrence, Kansas 66046

Phone: (785) 727-2005

www.miranchitokc.com

Hours:
Sunday-Thurs 11am-10pm
Fri & Sat 11am-11pm

Prices: $$$$$

The Infamous “Bar” … My Home Away From Home

To be the BEST MEXICAN FOOD IN LAWRENCE the bar must not be set very high as I have yet to have a Mexican meal as good as the worst I have eaten in Texas, where I was a resident for 20 years, and not a single one comes close to resembling Tex-Mex. On that note, let me add my two cents …

 

The place was nearly full on a Sunday night, a rarity in Lawrence, particularly among Mexican restaurants, and normally a good sign. We were steered into the bar for some reason, asked if we wanted to sit at a “high-top” even though there were booths available in the bar and tables available in the restaurant. Maybe I look like a lush, but I think it was primarily because there was nobody in the bar and the bartender needed something to do. The lush that I am, I ordered the margarita special ($7.99), described as containing “El Jimador” tequila and not bad although the “20 ounces” were more like 13, coming in the standard “cheater” glass that looks big on the outside … well, you know what I mean. The house “grande” margarita ($6.25) was a better value, coming in the “20 ounce” glass but like its El Jimador cousin, a bit weak in terms of alcohol content.

 

The chips and salsa arrived rather quickly, the chips being far too thin and very likely out of a bag along with a red salsa and an odd looking yellowish-green sauce. The salsa was not bad with obvious hints of fresh cilantro. The other, described by one reviewer as a “lemon avocado” sauce, was strange, unlike anything I have ever had in a Mexican restaurant, but again not bad. The chips are so thin that they cannot be dipped in the salsa, which is not very thick to begin with, without breaking apart, leaving the basket more than half full of pieces of chips too small to eat.

 

Guacamole and Espinaca “Dips”

We decided on the Espinaca Cheese Dip ($5.99), a blend of hot cheese, white onions, tomatoes and spinach, and the guacamole ($6.99). The guacamole was described as “fresh and buttery avocados, cilantro, jalapeños, onions, lime juice and special spices” on the menu, but I found no evidence of either cilantro or jalapeño (or butter for that matter). I thought the price was a quite steep compared to other places in town, but the serving was large and the guacamole pretty good, not nearly as good as mine however. You can get a half and side order ($1.99) of guacamole which are not on the menu and I was told that the half order was $3.99, reasonable considering the price of the full order, but when the bill came I was charged $5.25, the equivalent of $10.50 for a full order. When I complained about the higher price, management quickly apologized and charged me the quoted $3.99 price, but insisted that $5.25 was the correct price. He told me hat he would “take it up with the company” (remember, this is a chain) to see about implementing a reasonable price.

The “espinaca” (spinach) cheese dip had too little spinach, much less name the dish after it, to mention and seemed to be more like your average chili con queso minus the chili, but it was big and decent. Again, my primary complaint being that the chips were too thin to withstand either “dip”, falling apart when submerged in either and resulting in a basket full of crumbles with very few whole chips.

 

$7.99 … Really?

Like most Italians my wife dislikes spicy food, especially Mexican (one of my favorites), ordering her standard “cheese quesadilla” … boring! At $7.99, I have to say that this was one of the most pitiful quesadillas I have ever seen and a terrible value. Charging $8 for a (small) flour tortilla, a couple ounces of cheese, a spoonful of sour cream and even less guacamole, and a thimbleful of pico de gallo (which was noticeably missing from the plate even though it is on the menu) should be a crime, highway robbery, but it’s not, so there you go.

 

As always, on my first visit to a Mexican restaurant, I ordered tacos and enchiladas to see if they could get even the simplest of recipes right, in this case el numero nueve, the #9 combo, with a burrito, taco, and enchilada, “machaca” (shredded beef) all. I have to say that the taco was the best I have had in recent years, having lived in the Midwest since 2008, being large, stuffed with plenty of machaca, deep fried, then topped with lettuce, cheese, and even some diced tomatoes. It would have been nearly perfect if the taco had a couple of thin slices of avocado on it, but we had plenty of guacamole leftover so it was not an issue, although a very good idea. The enchilada and burrito were both equally stuffed with shredded beef, but uninspiring with little to no cheese and smothered seemingly in the same red (enchilada?) sauce. The rice and beans were minimal, sprinkled with kernels of corn oddly enough and two deep-fried masa de maiz (corn meal dough) balls, another novelty … could it be Tex-Mex … not! The masa balls are excessively sweet and do not compliment the meals, so I would reduce the sugar or 86 them altogether. Beside the masa balls, everything was “OK”, but the taco was the star of the show and likely a staple if we return.

 

Cheese and Onion Enchilada ala carte ($3.19)

You can order ala carte although you would not know it from looking at the menu. I asked if I could order a cheese and onion enchilada ala carte and was told it would cost $3.19 plus tax, not unreasonable, so I decided to try one. The sauce was decent, but missing the distinct chili zing of a traditional enchilada sauce and the chili con carne you would find in authentic Tex-Mex cuisine. The cheese inside was plentiful, but a bit too runny, making it a little difficult to eat and there was not an onion in sight (or bite for that matter). Overall, it was not the best enchilada I have eaten and not the worst, but it was definitely NOT a cheese and ONION enchilada.

Service is very good and management is very responsive to customer concerns, all bending over backward to make things right and a breath of fresh air in an industry suffering from apathetic servers and managers. The prices were comparably a bit steep, except for the combinations oddly enough, the service good, and the food decent, maybe even one of the BEST MEXICAN RESTAURANTS IN LAWRENCE, but that is nothing to brag about!

 

CombatCritic Gives Mi Ranchito (Lawrence) 6 Bombs Out Of 10 … VERY AVERAGE … More Bombs Are Better!

Read More Reviews By CombatCritic, Including Mi Ranchito, On Yelp And TripAdvisor Along With Many Other Reviews And Much, Much More!

Title: One Of The Best (Not Tex-Mex) Mexican Restaurants in Lawrence … Not Much To Brag About!

 

Key Words: Mi Ranchito, mi, ranchito, Mexican, restaurant, food, taco, enchilada, burrito, guacamole, Lawrence, Kansas, 23rd, menu, CombatCritic, TravelValue, travel, value

Hut One, Hut Two … Crepe Pancake Hut … YUM!

Hut One, Hut Two … Crepe Pancake Hut … YUM!

Crepe Pancake Hut

Jogiwara Road (Next to Tibet World)
McLeodGanj, Dharamsala, India
Prices: $$$$$

I walked by Crepe Pancake Hut probably 70 to 80 times before stopping in. Neither crepes nor pancakes, particularly vegetarian ones, sounded good prior, but I wanted to give them a try before leaving. I am sorry I waited so long!

Like most restaurants in McLeod Ganj, especially the ones with Eastern-style (sit on the floor) seating, this place was filled to the brim with young, Bohemian, hippie-wannabes. If you have traveled in India recently, you know the type … long, filthy, unwashed dreadlocks, pajamas, nose stuck in their phone or computer and unable to carry on a conversation with anybody over 20 even if their life depended on it.

Anyway, enough of my judgmental attitude (I really am working on it and learned a bit more through Buddhist philosophy classes, but it is obviously a work in progress) and on to the food. 

I ordered a Veggie Burrito with Avocado Pico di Gallo (90 rupees – $1.45) and a pot of lemon ginger honey (50 rupees). The burrito was crispy and tasty, filled with sauteed bell peppers (capsium) and onions, kidney beans, and accompanied by half an avocado peel filled with a combination of mashed avocado, diced tomato and onion, and a bit of sour cream (or yogurt, I could not tell which).

The pot of ginger lemon honey was delicious and one of the cheapest in town at 50 rupees, filling my cup four times at 12.5 rupees (20 cents) a pop. In all, it was a light, healthy, yet filling lunch at an extremely reasonable price.

CombatCritic Gives Crepe Pancake Hut 9 Bombs Out Of 10 … Bombs Are Great!

Menu

Key Words: Crepe Pancake Hut, crepe, pancake, hut, crepes, pancakes, burrito, wi-fi, free, savory, restaurant, McLeodGanj, mcleod, ganj, Dharamsala, India, Dharamshala, CombatCritic, TravelValue, menu

Arceo’s: Good, Consistent, Authentic Mexican Food at Reasonable Prices

Arceo’s

4608 Rusina Rd Colorado Springs, CO 80907

Phone: (719) 264-0143

$$$$$

The exterior leaves quite a bit to be desired, cracked cement sidewalks, poorly maintained landscaping, and a building in need of some TLC, but once inside a rainbow of color hits you like Dorothy experienced when exiting her house for there first time in the Land of Oz.

At $2.75, the guacamole is excellent and a terrific value when compared to similar portions in Kansas and Missouri (and Amanda’s Fonda) going for $5 to $7. The chips and salsa are made in house, complimenting the guacamole well. Their margaritas are not great, lacking flavor (and alcohol) and at $5 for a small house margarita, not a good value.

The Enchilada Tapatia, a rolled flour tortilla filled with chicken, onions and green peppers, cheese, and refried beans, then topped with enchilada sauce, melted cheese, lettuce, tomatoes, sour cream and guacamole ($7.00), was massive and filling.

The Number One (#1 – $7.75), three crispy tacos with choice of ground beef, chicken, or shredded beef and lettuce, shredded cheese, and tomato chunks comes with rice and beans. I ordered the shredded beef variety and was disappointed by not only the taste of the beef, but also because the meat had not been drained well and by the time I got to my second taco they were soggy and falling apart. I do not enjoy eating tacos with a fork, but had no other choice. When I told the server about my disappointing experience, she said “sorry” and walked off.

The cheese and onion enchilada combination plate ($8.50) comes with three enchiladas stuffed with cheddar cheese and topped with sliced onion and a choice of red or green chili sauce, accompanied by rice and beans. These are some of the best enchiladas in Colorado Springs and eastward to Missouri.

Having eaten at this and Arceo’s South Nevada Avenue location on numerous occasions over the years, I have to say that this was not the best experience we have had. But everybody has a bad day now and then and Arceo’s has been consistently good in quality and value in a state not well known for great Mexican food.

CombatCritic Gives Arceo’s 7 Bombs Out of 10 … BOMBAS ARE BUENAS!

Title: Arceo’s: Good, Consistent, Authentic Mexican Food at Reasonable Prices
Key Words: Arceo’s, Arceo, Mexican, restaurant, menu, food, taco, enchilada, burrito, guacamole, chips, salsa, margarita, Colorado Springs, Colorado, Rusina, CombatCritic, TravelValue

Burrito King … Monarch of Mediocre Mexican Meals

• 
  
  Burrito King
  900 Illinois St
  Lawrence, KS 66044

• Phone numb
• 
  

(785) 832-2844

• 
  
• Prices: $$$$$

I love Mexican food and I like reasonably priced Mexican food even better. Enter Burrito King.

I have tried pretty much every Mexican restaurant in Lawrence and have been sadly disappointed by the mediocrity … and Burrito King did not let me down in that context. Just a few blocks from our home, I drive by the drive-in restaurant daily yet had not given them a try until yesterday.

You walk or drive up to a window to order and I was quickly greeted by a friendly young man eager to take my order, almost too eager in that I did not have a chance to read the menu posted outside before being prompted to order. I was surprised to find numerous other options beside burritos on the menu … tacos, enchiladas, quesadillas … all at fairly reasonable prices. I ordered the enchilada plate (3 enchiladas, rice, and beans for $6.95), a “steak” and bean burrito ($4.98), and chips and salsa ($2) in order to sample just a few options.

I prefer cheese and onion enchiladas and would think at the same price as meat (steak, chicken, pork) that there would be an abundance of fillings, but I was again disappointed. The red sauce covering the tubes of corn was bland and sparse, barely providing any flavor to the tortillas which were void of any significant fillings. I tasted no onions and the small amount of cheese inside did not quite make it it to the ends, leaving just tortilla and a little tasteless sauce for the first and last bite of each enchilada. The rice and beans were equally tasteless.

The burrito tasted “OK”, but there was very little “steak”, mostly beans, with a little cheese, and some some lettuce. At $5, I would expect a bit more beef and cheese, maybe some guacamole. The chips were crisp and tasty and the salsa well done, appearing homemade (not out of a can or jar) with hints of poblano pepper and cilantro.

Students probably love the quantities and prices offered at Burrito King, but for those of us who prefer quality over quantity, Burrito King falls short, at least on this visit.

CombatCritic Gives Burrito King 5 Out Of 10 Bombs … BOMBAS ARE BUENAS!

Read More About Burrito King And More In CombatCritic’s Travel Value Ezine on Yelp

Key Words: Burrito King, burrito, king, Lawrence, Kansas, Illinois, burritos, Mexican, food, eat, taco, enchilada, guacamole, cheese, beans, rice, CombatCritic, travel, value, TravelValue

Fast, Affordable, Friendly … FUZZY’S!

Great tacos … CHECK!
Tex-Mex style enchiladas … CHECK!
Fresh guacamole … CHECK!
Tasty chili con queso … CHECK!
Good margaritas … CHECK!
Get in line to order … CHECK!
Reasonable prices … CHECK!
Rowdy, friendly employees … CHECK!


CombatCritic Gives Fuzzy’s Tacos A Solid 9 Bombs Out Of 10 for solid, fast, affordable Mexican food … BOMBS ARE GOOD!

Follow CombatCritic On Yelp (An Elite ’14/’15 Member) And  TripAdvisor (“Top Contributor”) Where You Can Read His Latest Reviews, Try His Favorite Recipes, And More!

Key Words: Fuzzy’s Tacos, Fuzzy’s, tacos, taco, fuzzy, fuzzie, enchilada, burrito, guacamole, queso, cheese, margarita, Lawrence, Kansas, Massachusetts, street, 66044, CombatCritic, TravelValue

"El Sol" Is Not A New "Shining Star" In The Lawrence Restaurant Scene

El Sol Mexican Restaurant
1520 Wakarusa
Lawrence, KS 66047
(785) 331-2663
Facebook Page
Price: $$$$$
Another closed El Mezcal location in a shopping center on the corner of Wakarusa and Bob Billings Parkway (now called “El Sol”), I had read in El Sol’s inaugural review that they were a “Tex-Mex” restaurant. My fellow Elite ’14 member had high praise for their food, service, and ambience, so we had to give them a try. Our experience was once again very average in a town not well town for outstanding cuisine and I found not a single Tex-Mex item on the menu. In fact, when I asked the waiter if they were a Tex-Mex restaurant, he stated “definitely not”.
As mentioned in recent reviews, I am a Mexican food snob, having grown up in LA where Mexican restaurants outnumber Bentleys and spending three years in San Antonio, Texas during my first Air Force assignment. Not changing my modus operandi,  I stuck with the basics, tacos and enchiladas, during my first visit to see if they can get them right before moving on to more complex dishes.

Taco and Enchilada Combination Plate

The restaurant’s decor is very colorful with natural wood tables, bright tones, and reminiscent of  a traditional Mexican cantina. The service was very attentive, friendly, and fast. Our server, Rafael, was extremely polite and amenable to answering my many questions. We ordered the guacamole ($3.99) and the white cheese dip (queso blanco – medium – $2.99). The guacamole was small, made with avocado and SMALL PIECES OF TOMATO, but tasty. The queso blanco was warm and well seasoned, adhering to the pre-fab chips, another disappointment and a dead giveaway of a sub-par restaurant in my experience. I had the 27 ounce margarita (on the rocks – $6.99) which was decent, not very strong, and priced $2 more than El Mezcal. My wife had the horchata, a Mexican rice-based drink which was better than El Mezcal’s various versions.

Cheese Quesadilla with Guacamole and Pico di Gallo

My wife ordered the cheese quesadilla, coming with a small dab of guacamole and pico di gallo ($4.99) and a cheese and onion enchilada with queso blanco instead of red sauce (ala carte – $1.99), coming with refried beans. It is difficult to mess-up a quesadilla and El Sol was again no exception. She liked the enchilada, but queso blanco was a bit too spicy for her Itialan tastebuds (the spiciest dish in Italy is penne arribiatta).

Cheese and Onion Enchilada with Queso Blanco

I decided to forego the rice and get down to brass tacks, ordering two shredded beef tacos and a cheese and onion enchilada ($8.49) combo plate (all beans). The tacos came in pre-fab corn tortillas and the beef, although skimpy, was well seasoned and topped with a little lettuce, white cheese, and chopped tomato. I saved some of the guacamole for my tacos, borrowed my wife’s pico de gallo, and added their salsa, which was not bad. The tacos were not great. The enchilada sauce was a bit too watery and lacked taste, the enchilada cool, not even lukewarm, another disappointment. True Tex-Mex enchiladas are smothered in chili con carne and topped with cheese, but this bore no resemblance to any Tex-Mex I have eaten and was one of the worst enchiladas I have had.

Pre-Fab Taco Shells

Again, not my favorite Mexican restaurant in Lawrence by any stretch and we will likely not return given the distance from our home and the fact that there are at least four better Mexican eateries in closer proximity.






CombatCritic Gives El Sol 5 Out of 10 Bombs … BOMBAS ARE BUENAS!

































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Key Words: 66044, burrito, CombatCritic, eat, el, El Sol, el, sol, enchilada, food, guacamole, Kansas, Lawrence, margarita, Mexican, mezcal, restaurant, taco, travel, TravelValue, value

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Pueblo … New Name, Same Boring Food

• Pueblo Mexican Restaurant
• 804 Lowa St
  Lawrence, KS 66044
• Phone number(785) 331-2710
• Business websitepueblomxrestaurant.com

 Prices: $$$$$

Queso Blanco, Guacamole, Chips and Salsa

We tried the El Mezcal on Iowa Street (now closed and called “Pueblo”) shortly after moving to Lawrence last summer and were not impressed. So when I read the yelp* reviews for the new restaurant, I was a bit surprised that they were so good. In fact, a fellow Elite ’14 member had high praise for their food, service, and margaritas, so I had to give them a try. Our experience was very average, even disappointing. Based on the menu, it looks like El Mezcal simply changed the name to Pueblo, hoping to get more business, but they should have copied the 23rd Street location’s recipes because the food is not as good.


As mentioned in previous reviews, I am a bit of a Mexican food snob, if there is such a thing, having grown up in LA where Mexican restaurants far outnumber McDonalds. As usual, I stick with the basics the first time I visit a restaurant to see if they can get them right before moving on to more complex dishes.



Steak Tacos ala Carte – $2.40 each

We ordered the small guacamole ($3.49) and the highly touted white cheese dip (queso blanco – small – $3.49). The guacamole was small and too dark, made with avocado and SMALL PIECES OF TOMATO. The queso blanco was warm and well seasoned, but way too runny, barely adhering to the store bought chips, another disappointment. I had the 27 ounce margarita (on the rocks – $4.99) which was good, strong, and very reasonably priced, and my wife had the horchata, a Mexican rice-base drink which was better than El Mezcal’s watery version.


My wife ordered the vegetarian special #1, a cheese quesadilla and cheese and onion enchilada (with queso blanco instead of red sauce – she hates tomatoes – $7.49), coming with refried beans. It is difficult to screw-up a quesadilla and Pueblo was no exception. The enchilada was good, but the beans rather bland, missing that fatty taste traditional refried beans emanate hence the name “refried”.



Beef Enchiladas ala Carte – $5.49 (3)

I decided to forego the rice and beans and get down to brass tacks, ordering the  steak tacos ($2.40 each) and beef enchiladas ($5.49) ala carte. The tacos came in flour tortillas and the steak was well seasoned with a little lettuce and plenty of white cheese. I saved some of the guacamole for my tacos, ordered some pico de gallo, and added their salsa, which was pretty good, making up for the lack of tomatoes.



The beef enchiladas were OK, but the sauce was lacking flavor and a bit too sweet for my taste. I recommend that they flash fry the tortillas before filling them, adding the sauce and some white cheese on top before putting them under the broiler to melt.

Pueblo was no surprise after the ho-hum experience we had at this Iowa Street location when it was called El Mezcal. The decor is colorful and reminiscent of old Mexico and the service attentive, friendly, and fast. Not my favorite Mexican restaurant in Lawrence by any stretch and we will probably not return.

CombatCritic Gives Pueblo 5 Out of 10 Bombs … BOMBAS ARE BUENAS!












Key Words: 66044, burrito, CombatCritic, eat, el, Pueblo, enchilada, food, guacamole, Kansas, Lawrence, margarita, Mexican, mezcal, restaurant, taco, travel, TravelValue, value

El Mezcal: Good Mexican Food, Strong Margaritas, Fair Prices

El Mezcal Mexican Restaurant

1819 W 23rd St 

Lawrence, KS 66046

(785) 832-8775

El Mezcal Website

Prices $$$$$

FREE CHIPS AND SALSA!

We tried the El Mezcal on Iowa Street (now closed) shortly after moving to Lawrence last summer and were not impressed. So when I read the yelp* reviews for the 23rd Street location, e is such a thingI was a bit surprised that they were consistently so good. In fact, a fellow Elite ’14 member, Alicia “Lush” R, had high praise for their food, service, and margaritas, so I had to give them a try.

Small Guacamole

I am admittedly a Mexican food snob, if there is such a thing, having grown up in LA where hispanics seem to outnumber us gringos (PC???) and Mexican restaurants outnumber McDonalds. As usual, I stick with the basics the first time I visit a restaurant to see if they can get them right before moving on to more complex dishes.

Queso Blanco

We ordered the small guacamole ($3.79) and the highly touted white cheese dip (queso blanco – small – $3.79). The guacamole was very good, made with fresh avocado and NO TOMATO, well seasoned and a fair portion for the prices. The queso blanco was also scrummy as advertised, warm and well seasoned, but not too hot as my wife does not like her food too spicy. I had the 27 ounce margarita (on the rocks – $4.99) which was good, strong, and very reasonably priced, and my wife had the horchata, a Mexican rice-base drink which was a bit watery for our taste.

Quesadilla

My wife ordered the vegetarian special #1, a cheese quesadilla and cheese and onion enchilada (with queso blanco instead of red sauce – she hates tomatoes – $7.49), coming with retired beans. It is difficult to screw-up a quesadilla and El Mezcal was no exception. The enchilada was good, but the beans rather bland, missing that fatty taste traditional refried beans emanate hence the name “refried”.

Beef Tacos ala Carte

I decided to forego the rice and beans and get down to brass tacks, ordering the beef tacos ($3.99) and cheese and onion enchiladas ($5.79) ala carte. The tacos came in prefab shells, normally a dead giveaway for bad food, but they were actually pretty good. The ground beef was well seasoned, the shells not too soft, not too crispy, holding up well to the punishment my teeth inflicted, with a little lettuce and plenty of white cheese. Their menu mentions “juicy tomato”, but there were none in my tacos, my only complaint other than the prefab shells. I saved some guacamole for my tacos and added their salsa which was pretty good, making up for the lack of tomatoes.

Cheese and Onion Enchiladas ala Carte

The cheese and onion enchiladas were tasty, but so tough (yes, tough) that I could not cut them with a fork and my knife even had difficulty at times. I like burnt, crispy cookies and brownies, so I actually enjoyed the crunchiness. It was obvious that they had been either broiled or microwaved too long BEFORE adding the enchilada sauce, which was actually very good. My only other recommendations would be to flash fry the tortillas before filling them, adding the sauce and some white cheese on top before putting them under the broiler to melt. There was also about 50% too much sauce, a waste of money considering the fact that I left much of it on my plate.

El Mezcal was a nice surprise after the ho-hum experience we had at the Iowa Street location. The decor is colorful and reminiscent of old Mexico complete with a small fountain and the service attentive, friendly, and fast. Not my favorite Mexican restaurant in Lawrence, but we will return from time to time for the cheap, abundant margaritas if nothing else.

CombatCritic Gives El Mezcal 7 Out of 10 Bombs … BOMBAS ARE BUENAS!

Key Words: El Mezcal. el, mezcal, Mexican, restaurant, food, eat, taco, enchilada, guacamole, margarita, burrito, Lawrence, Kansas, 66044, CombatCritic, TravelValue, travel, value

Absence From Amanda’s Fonda Does Not Make The Heart Grow Fonda

An old haunt, had to try it again after. 6 years in the Midwest … Tacos, enchiladas, you know the drill. 
It was only 4:30pm, but no hostess and just one server? We waited 10 minutes until she arrived, then she had 5-6 other tables to wait on, made the margaritas, and probably cooked the food. Hardly ever saw her.

The shredded beef tacos were OK, little meat or cheese. The cheese and onion enchilada was decent, but the sauce rather bland. Chips thin and tasty, salsa very good, the guacamole was a bit pricey for the size so we steered away.

Remembered the food being better … Absence does not necessarily make the heart fonder! Ever been back to your high school? Disappointing, but you still have fond memories.

CombatCritic Gives Amanda’s Fonda 6 Out of 10 Bombs … BOMBS ARE GOOD!

Don’t Trust Me … Check out Amanda’s Fonda On yelp!

Key Words: Amanda’s Fonda, Amanda, Fonda, fonder, taco, taco, enchilada, burrito, eat, food, restaurant, lunch, dinner, CombatCritic, Yelp, Foursquare, combat, critic, TravelValue, travel

El Tapatio; Good, Cheap Mexican Food … and Potent Margaritas … Near Rincón, Puerto Rico

El Tapatio – Comida Mexicana
PR-115, KM 20
Aguada, Puerto Rico
$$$$$

Margarita – $6.25

Unassuming from the outside, we decided to give El Tapatio a try after some so-so dining experiences in the Rincón area. It lies on the East side of PR-115 just a mile or two South of downtown Aguada in an area that is mostly residential with the odd kiosk Criollo here and there. The food was very good, the prices fair, and the margaritas very strong … they sure don’t skimp on the tequila!

We started with the carne y queso (meat and cheese) nachos  ($3.50), a 4 ounce guacamole ($2), and a large pico di gallo ($2). The nachos were not huge, but tasty, coming in a cardboard serving tray with homemade chips, generous portions of ground beef, and smothered in melted cheese. The guacamole not too bad and that is coming from the GUACAMOLE KING and the pico de gallo fresh and spicy. All three starters were a very good value.

Tacos Duros – $1.60 Each

For dinner we shared a cheese and beef quesadilla ($4.50), two tacos duros (hard tacos – $1.60 each), and a beef and cheese enchilada ($4.75). The tacos were good, especially with some guacamole and pico added. The quesadilla hot and decent, and the enchilada (which came with a small portion of refried beans) substantial and delicious.

Beef and Cheese Enchilada – $4.75

A surprisingly good dinner for $32, including two margaritas ($6.25), that were some of the most potent I have had in recent memory.

CombatCritic Gives El Tapatio 7 Out of 10 Bombs … BOMBAS ARE BUENAS!

Key Words: El Tapatio, el, tapatio, Mexican, food, restaurant, eat, taco, enchilada, burrito, quesadilla, nacho, margarita, CombatCritic, Aguada, Puerto Rico, TravelValue

Taco Rico (Punta Santiago, PR): Nothing Fancy, But A Very Good Value

Taco Rico
Punta Santiago, Puerto Rico
$$$$$

 A small restaurant where you order at the counter, then they bring you your food. Our hosts, Tony and Bonnie, recommended Taco Rico, so we had to give it a try. It’s a small place on Route 3 adjacent to a bar/ nightclub.

The owners are very friendly and the men spoke limited English, so our poor Spanish was put to the test. Tacos are $2, burritos $3.75-$5, burgers under $4. A whole meal including drink easily had for under $7.

Our hosts, Tony and Bonnie, recommended Taco Rico, so we had to give it a try. It’s a small place on Route 3 adjacent to a bar/ nightclub.

The microwave was broken, thank heavens, so quesadillas and burgers weren’t an option. So we went with the namesake tacos. The shells were pre-fab, but the cheese, tomatoes, and lettuce were fresh and the meat flavorful. I had a beef burrito and at $3.75 was a great tasting value with beef, beans, lettuce, tomato and cheese. The salsa was “butt-burning” good, coming in a squeeze bottle.

Taco Rico is nothing fancy, but was a very good value, hence my rating …

CombatCritic Gives Taco Rico 7 Out of 10 Bombs … BOMBAS ARE BUENAS!

Key Words: taco, rico, Taco Rico, Punta Santiago, punta, santiago, Puerto Rico, puerto,Mexican, food, taco, burrito, hamburger, CombatCritic, TravelValue

Taco Rico Is Cheap and Muy Bueno!

Punta Santiago, Puerto Rico: Taco Rico is a small restaurant where you order at the counter, then they bring you your food. Our hosts, Tony and Bonnie, recommended Taco Rico, so we had to give it a try. It’s a small place on Route 3 adjacent to a bar/ nightclub. The owners are very friendly and the men spoke limited English, so our poor Spanish was put to the test.

Tacos are $2, burritos $3.75-$5, burgers under $4. A whole meal including drink easily had for under $7.

The owners were very friendly and the men spoke limited English, so our poor Spanish was put to the test. The microwave was broken, thank heavens, so quesadillas and burgers weren’t an option. So we went with the namesake tacos,

The shells were pre-fab, but the cheese, tomatoes, and lettuce were fresh and the meat flavorful. I had a beef burrito and at $3.75 was a great tasting value with beef, beans, lettuce, tomato and cheese. The salsa was “butt-burning” good, coming in a squeeze bottle.

For two dinners, a soft drink and two cervezas the bill came to under $15. Simple and unobtrusive, Taco Rico is nothing fancy, but was a very good value, hence my rating …

CombatCritic Gives Taco Rico 7 Out of 10 Bombs … BOMBAS ARE BUENAS!

Key Words: Taco Rico, taco, rico, rich, burrito, hamburger, French, fries, travel, value, CombatCritic, TravelValue, Punta Santiago, Puerto Rico, 

El Potro (The Colt): Free Cheese Dip and More Scrummy Surprises

LAWRENCE, KANSAS

Lawrence, Kansas

EL POTRO
2351 W 31st St Lawrence, KS 66047‎

(785) 331-2500

Website

Cheese Quesadilla with Guacamole and Pico di Gallo

I found El Potro on Yelp and with such good reviews, we decided to give it a try … AND ARE WE GLAD WE DID!

Sunday is our weekly DINNER OUT night and boy were we surprised when we pulled into the parking lot to find a sea of cars … and a restaurant full of people. Sunday night dinner out in Lawrence is normally so quiet, you could be heard whispering three tables away. Not at El Potro! The restaurant used to be a fast food stop of some sort, so the atmosphere is as to be expected, nothing special and a little brighter (in lumen) than I would like.

We were quickly greeted and seated with the waiter dropping by to take drink orders and the busboy dropping off chips, salsa … AND FREE WHITE CHEESE DIP? That is correct, free chili con queso blanco for everyone! Many Lawrence Mexican restaurants charge for chips and salsa, a practice unheard of in nearly six decades and hundreds of Mexican restaurants all over the United States, so free chips and cheese dip was a welcome sight. Not only do they give you free cheese dip, it is a decent size bowl, not a cup.

Cheese and Onion Enchilada ala Carte

My wife ordered orchata, a sweet rice-based drink from Mexico that tastes like rice pudding with hints of cinnamon. I decided to go with the 22 ounce margarita (frozen with salt) special, at $6 not a bad deal, but the same price as the menu option. Not much of a special, but it was quite delicious and with more alcohol than most Lawrence restaurants so far. As usual, I have a built-in designated driver in my tea-toting wife, so I was able to enjoy my drink without concern. We also decided to try the guacamole, a good predictor of quality Mexican food. At close to $6.00, it had better be good and it was. Not as good as mine or the best restaurant guac I have had, but plentiful and tasty with just a few chopped tomatoes on top to add color to the appetizer. It was a nice accompaniment to the cheese dip, chips, and salsa.

Deep-Fried Shredded Beef Tacos, Rice, & Boracho Beans

I decided to go with the usual first visit tacos and enchiladas, so I ordered the deep fried shredded beef tacos ($8.99 – you can also get ground beef or chicken) and a cheese and onion enchilada ala carte. The tacos were crispy, the beef was well seasoned, and there was plenty of lettuce and cheese in addition to the standard rice and beans. The shells were pliable enough to add some excess guacamole, pico di gallo (from my wife’s order – she hates tomatoes), and some salsa without falling apart when I bit in. I chose the borracho (“drunk” in Spanish) beans instead of the refried beans and it was a good choice. They were soupy and well seasoned, a nice change to the usual smashed, refried variety. Off to a good start! The enchilada, came on a separate plate, was quite big, and pleasing to the eye with a colorful accompaniment of sauce, cheese, lettuce and tomato. The enchilada sauce was spicy, but not overly so and the ratio of cheese to onion to sauce was perfect. I have had better tasting enchilada sauces over the years, but it was good nonetheless.

Beef Fajita Burrito with Rice and Pico do Gallo

Our friend had the beef fajita burrito which was not huge, but enough to fill her with the accompanying rice and beans. My wife ordered the cheese quesadilla which came with more guacamole and the pico di gallo mentioned earlier. Quesadillas are pretty boring to begin with and hers were no exception. Flour tortilla and melted cheese … YAAAAAAAAWN … need I say more.

El Potro was a pleasant experience because I thought I had found the only good Mexican restaurant in Lawrence in Tortas Jalisco. Now we have two options for our weekly MEXICAN NIGHT and El Potro is a welcome delight. Reasonable prices, excellent, service, quality food, decent drinks, and FREE CHEESE DIP, CHIPS, AND SALSA … HOOAH!

CombatCritic Gives El Potro 7 out of 10 Bombs … Bombs Are Good!

Key Words: El Potro, Mexican, restaurant, eat, food, taco, enchilada, burrito, chimichanga, rice, beans, cheese, pico di gallo, tortilla, chips, salsa, CombatCritic, Lawrence, Kansas

La Familia … Mediocre Mexican Food and Watered Down Margaritas

La Familia … Mediocre Mexican Food and Watered Down Margaritas

La Familia Cafe and Cantina
733 New Hampshire St
Lawrence, KS 66044
(785) 749-0105

Prices: $$$$$

La Familia is a small restaurant with friendly service and decent food. Being a Mexican food junkie from SoCal and used to some of the best Mexican food north of the border, I have high standards. La Familia failed to meet those standards, at least on our first visit.

I ordered the large guacamole, trusting the server when she said it would be “just right” for two … it was enough for four and at $7+ not a total bargain. It was tasty even though we ended uo taking half of it home.  I also tried the margaritas, an impressive 16 ounces for $5 but lacking ANY noticeable alcohol content (isn’t that the whole idea?). 

My wife is Italian and not a big fan of Mexican cuisine, so she usually orders a quesadilla and did not surprise me here. An Italian that hates tomatoes, does not cook (thankfully, I am quite a good cook) and does not drink wine, she makes a great designated driver. Trying to find Mexican food WITHOUT TOMATOES is like trying to find a beach in Greenland … Good luck! The quesadilla was stuffed with tasty sauteed mushrooms, but little, if any, cheese. The name “quesadilla” comes.from the word “queso”, meaning cheese, so you would expect cheese. There was none that we could find, but my wife liked it nonetheless. 

I always order the staples, tacos and enchiladas, when trying a new Mexican restaurant because if they cannot get those right, there is little chance the rest of the food will be with trying. Store-bought chips and pre-fab tacos shells are another dead give away and La Familia did again disappoint, although the tacos were tasty and the shells the large variety, beating out any Mexican restaurant in Lawrence so far (Fuzzy’s Tacos being the exception), but that is not saying much. The cheese and onion enchilada was nothing special. Finally, the “sweet” salsa I had heard so much about was awful, but thankfully they have two other savory and spicy options. 

In all, when a bunch of gringos run a Mexican restaurant, you cannot expect authentic recipes and that was the case at La Familia. We will return and give them another chance only because they are so convenient and my wife liked the chesseless quesadilla. Asta la vista baby!

La Familia gets 5 Out of 10 Bombs … Bombs Are Good!

Key Words: La, Familia, Mexican, restaurant, food, eat, taco, enchilada, burrito, salsa, sweet, guacamole, mediocre, margarita, Lawrence, Kansas, CombatCritic

Taco Mobil Jalapeño Brothers Arthur’s Lounge … It’s a Taco Truck for Cryin’ Out Loud!

Taco Mobil Jalapeño Brothers Arthur’s Lounge … It’s a Taco Truck for Cryin’ Out Loud!

Jalapeño Brothers
World’s Liquor Parking Lot
8108 NW Prairie View Road
Kansas City, MO 64151
816-337-1014

Jalapeño Brothers Facebook Page

Prices: $$$$$

Mobile food trucks have become trendy in recent years, ever since I started the craze with Mobile Joe, a mobile internet cafe business I built literally from the ground up in 2005.  MasterChef, Hell’s Kitchen, and many of the other food-based reality shows inevitably dedicate one or more episodes to a challenge involving food trucks.  A lot has changed since the days of the “food truck” arriving at construction sites with cold sandwiches, luke-warm coffee, and food piled on a bunch of ice.

I am not quite sure what the name of this business is … Taco Mobil? … Jalapeño Brothers? Arthur’s Lounge? … Taco Mobil Jalapeño Brothers?  It really does not matter because you can find this truck, a modified industrial size van to be precise, in the parking lot of World’s Liquor on Prairie View Road between Barry Road to the north and 72nd Street to the south in Kansas City’s Northland.  Up the street from Jaliscos (reviewed elsewhere in this blog) and LC’s, the famous hamburger stand, close to the also well known In a Tub, the greasy spoon, I mean, taco stand, and spitting distance from Saffron Indian Restaurant (also reviewed in this blog), there is no shortage of fast food in this neighborhood.

The menu is short and sweet, although not easy to figure out the first time you see it.  Your options are tacos ($2.00), burritos ($4.00), Torta (a large Mexican sandwich – $6.00), and quesadillas ($5.00) with a choice of meat (carne asada – small chunks of steak, pollo – shredded chicken, al pastor – small pieces of pork with pineapple and onion, and carnitas – shredded roasted pork).  I had the tacos, carne asada and pastor, and as you can see in the photo, they come open-face with just meat and the accompanying salsa verde (green chili sauce) and a guacamole-like concoction that looks more like avocado salad dressing, if it still exists.  I added the cheese because tacos without cheese is like a day without sex, bearable, but definitely better with the sex, I mean cheese.

The tacos were excellent and at $2.00 each, you can gorge yourself for the price of an appetizer at most restaurants.  As I said, they come only with meat on a warm corn tortilla, the way they are served south of the border.  No rice, no beans, just good tacos with an abundance of protein for the carnivore in you.  I will try the burrito, torts, and quesadilla on future visits, likely once a week from now on. 

They apparently also serve tamales and fish tacos because a sign on the truck says so, but I did not see a price or anybody ordering them.  I do not think they have drinks, but World’s Liquor is right there, so you should be able to find something to your liking, like a cold Tecate con sal e limon … YUM … minus the salt and lemon I am sure!

I will update this review as I sample more of the small menu … very soon … Ole’!

Jalapeño Brothers gets 8 BOMBS OUT OF 10 for quality food, abundant portions (I saw a torts … grande!), and extremely reasonable prices!

Key Words: jalapeño, brothers, mobil, mobile, taco, tacos, burrito, torts, quesadilla, tamale, fish, carne asada, carnitas, pastor, food, truck, comabtcritic, World’s, liquor, Northland, Kansas City, 64151

Title:Taco Mobil Jalapeño Brothers Arthur’s Lounge … It’s a Taco Truck for Cryin’ Out Loud!

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On the Border … Surprisingly Good for a Chain!

On The Border – Barry Rd.

8340 NW Roanridge Rd.

Kansas City, MO 64151

Website: OnTheBorder.com
Phone: 816-759-2270

Price: $$$$$

I usually do not review chain restaurants, but I was pleasantly surprised on a recent visit to On The Border, a Mexican restaurant chain found many places across the country.

I decided to go because I was havin’ a hankerin’ for tacos that evening and recalled hearing the TV commercial about their “Endless Tacos”.  I am not usually a fan of “all you can eat” restaurants and promotions because I tend to to just that … eat all I can…AND MORE!

It was a Saturday night and the place was packed, but only had to wait ten minutes for a table.  I was greeted by Kelsie, a lovely and personable young lady who just graduated from Northwest Missouri State and is planning on becoming a registered nurse…BRAVO Kelsie!

I ordered a house margarita, the Guacamole Viva!, and Endless Tacos, but being rather busy it took ten minutes or so to get my margarita.  It was tasty enough, but a little “light” on alcohol for the price.

Kelsie arrived shortly thereafter with my Guacamole Viva! which she prepared tableside with two ripe avocados, a little salt, fresh cilantro, diced red onion (I would have used white onion), a splash of lime juice, and chopped tomato.  I am “The Guacamole King” and famous for my delicious guacamole.  A guacamole purist at heart,  I normally ditch the tomatoes (usually a filler in restaurants to make it look like you are getting more, but paying mostly for the much cheaper tomatoes), use finely chopped white onion, and added a clove of garlic or two.  Guacamole Viva! was good nonetheless, but the chips (and salsa) that came with my meal were too thin and broke half the time I dipped…very unnerving!

The Endless Tacos come with spanish rice and beans, black or refried.  You get three (your first go-around) and get to choose from three meats, ground beef, shredded chicken, or pulled pork (carnitas for you non-gringos).  You also get your choice of tortilla, corn or flour, soft or deep fried.  I chose two ground beef tacos in fried corn tortillas and one pork in a soft flour tortilla.  I also dispensed with the rice, knowing that I was not going to waste a bit of room on the cheap “filler” and go for the gusto with the tacos … AND I DID!

The beef tacos were excellent, coming with plenty of meat, some shredded cheddar cheese, and a small amount of lettuce and tomato on the plate (for all three tacos – more tomatoes required!).  I added some refried beans, guacamole, and salsa to the beef tacos and they were excellent!  Unlike Jalisco, which I reviewed a week or so back, the taco shells remained firmly in one piece, a sign of an expert taco maker and the way I prefer them. 

The pork (carnitas) tacos were also very good.  The meat was bountiful and cooked just right, there was a little cheese (I would have liked a bit more), and the tortilla much larger than the corn and toasted just enough to remain pliable, but soft enough to contain the beans, guacamole, and salsa I added.

In all, the meal was very good and I ended-up getting seven tacos.  You should know that after the initial “three” tacos, subsequent “endless tacos” come only in pairs of two, so my second order was a replica of the first, but I only ended-up getting two beef tacos.  I had to order the other pork taco later, but when it arrived there were two, so I took home the seventh taco along with the extra guacamole fro lunch the next day.

I must say that the highlight of my meal was Kelsie. She was sweet and attentive, following up just enough and not too much to make my meal enjoyable and stress free.  Best of luck to you Kelsie in your nursing career!  If you are as good a nurse as you are a server, your patients will be in very good hands!

CombatCritic gives On The Border 6 BOMBS OUT OF 10 … BOMBS ARE GOOD! 

Key Words: on the border, on, border, Kansas City, northland, barry, road, mexican, food, restaurant, eat, taco, enchilada, margarita, burrito, flauta, bar, combatcritic, combat, critic

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