Tag Archives: Mexican

Paletas of Summer

Posted on July 18, 2011 by | Leave a comment

cantaloupe paletas
What could be better on a hot summer’s day than a fresh made ice pop, maybe even with a dash of alcohol? Yum!
See my post at SmokySweet.com – Paletas of Summer.

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Of Clericots and Micheladas

Posted on November 8, 2010 by | 1 Comment

clericot
There was much tequila drank in Mexico (although not actually as much as I anticipated, for which my liver is thankful) but there were a couple of interesting alcoholic beverages consumed as well, and I wanted to share.

The first was a lunch menu that served up the treat above – a giant goblet of clericot. It appears to be the Central American version of sangria with red wine, apple juice, and mineral water – and tequila. It was so boozy and fruity I thought clericot must certainly be Spanish for “panty-remover”.

This blog post is the best explanation that I can find (no entry on wikipedia yet), describing it as:

a drink the British took to South America as “claret cup”, which later became “clericot”. According to Darcy O’Neal it was the punch of choice for parties and the drink most enjoyed by the British in the 1800′s. It’s very similar to the Spanish “sangria” and it basically consists of wine with some sort of fruit and a sweetener (usually white sugar). Hundreds of different “sangria” and “clericot” recipes can be found on the net. Actually in Brazil, Uruguay and Argentina, as far as I know, the main difference between “sangria” and “clericot” is that the later is prepared with white wine (regular and/or sparkling), while in the former reds are used.

No mention of tequila in this recipe (or in any of the other googled ones, in fact) but experience has proven that cocktails are not as they are supposed to be in Cabo. A few days later I had a hankering for a Michelada, a drink that I’ve had at the Diamond in Gastown and which is supposed to contain beer, lime juice, sauces, spices and tomato or Clamato juice. What came to the table was a shot of tequila in a pint glass with a can of Tecate on the side. Not classy, but no one goes to Cabo for the culture.

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Posted in Mexican, Travel

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Topanga Cafe Tex-Mex

Posted on October 12, 2010 by | 5 Comments

Comida
Vancouver World Tour > Americas> Tex-Mex.

One can go on and on about the authentic Mexican restaurants but sometimes people just want Mexican food with an American flavour, also known as Tex-Mex. Also known as cheese.

Tex-Mex is a style of fusion cuisine, combining the flavours of California and Texas with Mexico. It is characterized by heavy cheese on almost everything, loads of sour cream and guacamole. It’s the kind of cuisine that causes first time visitors to Mexico to do a double-take at their near dairy free-fish tacos or chicken mole and wonder what’s going on.

Tamale

I love cheese, don’t get me wrong. but in Vancouver I most often end up at Doña Cata or La Taqueria with their homemade sauces weighing down juicy tortillas but one weekend after diving, Matt and I were starving and cold and the thought of bulging, cheesy burritos was very comforting. In Vancouver, the best place for these, in my estimation, is at the Topanga Cafe.

Two cervezas, chips and salsa, a tamale and an enchilada later and we were sated. Under the cheese and sour cream layers, the tamale had shredded chicken (my favorite) in the corn dough coating and was quite tasty while the enchilada had chunks of white breast meat wrapped in a tortilla. I pretty much hate white breast meat and even under the dairy blankets, this one was dry. Luckily I had ordered the combo, so between the Corona and the refried beans covered in cheese, I was very happy. All the same, next time I’ll get the beef, or make sure the chicken is shredded.

And with that, we’re off to Mexico, where we will have many more cervezas and hopefully some excellent ethnic eats as well.

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Topanga Cafe
2904 West 4th Ave, Vancouver

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Barrio, Seattle

Posted on October 4, 2010 by | Leave a comment

ceviche

The first time I walked into Barrio in Seattle, it was late at night, raining and I was by myself. The sleek grey decor and wall of candlelight were beautiful and inviting, but it wasn’t meant to be – they were just closing and so I found myself a block farther down at Cafe Presse (Le Pichet‘s Capitol Hill establishment) with an Armagnac and a plate of charcuterie. I’ve been trying to get back and a late summer sun-soaked afternoon after a scuba dive in Edmonds was the perfect opportunity.

cazuela
I ordered a trio of tacos – pork loin al pastor, shredded chicken in adobo sauce and Tecate beer-battered cod – without realizing that they meant you to have three of the same kind of taco. No matter, they were more than happy to honor that request, as well as the one for a ceviche and crudo sampler. The raw combo came out first; raw scallop & prawn and halibut “cooked” in lime juice for the ceviche and tuna crudo with salt and lime. It was refreshing and suited the evening, but the ramekins of each type were quite small and difficult to get the goods out with the delicate plantain chips.

tacos

Sun streamed in through the open doors and I didn’t even care that my hair was full of sea water. To drink I had some lovely summer cocktail – the special – with gin and lemon and angostura. Matt had less luck, first trying a jalapeño marg that muddled the sour notes of both chili and lime, rather than the flavourful ones. This was followed by a Pacifico in a bottle – Pacifico only because they were out of Corona and Tecate. Guess they used it all up on the beer-battered cod.

By the time we got our mains things were looking up. My tacos were excellent, being the right mix exactly of sloppy and juicy without falling apart, although I could have used some more traditional variations of filler. The side of beans that came with, though! Traditional or not, I will take them. They’re baked beans in sauce with more of that Tecate beer and bacon and they were just heavenly. Matt had a cazuela - chorizo, egg and cheese with fried potatoes, guacamole and tomato and hot sauce baked in a clay dish and served with tortillas. It didn’t pique my interest all that much (possibly because I think I can count on one hand the number of times I’ve had eggs for dinner) but it was sure tasty.  The smoky sausage / fluffy eggs / piquant hot sauce combo is one I could definitely get behind. Especially at breakfast.

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Barrio
1420 12th Avenue, Seattle

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Cooking Mexican with Raul

Posted on June 7, 2010 by | 5 Comments

Around Vancouver in 52 Restaurants > Americas > Mexico

I hadn’t seen Raul in a while, or cooked anything delicious, so we got together and he showed me how to make a couple of his favorite Mexican dishes, sopa azteca and chili rellenos. Yum! They’re delicious, so I wanted to publish them for you.

To make the chili rellenos, wash the poblano peppers (as many as you want to serve…probably 2 medium-sized peppers per person) and cut a little “window” in them, for stuffing. Pull out all the seeds, so they’re clean inside and then make some rice – about 1 cup per 4 peppers, depending on the size. It’s possible to add ground beef as well but we made a vegetarian version. Preheat the oven to 350.

In the meantime, start making the soup by dicing a medium onion and 5 or 6 cloves of garlic and sauteing them until the onions are translucent.  Purée 10 medium size tomatoes, adding a small can of salsa and then the onion and garlic mix. When it’s a consistent texture, transfer the whole lot to a stock pot.  Add 1/2 L of chicken stock, 1/2 tsp of chili powder (we used chipotle), a dash of cumin, a dash of sage and some salt to taste. Bring to a boil, then simmer for 15-20 minutes (or keep warm until the chili rellenos are done).

When the rice is ready, scoop as much as possible into each pepper and top with some salsa verde and Mexican cheese. Pop them in the oven for about 45 minutes until the peppers are soft and tender.

Garnish the soup with some fresh avocado pieces, crushed tortilla chips and some shredded/crumbled cheese. And make sure to serve with plenty of Negra Modelos and tequila of course.

Salud!

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El Caracol Central American Cafe

Posted on March 13, 2010 by | 2 Comments

sopa de mariscos
Around Vancouver in 52 Restaurants > Americas > Central America

When I posted about El Rinconcito, Kim had a couple more places for me to try, so as soon as the Olympics were over, I headed over to Victoria Drive to check out El Caracol. Admittedly, this one has been on my list for a while (since I first drove past it on my way to Doña Cata) and now that I finally made it in, I’ll be back for sure. Specialties from across Central America dot the menu, from Mexico, El Salvador, and Honduras.

honduran tacos
I started off with an avocado milkshake, creamy and rich without being sweet. I don’t have much of a sweet tooth, so I’ll definitely have this again (although next time I might check out what the “oat” flavour is all about). The photos on the menu are deceiving – or at least they were to my tired, end of week eyes – because I ordered the Honduran tacos AND the sopa de mariscos (seafood soup) and it turns out they’re both huge. You’re set for a great, cheap dinner here if you’re starving, but if you’re not a big eater you might want to scale back a bit. The tacos – ground beef, tomato and red onion on a hard corn tortilla – were flavourful and tasty but the soup was a marvel. It had mussels, fish, prawns and a crab leg in a fragrant broth with Mexican rice on the side, as well as a stack of tortillas (although how you’re supposed to wrap soup in a tortilla is beyond me). I was so full I could hardly move, but I was still able to have a last look at the menu and plan for my next visit.

El Caracol Cafe on Urbanspoon
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El Caracol
5190 Victoria Drive, Vancouver

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Tacos Guaymas – Another Roadside Attraction

Posted on February 15, 2010 by | 1 Comment

chimichanga

I’m not really a fan of junk food – or “road food” as Tom Robbins calls it in Another Roadside Attraction – which makes heading out on a road trip somewhat less exciting in the eating department. Last year, however, a friend introduced me to Tacos Guaymas which has become a required stop on every trip south of the border. They’ve got plenty of locations, including several in Seattle, but Burlington and Everett are the ones that seem to tie in well after waiting in the border line up.
carnitas platillo

Tacos Guaymas is a chain of fast food (for lack of a better word) restaurants, but rather than serving up processed, wilted dishes, the food is fresh and very authentic. They’ve got one of those menus that goes on and on with specials on coloured paper tacked on to the bottom and sides and it includes all the standard Mexican fare like tacos, burritos, carne asada, chimichanga, and enchiladas, etc. but I’ve also had the meat plate (above) and ceviche and others and not once been disappointed. The portions are enormous – truly trucker-sized – so consider yourself warned. It’s easy to get carried away ordering and then have to stretch out in the car for a couple of hours until you get to where you’re going.

burrito

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Tacos Guaymas
590 S Burlington Blvd, Burlington
1814 112th St SE, Everett

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Las Tortas Mexican Sandwiches

Posted on February 8, 2010 by | 4 Comments

Las tortas

Around Vancouver in 52 Restaurants > Americas > Mexico

Despite what some people think, not everyone likes sandwiches. I, for one, think they’re kind of a boring necessity. That opinion has changed somewhat, however, now that Las Tortas has come on the scene.

According to their website, a torta is more like a hamburger anyways, and comes served on a soft bun called a telera with tomato, cabbage, pickled onions, jalapenos, guacamole, and refried beans. With that as a starting point you can choose from 11 different kinds, from schnitzel to Mayan style chicken breast.

Las tortas sandwich

To order, you pick up a bag and a marker, note your choices and then use that as transport for your lunch. It’s an efficient system that also saves some trouble on pick up orders and picnics.

The pierna sandwich checkbox has seen the most action from me. Pork thigh roasted with Mexican spices is mopped up nicely in the soft bread, although I’m quite fond of chorizo sausage and Oaxaca cheese too.

Las Tortas on Urbanspoon
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Las Tortas
3353 Cambie Street, Vancouver

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Pinche Taqueria

Posted on February 4, 2010 by | 2 Comments

la taqueria
Around Vancouver in 52 Restaurants > Americas > Mexico

The first time I went to Mexico wasn’t to a resort, it was to a little town called La Colorada in Sonora. There were no umbrellas in drinks, but there were steaks the size of plates and tequila and tacos. With some local help we went in search of tacos one night, driving down a street that may have been busy during the day but at night was dark and empty save for a small cart and a group of savvy taco-eaters. Full of anticipation, we placed our orders for lengua, carnitas and asada and sat on the still-warm curb trying not to drip salsa on our sneakers.

More than any other Mexican restaurant in Vancouver, La Taqueria reminds me of that experience. On an empty block of Hastings, it feels like a taqueria has been transported straight from Mexico, complete with bottle cap decor and turquoise laminate counter. Except that this “pinche taco shop” as they call it (pinche is slang for Kitchen boy) serves up pastor with braised Chilliwack pork and Pemberton meadows beef tongue lengua.
tacos
They are $2.50 ($2 for veggie) per taco or $$9.50 for four, so I had the tongue, carnitas - pork confit with pickled red onions, pollo con mole – maple hills chicken in three chili mole, and rajas con crema – roasted poblano peppers with creamed corn, sour cream and Mexican cheese. They’re flour tortillas, served with the above ingredients plus cilantro and onion. Lengua was my favorite, although the tang of pickled onion against the meaty pork flavours in the carnitas is hard not to rave about as well. Chicken mole was ok but I regret the poblano choice. Creamed corn and cheese is just not what I expect out of a taco even though it was executed well. I should have had the cachete instead (braised Chilliwack pork cheeks) but I need to have something to save for next time, along with the fish tacos and the special that changes weekly.

Doña Cata has been held the taqueria title for a while now and it’s well worth a trip there as well, but I’m so glad we’re finally getting some more decent Mexican restaurants in town. A third option is Salsa and Agave.

La Taqueria Taco Shop on Urbanspoon
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La Taqueria
322 West Hastings Street, Vancouver

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Salsa and Agave Mexican Grill Serves Up Sunshine and (Some) Spice

Posted on March 5, 2008 by | 8 Comments

carne asada

We were sitting by the window with sunshine streaming in, people and dogs lounging outside, snippets of Spanish coming from the kitchen…and plates of tasty food on the table in front of us. It wasn’t Mexico, but it sure felt close. Instead, it was right around the corner from the office, at the Salsa and Agave Mexican Grill in Yaletown. A cute little Latin eatery on Pacific, it seems like a secret tucked in amongst all the Canada Line scaffolding.

The last time my coworker and I were here we had the mixed tacos – pastor (marinated pork), carne asada (grilled beef tongue), barbacoa (lamb), chorizo (sausage) and vegetariano (green pepper, onion and mushrooms) and were intending on sampling something from the South American section of the menu, only to find out on arrival that the culinary dishes have now been restricted to Mexico. No matter, the tacos – regular style or rolled – are an excellent choice and since one of my favorites last time was the carne asada, I decided to try the Carne Asada plate with chilaquiles verdes. This is a tender grilled beef dish made from a thin cut of steak and served with fried slices of tortillas soaked in green salsa. At Salsa and Agave, like most traditional Mexican eateries, it also comes with rice and refried beans. Tortilla chips and fresh made salsa are provided at the table in case, like us, you have been thinking about lunch since 8 AM and are about to gnaw your own arm off.

I’ve not had chilaquiles verdes before, but they were delicious and complemented the relatively bland flavour of the rice and beans. Tangy, starchy, and spicy make a delectably simple meal taste well, but the addition of the beef threw me off. It was cooked to a desired tenderness, but it was so bland as to taste like meaty pulp and I got tired of it before I was finished. I much prefer a carne asada that has a bit of spice to it and to compensate, I forked over a lot of my salsa verde onto the meat and that tasted pretty good. This could easily be a matter of personal preference, however. It’s definitely authentic.

jarritos

To drink we had tamarind soda, but there is also a wide variety of tropical juices and pops available, and they also serve homemade horchata, a milky cinnamon, sugar and vanilla drink. They don’t have a liquor license, so dreams of sitting in the sun drinking Coronas will unfortunately be quashed, but it does make it a little easier to get back to work.

Salsa & Agave Mexican Grill on Urbanspoon

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Salsa & Agave Mexican Grill
1223 Pacific Boulevard, Vancouver

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Posted in Latin, Mexican

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