Mexican Food

[alohabear]

Re: Mexican Food

All this talk about Mexican Food makes me hungry , it also make me think. Is all the food you're describing truly Mexican or more of a Tex/Mex Blend? I ask this because of what I saw on the Travel Channel's Taste of America. They were saying that most Mexican food served in America is really Tex/Mex and to find an authentic Mexican meal in the USA is a rare treat.

[NoCal Boy]

Re: Mexican Food

One of my other favorite places is yet another chain called Chevy's, which has great food and is an actual restaurant. They have a machine that's constantly warming up chips, so you always get warm chips, and the salsa is just amazing. All their food is great.

The chips at Chevy's are indeed fresh and kept in a drawer warmer until served, but the true highlight for me is.... "El Machino"!!! This Goldbergian device is usually given a place of honor within the dining room, where an employee feeds a small ball of dough into one end, and diners are able to witness it being flattened, baked in a unique corkscrew-like glass oven, and finished on a conveyor belt to a waiting paper bag before being delivered fresh to the table - all within minutes. I usually make the excuse that "the baby wants to see it" and we spend too long watching it go. I think I like the tongue-in-cheek name most of all - it still cracks me up every time I say it out loud

For a chain, Chevy's puts out consistently fresh and tasty, if not 100% authentic, food and is *extremely* family friendly - check 'em out when visiting our side of the Pacific if only for the chips and salsa. I also give a thumbs up to Rubios for killer fish tacos. Baja Fresh is OK in a pinch, but for quick Mexican you can't beat a local independent taqueria. Calling one "the best" over another is cause for huge debate around these parts.

Of course, any big city in California, if not the entire southwest US, will have a large latino population and by happy circumstance a ton of good, authentic and usually cheap Mexican restaurants. I have to admit that I'm too spoiled by this to even attempt eating Mexican in Hawaii while visiting the relatives - but then again we're too busy eating local food anyways!

[glossyp]

Re: Mexican Food

[I]Her stop for breakfast was at Guelaguetza Palms Restaurant, where Chef/Owner Soledad Lopez prepared her signature Mole Negro. She showed several color variations of Mole, a complex, chocolate & chili sauce. There was black (negro), red, yellow and green. If you click that link, you'll see how many different ingredients are needed to make it. Crazy. Sure sounds delizioso.

My auntie is from Mazatlan and I used to help her make mole. It was a labor intensive process. Roast the various ingredients like peppers, nuts, seeds, etc. grind them by hand on a molcajete (Mexican version of mortar & pestle) until it became a thick paste and then cooked it with the other elements of the dish. Truly an amazing sauce. The best mole I've had here that wasn't made by a friend was at El Burrito on Piikoi. It's been nearly two years since I went there though so I cannot vouch for it without a repeat visit.

[Miulang]

Re: Mexican Food

My auntie is from Mazatlan and I used to help her make mole. It was a labor intensive process. Roast the various ingredients like peppers, nuts, seeds, etc. grind them by hand on a molcajete (Mexican version of mortar & pestle) until it became a thick paste and then cooked it with the other elements of the dish. Truly an amazing sauce. The best mole I've had here that wasn't made by a friend was at El Burrito on Piikoi. It's been nearly two years since I went there though so I cannot vouch for it without a repeat visit.

I've made turkey mole a few times in the past. At first, you think chocolate wouldn't taste very good in a savory dish, but adding all the other spices does make it taste delicious with the turkey, surprisingly enough. And it's way easier than making other kinds of mole (plus, if you're lucky, you can find bottled mole in the Latin food section of places like Safeway).

Miulang

[Leo Lakio]

Re: Mexican Food

Amazing what you can do with mole seasoning. Salumi (cured meats made by Mario Batali's father, Armandino) makes a "mole salami" that is just astoundingly good - one thin little slice, and you will taste at least eight different flavors as you chew. Mexican salami, of a sort.

[Pomai]

Re: Mexican Food

So we visited Los Chaparros Mexican Restaurant for that birthday lunch today...



1st pic: They're the sole tenant in a business space on the Mauka side of Beretania st., just around the corner of Long's across the old Stadium on King st..
2nd pic: The kitchen service area near the entrance.
3rd pic: The decor in the main dining area is rather conservative, with a minimal amount of Spanish-themed decorations and two water fountains (the larger one shown). Not pictured is the front section of the restaurant where there are booths instead of open tables in the area shown here. Overall impression was that the housekeeping was excellent. Very clean place.
4th pic: The owner, Mario. His service to us (assisting our waitress) truly enhanced our visit there. He explained his roots in Mexico City, and went into all the details in the preparation of our dishes. Super friendly and very informative about Mexican cuisine!



1st pic: Complimentary (bottomless!) tortilla chips and salsa. The salsa was the the finely-chopped, semi-watery type, with a pronounced chili spice to it. Pretty hot stuff! The chips were light and crispy, with barely any salt on them. Nice.
2nd pic: Jalapeño Wontons (7 pieces), $6.00. Now these were AWESOME! It's basically like a stuffed Jalapeno, except the Jalapeno is placed inside the wonton along with the Jack cheese and deep fried. The dipping sauce tasted like a really RICH Ranch. This isn't traditional Mexican at all, but it sure was Deliciozo!
3rd pic: Super Chaparros Burrito with Shredded Beef (Specialty Item), $10. This basically had everything that's put on the plate in the next set of photos, all wrapped up inside this MASSIVE burrito (as thick as your forearm). Diggin' the Mexican flag toothpick.



1st pic: Chimichanga with Chicken (Border Favorites combo), $8.50.
2nd pic: Quesadilla with Chicken (Border Favorites combo), $8.50.
3rd pic: Carnitas - slow roasted, seasoned pork (Specialty), $13.
4th pic: Papas con Chorizo - Fried potatoes sauteed with Chorizo sausage (Specialty), $11.

All the plated dishes (except the Super Burrito) came with the house Spanish Rice and refried? beans, plus a dollup of salsa with shredded lettuce. The Super Chaparros Burrito had ALL that stuffed in it.

The Carnitas and Chorizo (my dish) included 3 (HOT!) soft flour (or choose corn) tortillas and a side of sour cream and guacamole. The Carnitas also included pico de gallo (sort of a course-chopped salsa).

Speaking only for the Chorizo dish I ordered, it was nice. The chopped-up chorizo sausage added that distinct spicy flavor to the fried potatoes, taking on the red color. The Spanish rice had a lightly seasoned taste with a loose, slightly moist, slightly dry texture, complimenting the beans well. The beans had a standard flavor. I made a small burrito with the tortilla on the first try, but found it that lost the individual flavors of each item. The dish was much better eating each item off the plate in order, but separately. Thumbs up.

I'm not a stickler for "traditional" Mexican, nor would I really know what to look for. Mario did attest to the genuine recipes (from his family) that he uses.

All I can say is that all five of us really enjoyed our lunch here. The prices were reasonable, and it even included free bottomless ice tee drinks as a lunchtime special.

As much as we enjoyed the food, the service by Mario and our waitress made it all the better.

We all agreed this is a place to return and try more things. I'll definately be back to try the Menudo and Chicken Mole.

Los Charappos gets a thumbs up from us!

Note: I'll have full-size images (Flickr has limits) of all this later on my blog.

[christinek]

Re: Mexican Food

Thanks for the great review Pomai. I also really enjoy your blog. You have given me lots of ideas for different places to visit and different things to eat, when we visit...and your pictures are great!

[Pomai]

Re: Mexican Food

Gracious, Christinek!

Here's a close-up of the two specialty dishes we ordered, the Carnitas (1st pic), and Papas con Chorizo (2nd pic). 3rd pic is the right, back-side of the dining area. Witness the wall-mounted waterfall...



Forgot to say that I did get to sample a few pieces of my buddy's Carnitas (pork). It was tender and moist, with a mild spice on it. Personally though, I'd have requested to pour some kind of chili-based sauce over it, like Mole!

See that Toyota Prius parked in front on the first pic of my previous post? That's not our car, but I was thinkin'... instead of it being a "hybrid" vehicle. After eating at a place like this, it should be called a "tri-brid": powered by petroleum, electricity and BEANS!

[glossyp]

Re: Mexican Food

That looks very tasty, Pomai! Nice job. My friend from Mexico City really likes this spot, but I haven't had a chance to try it yet. (The better half is not so fond of Mexican food so I always have to find someone else to join me.)

[Senora]

Re: Mexican Food/ Live Music

More tidbits on Mexico Restaurant on North School Street:

Live Music by ALI GARCIA on Wednesday Nights- around 6:30 PM to 8:30 PM

Live Music by ALI GARCIA on Saturday Nights- around 6:30 PM to 8:30 PM

By the way, as for the food......I like the shrimp enchiladas, and expecially the menudo.

Try the Fried Ice Cream, it's delicioso!!!

Buen Provecho!!!!

Photo of Ali Garcia taken in Mexico Restaurant (North School Street)

[CranBeree]

Re: Mexican Food

<snipped>
Ohhh. Ohhh. I jus wen back an read da deep diva? about no kine Mexicana in Hawaii!!!??? Only if you stay go nowea, den you find no Mexicana.

what the heck are you trying to say????

[sinjin]

Re: Mexican Food

what the heck are you trying to say????

"Look and ye shall find" would be my translation but I'm first semester PSL.

[Palolo lolo]

Re: Mexican Food

Another positive vote for Los Chaparros on S Beretania and Toritos in Market
City.Both offer humongus amounts of excellent food at very reasonable prices.
The spicy corn soup at Los Chaparros is really,really good,but I've never had a bad meal there yet and we've been at least 6 times