382930 Mon Mar 19 21:38:20 -0700 2007 8 2 Los Angeles Area 0 2402477 El Rincon Chilango has to be the most colorful restaurant I have ever seen. You cannot miss it driving down 17th St. Stripes and every color in the rainbow. But what stopped me dead in my tracks was a sign advertising "Tlacoyos." This has been the first time I have ever seen these on a menu. I had first read about them in A Kennedy book - I forget which. Apparently it is a speciality of Mexico City and condsider a Antojito Chilango It is a long oval shaped masa snack that is cooked with a filling inside and a salsa is poured ovver with some salty cheese and cilantro and minced onion. I had never had flor de calabaza or squash blossom before (next time Im trying the haba) so I ordered that. There is a indoor seating area on one half sife of the restaurant with table service. Every table was filled with families eating together on Sunday -eyes affixed on TV Azteca playing up above. After a bit of a wait, sipping on my horchata the plate arrived. Its a pretty unique dish. The masa was made from Maseca but it was crisp and warm. The salsa verde was one of the best I have had - extremely bright and flavorful, interspersed with salty queso fresco. The flor was likely from a can - just ok. This may be one of the only Mexico City style restaurants in the area and has some unique dishes I plan to work my way through, esp. tacos de canasta and the borrego the guy next to me had. http://flickr.com/photos/98128783@N00/ Mon Mar 19 21:38:20 -0700 2007 14086 kare_raisu 1 2409502 Eating Mexican food is always an adventure for me I saw then 'tla' and just assumed tlayudas until I saw the picture. I'm going to have to try a place in my neck of the woods that has them. What is haba? Wed Mar 21 20:16:37 -0700 2007 2402477 10264 rworange 2 2409673 I believe it is the dried fava bean thay turn into refritos. I havent seen it very often. Wed Mar 21 21:43:43 -0700 2007 2409502 14086 kare_raisu 1 3182582 I hit Rincon Chilango today... great job scoping out KR... & thanks. When I looked at the menu I almost shed a tear... they have a quite a variety of so many Antojitos that are hard to find.... Antojito Forms: > Mexico City Style Griddled Quesadillas (handmade from corn masa) > Tacos > Tlacoyos > Huaraches > Gorditas > Sopes > Tacos de Canasta (Steamed "Basket" Tacos... folded corn tortilla, slightly filled then bundled up so they steam with each others heat & hopefully become like dumplings) > Sincronizadas (Two Tortilla Quesadillas with Ham) > Pambazos > Pork Feet Tostadas > Tortas... Very Big Tortas Fillings: > Pressed Chicharron > Queso Fresco > Asada > Beef Tinga > Musrooms > Huitlacoche > Squash Blossoms > Al Pastor > Carnitas > Chorizo > Suadero > Tilapia > Chitlins > Beans > Favas > Potatoes > Shredded Chicken in thin red sauce > Shrimp > Cecina > Fried Egg > Milanesa > Roast Pork > Ham > Head Cheese They also have licuados & agua frescas with the following flavors: > Guava > Papaya > Mango > Pecan > Granola > Rompope > Mamey > Strawberry > Chocolate > Banana > Guanabana > Horchata > Jamaica > Tamarind > Pineapple > Coconut > Canteloupe > Watermelon Juices... Orange, Carrot, Beet, Celery Other interesting things include Esquites (stir fried corn kernels with onion & epazote, stinky cheese & piquin pepper flakes)... sauteed Nopales. Oh yeah... all this represents about half the menu items. For my rating... I will provide two... 1) Compared to other D.F. Style Places in California 2) Compared to Mexico City Boiled Tomatillo, Arbol & Chopped Onion Salsa >>> California.... Outstanding... probably best version I've had >>> Mexico City... Outstanding Huitlacoche Quesadilla >>> California.... Average (doesn't rise above other versions) >>> Mexico City... Substantially Sub Par Shredded Chicken Canasta Taco with Mole Verde >>> California.... Outstanding >>> Mexico City.... Solid Whole Beans, Pungently Seasoned Canasta Taco >>> California.... Very Good >>> Mexico City... Solid Nopales A La Plancha >>> California... Very Good >>> Mexico City.... a little bit disappointing Mamey & Coconut Licuado >>> California... Very Good >>> Mexico City... a little bit below average Wed Dec 05 13:45:03 -0800 2007 2402477 42572 Eat_Nopal 2 3183219 Hm... I'm trying to think of the name of the place I went to on Bristol. I just remember it was more toward South Coast Metro ("we're not in Santa Ana, we're not, we're not!") and the sign says, "Comer aquí como en el D.F.". Wed Dec 05 17:30:18 -0800 2007 3182582 10811 Das Ubergeek 2 3184642 Great Report and I enjoyed seeing the dichotomy of where each dish stands in CA & DF. Regarding the Tacos de Canasta: -Did they come 3 to an order and are they soused with a salsa much like tacos mineros? (Three styles?: Canasta, sudado, minero?) - What kind of beans did they use and what do you suspect they seasoned them with? -Were the Nopales left whole? Thu Dec 06 08:30:30 -0800 2007 3182582 14086 kare_raisu 3 3185160 > Tacos de Canasta were sold individual for a buck... they had 5 different kinds, and not sauced. > Beans were plain old Pintos.... seasoning was roasted garlic, sauteed onion, I believe epazote... and good quality rendered lard. > Nopales were in long slices... if I go back this week, I would probably order the Nopales again... ask for a side of Mole Rojo (just sauce), Chicken Tinga, an agua based licuado and some handmade tortillas. Thu Dec 06 10:58:01 -0800 2007 3184642 42572 Eat_Nopal 4 3185212 I was going to say check out the borrego too - but it may be a weekend only thing. There is a great museum in Santa Ana - i forgot the name of that you should check out if you have time. Thu Dec 06 11:10:36 -0800 2007 3185160 14086 kare_raisu 5 3185497 Yup... Barbacoa on the weekends... as well as Pozole & something else. They had a full seafood menu & other things as well. Thu Dec 06 12:41:26 -0800 2007 3185212 42572 Eat_Nopal