Name Change!! La Cenaduria de Ana = Santo Coyote

[sarvey]

Went to La Cenaduria de Ana tonight. Guess it's been a while. Apparently the owner and some taco truck folks with a similar name got into some legal bind, so Ana of La Cenaduria changed the name to Santo Coyote. A fresh coat of paint and a new menu (which looked pretty much the same as I remembered it) were part of the deal.

The food was as delicious and reasonably priced as always. Such an incredible deal for home cooked Mexican food. I can't recommend it highly enough.

On International Blvd. between 49th and 48th.

[rworange]

Hey, thanks for the report. I was wondering about that place. Funny name. There are some good Guatamalan tamale vendors across the street on the weekends in the morning. Any specific recommendations?

[sarvey]

I'm a sucker for the lengua en salsa verde (tongue in green sauce). I love it, but I know it is not for everyone. My husband always get a big plate of rice and some kind of meat thing such as a pork chop. I've seen the tostadas and they look great. And alot of folks in there oder soup. The handmade corn tortillas and smooth refried beans are the deal clincher--superb!

[rfneid]

You're right about the refried beans. They're wonderful. I love it that they give you a little bowl with your chips & salsa. I've had excellent mojarra frita there also. It's been a little uneven though - occasionally a bit over-cooked.

[Stephanie Wong]

After a lengthy absence, my husband and I ate there 2 nights ago . We too were surprised by the name change, new paint job, gussied up booths and menu, and lack of lighting in the kitchen. When the much anticipated refried beans arrived with the chips and salsa, alarms went up -- thick & pasty, flavorless beans. We asked about Ana Rosa and got the same story as OP so we ordered our usual dishes anyway -- big mistake.

The medium-sized fried fish ala diabla was undersized which could be attributed to price increases, but this sauce was more akin to the red sauce found in '50s Chinese sweet & sour pork! Weird.

My birria en su jugo was totally different from what I had so enjoyed on previous occasions. While the broth was tasty, this time the meat was tough and flavorless!

The biggest disappointment were the heavy, yellow-colored "corn" tortillas. Previously, they had been housemade every morning -- light and very full of corn flavor.

Then I realized we were the only diners in the place. Previously, a couple of other booths would have been occupied by families with young children, youthful couples, or a couple of Oakland cops taking a caldo break. In addition, none of the letters thanking Ana Rosa for her contributions to community groups and service projects were to be found.

What happened to the previous cooks?

Too bad -- this used to be one of my favorite places. Not any more.

[rfneid]

It's really sad to hear this. As I said earlier, dishes could be a bit uneven, but this sounds beyond just uneven - it sounds like a major downhill alert. I'm particularly sad about the refritos & tortillas - they were always so delicious. I guess I won't go back.

[sarvey]

I had the opposite experience than you Stephanie. I did not notice a difference in the refritos or the tortillas. And it was full of families and what appeared to be working folk. I wouldn't write it off yet, rfneid. As you noted, it can be hit or miss. For me, the hits are worth it.

[Stephanie Wong]

When were you there? We were eating about 7:30 p.m. on a Thursday -- our usual time.

[sarvey]

Oh! Were you there with husband and little boy perhaps? I thought I was there about 6pm. Funny how we could have had such different experiences, no? I was there with my husband. Hmmm, subjectivity.

[Stephanie Wong]

Maybe they ran out of the good beans and we got the thick, pasty flavorless fill-in?

Chips were still good and service was better than usual -- although the very cute waitress almost overcharged us (an easy to understand miscommunication) which was corrected quickly.

[rfneid]

Thanks, Sarvey - on your recommendation I'll give it another try.

[Ruth Lafler]

Thanks. I went there once and was completely underwhelmed, but I undoubtedly didn't order the right things.

-----
Santo Coyote
4806 International Blvd, Oakland, CA 94601

[sarvey]

I wouldn't feel too bad, Ruth, from the number of different items they offer, I get the feeling you could go very wrong here. I have always wanted to try the mojarra frita, rfneid, but never saw anyone get fish there so I just steered clear. I'll have to try it. It seems like a family run restaurant with absolutely no pretensions. Telemundo is on the tv set up on the wall and most folks there have their kids with them. A little kid who was in some way associated with the owners was playing waiter for a bit. I also noticed a sign about a M-F happy hour from 12-5. Didn't ask about it because I can't make it. I think there were deals on drinks and food, which is odd because I don't remember them serving alcohol. Hmm.

[rworange]

Did you remember what you tried Ruth? I looked around and the only mention I could find other than your comments that you were underwhelmed was this link from another posterposter who wrote ...
http://www.chowhound.com/topics/32605...

"La Cenaduria de Ana Rosa on International and 48th is a little hole in the wall with specialties from Jalisco and it is very good. . .I especially like her enchiladas and posole rojo. . .make sure to check the specials boards as they usually have one or two gems on them."

The fried fish might not be bad given there is a certain Central American flavor in that block.

Someone who did an intelligent report ... elsewhere on the web ... mentioned a good Pipian de Pollo. And someone else mentioned they have michaladas.

[Ruth Lafler]

No, I don't remember -- I just remember thinking that at least one item was kind of watery. And I guess I didn't do a report. Bad chowhound!

[Marc Wallace]

Stumbled across this place quite by accident today (stupid brain, thinking the restaurant area was around 48th instead of 38th.. sigh). The enchiladas were indeed tasty, both the picadillo and pollo, and my pastor huarache was huge and well-balanced. Nearby tables were having puposas and beer, but I didn't have room to try a puposa.

The rice and beans, though.. not particularly special.

[rfneid]

One day when I was there for lunch, two young men came in - one with a violin, one with a guitar. They played & sang (beautifully) while I was there. They never passed the hat, so were obviously doing it for fun. It was quite a treat.

I must say that Ruth's experience is not surprising. As with the fish, I've had other things (don't remember what) that were less that sterling.

[Eat_Nopal]

"Funny Name"

The name was lifted from an iconic restaurant in Guadalajara (which apparently has gone downhill in the last 7 years): http://www.santocoyote.com/