Chow Down Atlanta

I’ve visited countless of times. Really.

Craving for real Mexican food that’s really good? Well, there’s a place for that — Gorditas. Way out OTP. It’s been the only place on my rotation ever since the lovely Ms. Bliss took me there this past winter. Although the place is no longer in business (technically), the menu and the chef have moved to its sister restaurant next door. The food doesn’t taste exactly the same (especially when the original chef isn’t cooking) but it’s still great, nonetheless.

Tacos

Sope

Tostada

Special Burrito

Chilaquiles

Pambazo

Caldo de Res

Molcajete

Quesadilla

Things to note: tortillas are made in-house, fresh, daily. The Sopes are creations of perfection. Get the chicken. The Tostada is a close cousin to the sope and only differs in texture. The Special Burrito is topped with warm, gooey, creamy cheese (dip). The cabeza (head) and tripa (tripe) are both stellar, both seasoned very well with the cabeza being fork-tender and the tripe being very crunchy. Get it on tacos and burritos. The Chilaquiles are the best in town. Choose the red salsa. The Pambazo is a monstrous dish. The Caldo de Res (beef soup) is so hearty, perfect for a rainy day. The Molcajete (the kitchen sink) includes a variety of grilled meats (chicken, shrimp, chorizo, beef, pork), good enough for two, and a great way to try a bunch of different things. The Quesadilla isn’t your run-of-the-mill version with its housemade toasted tortilla.

Guess how many times I’ve been there? This much.

Gorditas La Rancherita
2055 Beaver Ruin Rd
Norcross, GA 30071
(678) 206-0107

Technorati Tags: Mexican, Norcross

They had the best flan pie and chocolate-custard cake. They were baked fresh on the premises. By a lovely woman. I bought whole ones as well as batches regularly and and ate them in one sitting. They sometimes wouldn’t even make it home because I ate them in the car. They. Were. Insane!!!

Tomorrow is when they close their doors to the public. Permanently. But…

404.246.5274

The lovely woman will keep baking my pie and cake. And bread. And goodies. And pupusas. Anytime. Keep this number handy because you will not find it anywhere. Nowhere. Ever.

More here.

La Princesa
formerly known as
La Promesa Bakery

Technorati Tags: bakery, Mexican, flan, custard cake

I have been circling the city for my weekly stash of locally-made totopos. Assi Plaza Duluth didn’t have them, nor did HongKong Supermarket. Since I was already in the area, I decided to stop by Celia’s which I knew would definitely have them. And yes they did!

sincronizada on the left, lengua taco on the right

I have never been impressed with most of Celia’s food the few times that I have been. I do like their sincronizadas. Resembling quesadillas, they are more like tortilla sandwiches, but instead of flour tortillas, here they use masa harina (cornmeal dough). They are thinner, less pliable, and has no floury taste. Two tortillas are filled with your choice of meat (in my case, steak) then grilled lightly. They serve them topped generously with lettuce, fresh tomatoes, crema agria (Mexican sour cream), slices of fresh avocados, and lots of grated queso fresco. This is about the only thing on the menu that is good. The steak is tender, marinated well, and thus, flavorful. They use great quality queso fresco in that it is really fresh tasting, mild, and with hardly a hint of tanginess. The same can be said with the crema agria — it is not too sour, not too thick, very light, and so creamy.

I was quite disappointed with the lengua (beef tongue) taco. I love beef tongue. My Spanish grandmother regularly made stew out of it. For those newbies, beef tongue tastes like beef but the texture is more smooth and mushy. I did not mind that there was still the white, thin layer of skin in most pieces (a prepping short cut found in most inexpensive places). Although they were unbelievably tender, they were just utterly flavorless. Nope, no amount of salsa could have saved this one.

The taco al pastor didn’t quite do it for me either. It’s always the case here: the marinade just did not flavor the meat enough. I kept waiting for the taste of pineapple, garlic, cilantro, and salt to kick in but they never came. There were, however, tender pieces of pork that were authentically flame grilled right before slicing to give them a good crisp and char.

Bottom line: inexpensive food made the inexpensive way. My total bill for one sincronizada, two tacos, and 2 cans of Diet Coke came to, get this, a whopping $6.56. I thought the server made a mistake since I got two cans of soda but she said it was correct. A good place for cheap eats if you ever find yourself in the area.

Insider tip:
Daily and weekend specials.

The scoop:
Celia’s Carniceria
4664 Jimmy Carter Blvd
Norcross, GA 30093
(770) 806-0108

Technorati Tags: Taqueria, Mexican, Mexican grocery, Norcross

Two words: Mexican Soup. The beef or chicken soup is fantastic. The broth is very flavorful with lots of tender meat, chunks of potatoes, carrots, corn, rice, and cilantro. I prefer the beef soup with huge cubes of fork-tender meat. Spicy. Tangy. Tasty. It’s the epitome of comfort food.

The flame-grilled chicken isn’t all that bad either, although, I prefer the ones from El Norteño. The chicken pieces are smallish but packed with flavor. You can’t beat a 2-piece grilled chicken meal with rice, two sides (corn on cob, beans, green beans), and corn tortillas all for $5.99. Cheap and good eats.

Insider tip:
Located inside the Assi Plaza Duluth food court.

The scoop:
1630 Pleasant Hill Rd. #A-2
Duluth, GA 30096
(678) 514-2196

Technorati Tags: Mexican, fast food, Mexican chicken, Duluth

I’ve been to this place twice before back when they were still located on Peachtree Parkway. This new location in the heart of downtown Norcross is more upscale in ambiance and is filled with office people.

First up, the requisite chips and dip. The salsa is made with fresh tomatoes and cilantro and had good consistency. It was a little on the bland side but the saltiness of the chips complemented well. While I totally disagree with Foodie Buddha’s assessment, I absolutely loved the chips they use: totopos! These are thicker chips made by grinding corn kernels with water. The resulting dough is then cut and oven baked. I love totopos — the crunch, the corny taste. In Atlanta, you can find El Milagro (a local company) Totopos in the Mexican aisle at the BHFM. These totopos (and Jack’s Special Salsa) are staples in my house.

Zapata is well known for their Sopa Azteca. I’ve really enjoyed it the couple of times I’ve had it. On this visit, however, the flavor was just off. The broth tasted more like canned tomato sauce more than fresh tomatoes which overpowered the chicken broth.

The Crema de Chile Poblano was really good. It was creamy and rich. Like its American cousin, the milk and cream cheese flavors were distinctly there but they made it a Mexican version by including a very pronounced chile poblano taste. Beware, this is a very filling soup.

The Enchiladas de Mole was quite a disappointment. For a non-dessert eater like me, sweet food is a turn-off. This dish was overly sweet that it was uneatable. Worse, the chicken filling was also as sweet. The only saving grace was the rice which wasn’t Mexican rice but more like steamed sticky Jasmine rice which went really well with the refried beans.

The Crepas Cholula was a better choice. Two soft crepes were filled with absolutely delicious picadillo. The picadillo tasted like it was cooked for hours, simmering in a blend of Mexican spices. The mild chipotle cream sauce wasn’t all that bad. I liked that it had a good bit of chipotle taste and was whisked enough to render a frothy consistency. But there was just so much of it that it killed the taste of the picadillo. I’ll get this again but I’ll make sure to have the sauce on the side.

Trying to chase the goodness of the picadillo (ok, fine, I was still hungry), an order of Picadillo Quesadilla was made. This was a total let down as the picadillo was squashed by the greasy, bland cheese it was mixed with. To add insult to injury, they used overripe avocados on the side of guacamole.

This place isn’t off my list yet. I’ve had enjoyable meals here in the past. It has lots of potential and they may have just had an off day on this visit. In fact, I can’t wait to eat their Picadillo Burrito: a lunch special on Thursdays.

Insider tip:
Prices average $7 for lunch.
Street parking available including a private lot a few feet away.

Zapata
15 Jones St NW
Norcross, GA 30071
(770) 248-0052

Technorati Tags: Mexican, Norcross

Teela is a new venture from former Eros owner Nik Panagopoulos who aims to bring fun food — tacos — this side of town.  The new digs is nestled inside Sandy Spring’s City Walk which is a huge upscale plaza with a big Kroger, bars, restaurants, and shops. Lots of parking spaces, too. Teela sits on one end close to one of the exits.

The Trios starter at $8.50 is a great way to sample the appetizers at Teela. It comes with a bowl of salsa, guacamole, and queso. I particularly loved the fresh, warm tortilla chips dusted with nacho seasoning that adds and extra oomph to an otherwise ho-hum chip and dip combo.

I sampled many tacos during my visit. The Brisket had chunks of fork-tender meat simmered in a blend of Mexican spices.  The Fajita Steak is quite possibly the best in the menu, with thick, juicy slices of flavorful steak. The Fried Chicken, Bang Bang Shrimp, Mushroom, and Pork Carnitas are all equally good. Tacos are smallish so 2-3 can make for a filling lunch (or dinner).

Enchiladas come two to an order but I requested two different kinds for mine. The Mole Chicken and and Fajita Steak were both good — tasty, with huge chunks of meat.

Overall a great place and fun place, complete with a funky patio — great for meeting people for drinks and a quick (and a cheap) bite to eat.

Insider tip:
Menu can be found here.

The scoop:
Teela Taqueria
227 Sandy Springs Pl NE
Atlanta, GA 30328
(404) 604-9893

Technorati Tags: Tacos, Sandy Springs, Mexican, Bar, Roswell

This place opened in December 2008 and serves lunch buffet daily. There are about 20 meat entrees including the best pork ribs in green sauce dish (fork-tender meat braised in spicy chile sauce). The entrees have substantial pieces of meat and all dishes are freshly cooked and are pretty good tasting.

There’s also a salad bar and a dessert bar. The salad bar is pretty straight forward but the dessert bar has some (expensive) items you don’t usually find in buffets — fresh cherries (currently, these are $3.99 a pound), fresh mangoes, frozen strawberries in cream sauce, fresh tangerines, Mexican flan, and fried cinnamon tortilla chips.

$6.99 buys you all you can eat lunch daily (M-F). A great value in today’s economy. The place is spotless and the staff is very friendly. Located next to Jason’s Deli. Don’t let the dark-filmed windows fool you into thinking the place is closed. It’s open and has the big sign Buffet Mexican on top of the door.

Insider tip:
Closed on weekends.
They have cheese dip!

The scoop:
Buffet Tex-Mex
4073 La Vista Rd.,
Tucker, GA 30084
Phone number unavailable as of this writing.

Technorati Tags: Buffet Tex-Mex, buffett, tex-mex, Mexican cuisine, Tucker, La Vista rd.

I have a friend who loves nothing but Mexican food. Every time we go out, it’s always Mexican.  One lazy Saturday, she chose for us to meet at La Paz in Vinings.  My, that area has changed a lot.  There are many mixed-use developments and lots of new places to eat.  La Paz is on the same plaza as Mellow Mushroom just past the railroad tracks.  So we go here all the time because it’s in the middle of all of us (she lives in Peachtree City, another good friend lives in Buckhead).  It’s been a tradition for the three of us to meet here and catch up.

The menu is typical of any Tex-Mex place. I went with the Enchilada Combo that came with rice and beans. As expected, food is mediocre. Food has never been a strong point here. Although the warm chips and salsa are pretty decent. Service, however, is impeccable. A 76 rating on their recent Health report card means something else, too, right? In any case, we come here to chat. Food is just an added bonus.

The scoop:
La Paz
2950 New Paces Ferry Rd SE
Atlanta, GA 30339
(770) 801-0020

Technorati Tags: La Paz, Mexican cuisine, Vinings

I got a tip from a Mexican friend who swears by Mega Taco’s house-and-hand-made tortillas. This place is located on Beaver Ruin road which is peppered with Mexican establishments. It sits in a sleazy-looking plaza right next to Little Giant Farmer’s Market. I love farmers’ markets so I went in to check it out and was so cheated to find out that it was nothing but a gigantic grocery store. Really, they probably have the inventory of 4 Krogers in there with aisles twice as long and twice as much. But I digress.

I was told about this item on their menu called Molcajete which I so wanted to order but it was huge — one order is good for two persons (priced at a measly $13.99). An assortment of meats are served in a big molcajete (a footed stone mortar) and the picture looks very appetizing. But I was alone for a quick lunch so I settled for some cheesy cheese dip and tacos instead.

The cheese dip was cheesy and had the perfect consistency but I would have loved it to be spicier. For some reason, the jalapeño bits in it were tasteless. No heat whatsoever. The chips were big pieces, warm, and very crunchy. I was amazed at how every chip was unbroken — every single one of them including the very last one in the bottom of the basket. Neat. The salsa isn’t your usual tomato-onion salsa. Instead, theirs is made with smoky ancho peppers pureéd with what I sense is adobo sauce, tomatoes, and garlic. It was very, very good. And spicy.

Everything on the menu looks like huge portions and although I’m quite a big eater, I was running errands and just didn’t have time so I opted for three tacos instead: tripe, steak, and chicken. I must say, the corn tortillas were fantastic. They were really fresh, had great corn taste, and were substantially sized. Each taco comes with 2 grilled corn tortillas topped with heaping portions of meat. The tripe were stir-fried and very flavorful. I just didn’t like that some were chewy and some were more tender than the others. I’m wary when it comes to un-fried tripe but these didn’t have that funky smell in them. They were very good. The steak were moist and tender; as was the chicken. Both the steak and chicken were cooked in aromatic spices that were very tasty. These big tacos were only $1.50 each which can’t be beat.

This place really warrants a second visit so I can try other things on the menu (including and especially the molcajete). So far a great place for big, flavorful, and very inexpensive tacos.

Insider tip:
Located right across from St. Patrick’s Catholic Church.

The scoop:
Mega Taco Mexican Taqueria
2055 Beaver Ruin Rd
Norcross, GA 30071
(770) 248-0097

Technorati Tags: Mega Taco, Mexican cuisine, molcajete, tortillas, Norcross

Once in a while, I get a craving for clean Mexican food. You know, where you don’t have to eat off of plastic baskets, paper plates. In other words, “fake” Mexican food. As opposed to authentic. Here at Cinco, you pay for the ambiance, the neat decor, and the clean surroundings. It’s a place to take people from out of town or meet friends for drinks (they have this cool, long bar with neat bar stools).

Locally-owned and operated, Cinco’s big plates are guaranteed to fill you up. My favorite, the Enchilada plate, comes with 3 huge enchiladas filled with either white shrimp, chicken, or beef. The fillings are cooked in tasty spices and topped with tomatillo or lobster-chipotle sauce all wrapped in soft tortillas. Really, they are delicious. It comes with a bowl of house-made charro beans.

For a good sampling of what they offer, get the Cinco Plate — burrito, enchilada, taco. A great way to have a bit of everything. They also have a Dos and Tres plate. Clever.

The chips and salsa are excellent here. The salsa is made with grilled tomatoes and has that smoky smell and taste. The chips are thin and crispy. Not chuncky and jaw-breaking. This salsa is one of the best in the city.

The traditional cheese dip is a gooey goodness of cheddar and Mexican white cheese dotted with or without jalapeño bits. It’s cheesy with the perfect consistency. Great appetizer.

While Mexican places aren’t really known for their desserts, make sure you make room for theirs. their Flan Napoleon is an absolute must-try. It’s the goodness of vanilla bean custard with caramelized phyllo dough served with strawberry coulis. It is so good.

The rich, moist Morita and Chocolate Layer will absolute make you swoon: chocolate mousse layered between chocolate cake topped with pistachio brittle and served with pistachio ice cream. The cake is just so delectable. Not dry, and not too sweet.

Cinco is for those times you just crave for a more westernized version of Mexican cuisine. It doesn’t pretend to be authentic. Instead, it offers food that’s freshly made, tastes good, and made with fresh ingredients.

Insider tip:
Kid friendly with a menu for 12 and under.

The scoop:
Cinco Mexican Cantina
Now with 3 locations:
Vickery Village
Suwanee
Alpharetta

Technorati Tags: Cinco Mexican Cantina, Suwannee, Alpharetta, Mexican cuisine