Fat Kid Reviews: El Paisa

This is one of those places that I've been meaning to write about for ages. But I haven't mostly because it's one of my favorite places to go, and well, on my proper favorites I don't always fully trust my judgement.

However! For the benefit of my readers, I shall attempt to temper my deep love of this place to let you know if it's worth your time. (It totally is.)

Off of the 201 State highway next to a tiny bakery and up from "The Great Sandwich Chinese Food" is a well decorated and lively Mexican Restaurant. If you come during the evening you'll likely see the tiny parking lot full and either Latin Karaoke or a live band playing. The atmosphere is always lively and fun, and though the service can be inconsistent at times it's never enough to spoil the experience.

But what this is really about is the food.

The food is just glorious. Authentic and the kind of yummy that makes you want to keep coming back for more. I have tried much of the menu and can bare minimum say that everything is worth a try. Their rice and beans are consistently fantastic and their house made corn tortillas (when you can get them) are just glorious.

My favorites on their menu are the Queso dip with Chorizo (which is extra but totally worth it), the Taquitos (which are far and away my favorite thing to cram into my face hole), the Chili Verde, the Enchiladas, and the just fantastic Tortilla Soup. (My mouth waters and the thought of those... Just so good.)

They also do a Weekday Lunch Taco bar that is well worth the time. Generally between six and ten different meats with a nice little bar with creme, various salsas, and veggies to top off, it's about nine dollars but well worth the time. I've had a number of gluttonous episodes at the taco bar... Just delicious stuff.

I'm not overly a fan of the hot stuff but I can take my spice and all the various sauces they make have not only heat but a great depth of flavor.

The last thing I feel the need to mention is their bar. I haven't tried much there, but I have tried a drink that is a little bizarre but has become my go to "Happy Time Make the World a Better Place" beverage of choice... The Avocado Margarita! A luscious mouth feel from the creamy avocado the flavors of the Tequila, the lime, and the avocado melding and turning into something truly bizarre, but utterly glorious. You're first sip is almost always "this is weird" but by the time you leave you'll be talking about how good it all was.

Not unlike all good things in life.

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See you in the Chow line
-The Fat Kid

Fat Kid Reviews: The Other Place

So this particular review comes with a story.

My brother (Chef Fatty) and I had not seen each other for ages, and so we decided on a culinary adventure. He'd been to this particular place a time or two before and said that they produced solid food, so in the spirit of "why not" we went there on a Friday for their "Braised Lamb Shank".

The atmosphere itself was sort of displaced in time. It had a distinct retro vibe, or to put it more clearly it had an old decor. We immediately joked about how this place would only appeal to old people and hipsters. And then we laughed and then we had a moment of awkward realization and then we were seated.

The service was friendly and they kept out glasses full (no small feat with Fatty and I). We ordered the Braised Lamb, some bacon, and a cup of the Clam Chowder.

Now... I eat a lot of Clam Chowder and I'm a bit of a snob when it comes to it. And this soup was very different than I was expecting. Unlike most Chowders I eat it had a very strong aromatic flavor. The carrots and celery were very pronounced, but somehow it really worked. They didn't mask or overpower the clam flavor in fact they seemed to dial it up. Very tasty and just a little different.

The braised lamb was just fantastic. Deep rich flavors, earthy tones, bright tomato tones, melt in your mouth deliciousness. It's very worth a trip out there. The spaghetti it was served with was underseasoned, the sauce was just the braising liquid from the lamb which was delicious, but the noodles were a little overdone and they hadn't salted the water.

But that being said this was a very nice a little trip and the food was very worth your time.

See you in the Chow Line,
-The Fat Kid