Atlanta Blogs » Mexican Cuisine

Viva México: Gorditas La Rancherita

Chloe — Mon, 26 Jul 2010 15:06:39 +0000

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

Cry now: La Promesa Bakery

Chloe — Fri, 30 Apr 2010 13:57:40 +0000

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

Pollo Real (Assi Plaza Duluth)

Chloe — Thu, 05 Nov 2009 03:49:28 +0000

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

Zapata Mexcian Cuisine (Norcross)

Chloe — Mon, 26 Oct 2009 15:37:59 +0000

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 Taqueria

Chloe — Sat, 25 Jul 2009 17:42:58 +0000

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