Red Burrito (Cambie)

Wow, this is a Vancouver classic isn't it?  I'm sure all of you are familiar with The Red Burrito that graces the corner of Commercial Drive and 1st Ave.  They have been there since 2006 and have kept to their mission simple, offer quality food at reasonable prices.  To be honest, I haven't been there for quite some time, despite the fact I drive by it all the time on my way home.  Well, it was time we got reacquainted with an invite to try out their Cambie Street location.  It is a small counter service outfit that is great for a quick meal or take-out.

Of course, we need to get their most popular item on the menu with the Red Burrito.  This thing is huge with a choice of red, white or whole wheat tortilla.  If you want to be authentic, you chose the red one of course!  It is filled with rice, beans, choice of meat (or meat substitute), an array of veggies and choice of salsa.  This one has chicken with all the veggies (including onions, cilantro, cabbage, lettuce etc...) and tomatillo salsa.  Looking at the picture, see how they completely load it up and it is a plenty filling.  The chicken is moist with enough seasoning.  If you want a "drowned burrito", you can go for the Burrito Ahogado.  This is essentially a Red Burrito with extra hot tomato salsa, cheese, and sour cream.  Instead of chicken, we had beef with this.

There are six different meat/veggie options for all of their burritos, bowls and Tacos.  What better way to get a sense of all of them?  The available choices include spicy beef, grilled chicken, tinga chicken, pasilla pork, vegan meat and vegetarian.  If you want your tacos to be traditional, they only top them with onion and cilantro.  However, you can have all the veggies on top too if you want it that way.  They aren't shy about loading them up with meat either.  I find that all of their meats are generally moist and tender.  My favourite of the bunch is the spicy beef as well as the pasilla pork.

So another item that features much of the same items, but without the tortilla, is the Burrito Bowl.   Despite the same ingredients (with spicy beef this time), the bowl eats different than the burrito.  Obviously without the tortilla, it is more rice and meat focused.  Personally, I prefer this as it is easier to manage.  Also large and containing lots of meat, their Tamale Ahogado iw plenty hearty and delicious.  I find the masa to be a bit on the firmer side with a considerable amount of tender and spiced meat in the middle.  It is topped with all the sauces and sour cream.

One of the more under-the-radar items is the Nachos with queso, pork, sour cream, onions and cilantro.  What really makes this dish is the crispy and fresh tortilla chips.  Also the cheese and meat add the necessary flavour and body.  These same crispy tortillas make the Tortilla Soup quite good too.  It has a tangy spiciness to it with melted cheese and crunchy fried tortilla pieces.  There is also a bright cilantro hit too.

Lastly, how about a few drinks in the Horchata, Jamaica and Cherry Blossom Horchata.  I think the horchata is purposefully sweet and aromatic with cinnamon notes.  The Jamaica is tangy and fruity from the hibiscus while only mildly sweet.  As for the last item in the picture, it is a Cherry Blossom Rice Pudding.  This is floral and pretty sweet with firm rice.  A nice end to a delicious sampling of their food!  I have forgotten how good the meats are at Red Burrito and they are definitely the star of the dishes.  You can't go wrong with any of them in the burrito, bowls, tacos and nachos!

*All food and beverages were complimentary for this blog post*

The Good:

- Moist and flavourful meats

- Loaded burritos, tacos and bowls

- Affordable

The Bad:

- Limited seating, so better for take out

El Comal Downtown

The El Comal that I'm familiar with is the lunch spot tucked way in an industrial park along Winston Street in Burnaby.  I've been there before quite a long time ago.  Now we find their brand-spanking new location in Downtown on Hornby Street.  It has taken over the space Toloache used to occupy.  Fortunately, they are continuing the Sunday Mexican brunch with some of the same dishes we've seen before plus a few new ones.

Their brunch buffet starts around 10:30am on Sundays, but the restaurant opens at 10:00am.  The setup includes many different items including a drink station that features Hibiscus, Lemonade and Horchata.   My favourite of the bunch was the Hibiscus as it was not too sweet and had a mild tanginess.  It was went well with the food as it acted like a palate cleanser.  Same could be said about the Lemonade as it was light on the sugar and was refreshing.  I found the Horchata to be on the sweeter side with the usual aromatics.

Onto the food, there was the usual Rice and Refried Beans.  Nothing unusual here but the rice had a pleasing texture where it was fluffy but still had a bite.  It was nicely seasoned too.  As for the beans, they were pretty smooth and almost creamy.  The viscosity was perfect, where it spread on the plate, but was not watery.   Next chaffing tray over, we found the Rajas and Mexican-style Wild Mushrooms.  The Rajas consisted of poblano peppers and corn in a creamy sauce.  I actually enjoyed this with the rice.  The mushrooms were also good with its usual woodsiness. 

Right next to it, we found the Chilaquiles in both Rojo and Verdes.  Personally, I'm a bit indifferent with Chilaquiles as I prefer my tortilla chips super crispy and dipped into queso with chorizo.  But even with that bias, these were decent with some crunch left with the chips on top and at the sides.  I thought both sauces were good with the red having more depth and a touch of spice.  The green was much brighter and milder tasting.   We found some Mexican Eggs and Tamales next to this and both were good.  The eggs were cooked with some tomatoes and onions while remaining fairly fluffy.  This was actually the last dish to be placed in the chaffing tray (which helped it from being totally overdone).  As for the tamale, it was decently moist while filled with chicken.

One of the better chaffing trays was the one that held the Chicken Enmolades and Ribs.   These enchiladas were filled with tender chicken and topped with a sweet mole that had elements of bitterness, fall spices and nuttiness.  As for the ribs, they were tender but still retained a meaty firmness.  Hence the meat didn't fall-off-the-bone, yet was not stuck to the bone either.  There was a savouriness to them while the seasoning was sufficient with earthy notes.

The last set of chaffing trays contained all the meats including Pork Chicharron in Red Sauce, Beef Birria, Cochinita and Chorizo.  I've complained in the past about dry meats when it comes to Mexican food, but these were moist and well-seasoned.  Perfect for complimenting all the previous items or using them with the supplied tostadas and/or warm tortillas.  I thought the Beef Birria was super tender while mildly spiced.  Wished there was some birria broth for us to dip the tacos into though.  The chorizo was the moist flavourful with spice and meatiness.  Went well on the tostada with some queso.

Right next to the meats, we found all of the Condiments including salsa, limes, sliced radish, greens, queso fresco, sour cream, queso, tomatillo, macha, cream, onions and cilantro.  We also had some fresh tortilla chips and tostadas.  Right in the middle, there was a delicious Shrimp Ceviche as well.  Soft tortillas could be found on the opposite side in a warming cabinet.  There was a Chicken Sopa right next to it as well.

Onto desserts, there was a selection of fresh fruit, Dulce de Leche Cake, Flan, Concha, Rice Pudding, Granola and Yogurt.  This was a modest, yet varied amount of items that ranged from fruit, to mildly sweet to quite sweet.  So therefore, it suited all tastes and besides, a coffee went well with the sweets.  Overall, the Sunday Brunch at El Comal in Downtown has a good variety of food that fits many different tastes and dietary preferences.  For $34.99 per person, it isn't expensive yet neither it is cheap either.  I would say it is exactly the right price considering its Downtown location and selection of dishes.

 

*All food and beverages were complimentary for this blog post*

 

The Good:

- Enough variety for most people

- Meats were tender, moist and flavourful

- Things were fresh

 

The Bad:

- A little cramped on the buffet line, but it moves

- Parking is very expensive in the neighbourhood (Pro Tip: Use the parkade in Cathedral Square)

Salsa & Guacamole

Ah yes, hidden restaurants or sometimes referred to as hidden gems, those are places that aren't inherently obvious but are great places to dine at.  Generally, these spots are not actually hidden (mind you, some are like in an alley), but they are actually in a weird location and/or far away.  Well, Salsa & Guacamole can be considered a bit hidden, as it is underneath Old Surrey on 72nd Ave, yet it is also a gem because the food is great and the ambiance is surprisingly nice.  Jackie and I came here for a visit recently.

To start things off, we had some beverages including the Blue Caribbean and Pina Colada.   Both were tropical tasting and refreshing.  Those were great, but the real highlight was the Tequila Flight.  This featured 1800 Tequila Reposado, 1800 Tequila Anejo and 1800 Tequila Cristalino.  With my recent experience at the Tequila Festival, there were distinct differences between Tequilas.  I found the Reposado to have more bite with oakiness and slight spice.  As for the Anjeo, it was much smoother with spice and sweetness.  Lastly, the Cristalino is a charcoal-washed Tequila that was smooth with some spiciness and less oakiness.

Of course we needed some eats to balance off the booze right?  Well, it started off on a really good note with El Trio featuring 3 dips.  Chips were crispy and fresh, but the real stars of the show were the dips.  Starting with the Salsa, it was rich with a kick and balancing tanginess.  Guacamole was whipped, so it was super light and airy.  Also really fresh.  Best dip of all was the Queso Fundido with chorizo.  Cheesy and meaty!

Next up was the Fish Tacos with battered cod, cabbage, pickled red onion, cilantro and topped with house-made crema verde.  These were on point with soft flour tortillas and a crunchy piece of cod that was flaky and moist inside.  The rest of the components added crunch, freshness, acidity, brightness and creaminess.  Add in the side of salsa and a squeeze of the lime wedge and this was delicious.

On the topic of bright and fresh, the Ceviche was also appetizing.  It consisted of white fish, lime juice and red onion.  Naturally, there was a tanginess to the ceviche and the fish was cooked in the acid.  Texturally, it was buttery with a slight chew.  The onions added both crunch and sharpness to the dish.  We found 3 tostaditas to use for eating vessels and pico de gallo to provide further freshness and a touch of spice.

It seems like Birria Tacos are everywhere, yet for good reason - they are tasty!  The ones here were no exception as they were stuffed with tender shredded beef, cheese, onion and cilantro.  Loved that the tortillas were dipped in fat, but weren't overly greasy.  Aromatics were definitely there and the beef was meaty.  Lots of melted cheese added body and onions provided so bite.  Although not looking like it, the birria broth on the side was super flavourful with sweetness, umaminess and meatiness. 

We moved onto a large dish next with the Las Divorciadas featuring 2 green sauce and 2 red sauce enchiladas stuffed with chicken with rice, refried bean and sour cream on the side.  These were quite good with the red sauce covered with plenty of melted cheese.  I found the chicken to be tender while the red sauce had a muted tang.  Green was tangier and brighter.  Without the cheese, it allowed the chicken and tortilla to stand out more.

Ending off our meal, we had the 7 inch long Churros served with a side of ice cream.  We had one each stuffed with Nutella and Dulce de Leche.  I much preferred the latter as it was rich with sweet caramel.  The churro itself was crispy while still having some lightness inside.   Overall, the meal we had at Salsa and Guacamole was delicious, all served in a classy space.   Food was high quality and prepared with care.  Definitely a more refined Mexican dining experience.

*All food and beverages were complimentary for this blog post*

The Good:

- Well-prepared eats

- Refined experience

- Nice dining space

The Bad:

- Parking is somewhat limited

Bowland

When I first heard about Bowland in Maple Ridge, I was confused as to what it was all about.  Maybe I was having a dense moment, but if I had read it carefully, I would've figured it was Bowl + Land.  It hit me as I was walking up to the place, it serves Mexican-style bowls (with some Indian influences) and other related dishes.  As such, I knew this would possibly be healthier, especially paired with a smoothie.  Good thing too as eating out so much is usually quite heavy.

For their bowls, you get order a signature bowl or Build-Your-Own.  We did the latter with 3 creations starting with a choice between white or brown rice.  Then there are 7 choices for topping including meats, veggies and tofu.  We opted for Chicken, Steak and Butter Chicken.  There are choices for sauce ranging from mild-to-spicy.  I went for spicy in the chipotle.  Then you can top it off with a variety of items including cheese, fried chickpeas, corn and greens.  My favourite meat was the butter chicken since it had the most impact by itself.  Mind you, the other proteins were fine too but you needed a bit of sauce to kick up the spice level.  These were filling and enough for one person.

For those who don't want to take on a large bowl, but wanted the same components except for the rice, you can opt for either their Hard or Soft Shell Tacos.  You can chose between the 7 proteins including lamb, steak, chicken, butter chicken, falafel, tofu or veggies (not a protein but still a choice).  We opted for the Steak and Chicken for the tacos which was a good match as the meat was robust and impactful.  I personally love soft tacos more since it is easier to eat and doesn't shatter and fall apart.  However, I can see the draw of the hard tacos as it provides a textural contrast.

For those really on the go and do not have time for a bowl or tacos, the best option is the Burrito.  We chose the lamb as the protein in this case, hence due to its texture and flavour, it came through even with all of the other components.  It was good once again due to the fresh ingredients.  Something that was unexpectedly delicious was the Nachos.  The fact that they baked with cheese meant the chips became smoky and nutty.  Add in the melted cheese and everything else on top including chipotle and it was addictive.

To wash all of your food down, there is a selection of healthy Smoothies including Green (kale, spinach, mango, banana, pineapple juice & frozen yogurt), Mango Delicious (pineapple juice, mango & frozen yogurt), Banana Berry Blast (strawberries, banana, pineapple juice & frozen yogurt) and Chocolate Whey (almond milk, peanut butter, banana, chocolate vegan protein powder and frozen yogurt).  As you can see, the components are few and straight up simple.  Therefore, each smoothie tasted natural and lightly sweet.  I enjoyed the Mango Delicious the most as it was tropical tasting with tang and sweetness.  If you wanted something a bit more nutritious, I can see the Green doing the trick while still tasting fruity.  Banana Berry Blast was a bit more mild-tasting compared to the others and thicker.  However, the thickest was the Chocolate Whey and it was also the heaviest due to the components.  This was more like a protein shake and great for those who want to drink a meal.  Overall, the food at Bowland isn't complex nor fancy.  However, the food is inexpensive, fresh and relatively healthy.  A good alternative to hitting up a fast food joint.

*All food and beverages were complimentary for this blog post*

The Good:
- Fresh and tasty
- Inexpensive
- Relatively healthy

The Bad:
- Ingredients are repetitive for various items, but they do eat very differently

Mexicuban

In the past, if we stumbled upon a restaurant that meshed 2 different cuisines, we would run far away.  Fast forward to the present and with the proliferation of successful fusion cuisine, it has become more commonplace.  Hey, some of the most viral and delicious dishes have been the result of chefs experimenting with different flavors, sauces and cooking techniques.  Hence, we visited Mexicuban out in Renton with a completely open mind.  Upon entering the place, we were greeted with a rustic, yet modern decor.  Loved the inviting bar and also the beautiful mural on a wall at the side of the restaurant.

To start things off, we had some drinks first (that really got us in a good mood!).  We had the Margarita Flight with Burnt Orange, Mango Habanero, Mexican Mule and Coconut.  This was super refreshing with the mango being my favourite.  The heat of the habanero was nicely tempered by the mango and sweet syrups.  Coconut was aromatic and a bit creamy.  Again nice use of syrups here.  Burnt orange was the most refreshing with balanced sweetness and of course the taste of tequila.  Mexican mule naturally had Moscow Mule vibes with ginger beer and mint.

So we also got the Mojito Flight consisting of 4 different concoctions.  The first was the Cubano with its classic fizzy lime and mint infused flavors.  Next one was the Mango with the same elements but adding in some fruitiness and tang.  Being a bit smoother and having aromatic vibes, the Coconut was very tropical.  Lastly, the Passionfruit was similar to the mango except with the unmistakable floral and tart notes.

Onto the food, we were served the Pineapple Shrimp Fluffy Tacos first.  These deep fried tortillas were indeed airy and light.  Nice crispy exterior giving way to a soft and warm interior.  This made it extremely easy to eat and had a good mouth feel.  I liked how they weren't greasy either.  As for the topping, the shrimp had a buttery snap with sweetness from the ripe pineapple.  The side of hot sauce was smoky, sweet and mildly spicy.  Really nice compliment to the mild shrimp and sweetness of the pineapple.

Sticking with pineapple, we had the Jalapeno Pork Belly Toasts.  These were delicious with a crunchy toast base topped by a slice of tender and buttery pork belly, roasted pineapple, grilled jalapeno, cilantro and chipotle BBQ sauce.  This had everything including contrasting textures in the toast and soft pork belly and then complimentary sweetness from the pineapple with the spice from the BBQ sauce.  Great little 2 or 3 biters to start the meal.

We didn't stop there with some small handhelds as we moved onto the smaller version of El Yucateco.  These little sliders consisted of soft rolls encasing slow cooked pork, chipotle aioli and peppers.  These were rather messy and dripping with braising liquid, just the way I like it!  That meat the meat was super moist and the bread was also soft.  Sure, that is not much in the way of textural contrast, but it had nice mouth feel and the natural meatiness of the pork came through.

Let's continue with things served on slate with the Street Corn.  This happens to be one of my most favourite things to eat in the whole wide world.  Yes, cobs of corn on a stick.  The version here was really good with charred corn that was smoky and caramelized.  It was sweet and had pops of extra sweetness from the niblets.  On the outside, they were generously coated with chipotle aioli, lime, tajin, cotija and cilantro.  Lots of creaminess to go with acidity and some spice.  Delicious.

Okay, moving off of slate tile plates, we went to an actual deep dish with the Croquetas con Mole.  These crunchy pinko-breaded balls were filled with deep fried plantain and mozzarella.  These were on the denser side due to the all the plantain crammed into them.  I felt these were a little like Mofongo where the fried plantains are mashed, except formed into balls and deep fried some more.  The star of the dish was the mole as it was rich and smoky.  It had earthy notes as well as sweetness, tanginess and slight bitterness.  It hit all the flavors and went great with the plantain.

We moved onto bigger dishes from here starting with Cuban favorite being the Ropa Vieja.  This featured tender shredded beef in a light tomato sauce with the sweetness of onions, tanginess of green olives and the spice of jalapenos.  It was served on fluffy yellow rice with a base of black bean puree.  This was a comforting and home-style dish that was hearty.  To make it even more robust, we found fried plantain and yuca al mojo on the side.

More often than not, when I have a salmon dish at a non-seafood restaurant, it will be overcooked.  However, this was not the case here with the Huatulco Salmon.  It was flaky and moist while topped with a mole.  This one was somewhat similar to the one in the Coqueta dish except a bit sweeter and less spice.  I felt that the salmon was able to stand up to the sauce and when combined with the poblano rice, it helped balance out the bold flavors.

The most out-of-left-field dish was the Lasagna Alteca.  This was comprised of corn tortillas layered with shredded chicken and mozzarella topped with Mexican crema, cilantro and red onions..  It sat in a poblano pepper sauce with charred corn.  So in spirit it was a lasagna, but it ate very differently.  I found it more similar to a taco bake, but more sophisticated and definitely not Tex-Mex.   The chicken was moist and the tortillas were tender.  The thing that made the dish was the charred corn and the poblano sauce.  It was sweet from the corn but had a tanginess to it.  Kept things bright and light despite the heaviness of the dish.

For our desserts, we were serve the Cajeta-Filled Churros with ice cream on the side.  These were crunchy with a soft interior and just sweet enough.  The other dish was the Gorditas Dulces, which is a traditional dessert from Veracruz.  They weren't very sweet and had a certain appealing chew.  On the outside, it was crispy and the slight drizzle of chocolate was all that it needed.  Overall, the food at Mexicuban was presented nicely and was equally tasty.  Loved that they had some fusion going on, but not so much it went too far.  Flavors were still familiar and so were the textures.  Nice spot to get some friends together since they have plenty of drinks and live music at certain times.

*All food and beverages were complimentary for this blog post*

The Good:
- Nice spot that is great for both groups and families
- Lots of choice on the menu
- Generous portions

The Bad:
- I did enjoy the flavors, but some dishes could use just a touch more impact