Review: Thai Flavor

Name: Thai Flavor
Address: 2863 1/2 Erie Blvd E, Syracuse, NY
Phone: (315) 251-1366
Neighborhood: Salt Springs (Erie Boulevard East)
Website: www.thaiflavorsyracuse.com
Menu: View Menu
Cuisine: Thai
Restaurant Hours: Monday 11 AM to 3 PM, 5 PM to 10 PM, Wednesday to Sunday 11 AM to 3 PM, 5 PM to 10 PM
Parking: Private Lot
Accepts Credit Cards: Yes

On a chilly afternoon in search of some Thai food, I stumbled into this newest restaurant incarnation on Erie Boulevard. To my delight, what was once Little Thai House, is now under new ownership and known as Thai Flavor, Syracuse's newest Thai restaurant.

The interior and exterior haven't changed much from the nice makeover that Little Thai House last year (sans for a new lighted marquee outside). Thai Flavor still maintains much of the refined, intimate, and very tastefully decorations and ambiance of its predecessor with white tablecloths for its booths and tables, cohesive dark colors, appropriate instrumental music playing over the speakers, and Thai sculptures adjourning the entrance way and walls.

Contrary to all my other visits here, I was seated in the window-encased patio section of the restaurant this time around (you know what I mean if you've been here before or to any Wendy's that was built around the 1980's). While the interior of this section could've used a good cleaning and watering of plants, it's not a bad place to sit on the rare afternoon that Syracuse actually has sunlight.

The menu at Thai Flavor is phenomenal and in many cases reads quite differently to not only what you would've found at Little Thai House, but what you're likely find at any other Thai restaurant in Central New York. Selections include Thai soups and salads like the papaya salad, shrimp lemmongrass soup, and tom kah chicken soup (chicken, coconut milk, lemongrass, mushrooms and galangal), appetizers like mock duck satay, grilled fish cakes, and emerald chicken (marinated chicken wrapped in pandanus leaves and herbs), and entrees like chicken jungle curry, beef panang, pad Thai, and see ew beef. Thai Flavor also features a "recommended" section in their menu, which boasts specialties of the house and consist of many traditional dishes found in Thailand. There's quite a few vegetarian dishes listed on the menu as well with tofu or mock duck (which I've had here and it was deceivingly delicious). Tofu can also be substituted upon request for any of the stir fry dishes or curries.

The Som Tam Gai caught my eye under the recommended section (papaya salad with grilled marinated chicken served with sticky rice) but was unavailable. I've never had it and was really looking forward to it as it was noted as a very popular dish in Thailand on the menu. Maybe next time. Instead, I opted for the Chicken Red Mango Curry.

The order...

Thai Dumplings: $7
Chicken Red Mango Curry: $13
Total Money Spent with Tax & Tip: $24.60

Pictured above are the Thai dumplings with marinated chicken and shrimp, chopped water chestnuts and taro root, wrapped inside steamed dumpling rolls, served with a Thai black bean vinaigrette sauce, and garnished with fresh cabbage, flowered carrot, and pandanus leaf.

$7 might seem a tad pricey for a small appetizer, but it's totally worth it. These are some of the best dumplings I've had anywhere. If you've never had Thai cuisine before, one of its best attributes is that you can get a sense of sweet, sour, salty, and spicy all in one bite and you certainly get that with these: shredded shrimp and juicy chicken inside perfectly steamed dumplings and accompanied with a dark, medium-bodied dipping sauce that had hints of chili, plum, and sweet soy sauce that was outstanding (I wanted to drink this like soup, but refrained). Just a great combination of flavors. And I don't know what the garnish was atop the dumplings (it may have been tiny caramelized garlic pieces) but they were delicious and added just the right amount of crunchiness. The other garnishes didn't provide much of an addition other than visual, but still brought a nice heightened presentation to the plate.

Above is the chicken mango curry, comprised of chicken pieces, chunks of mango, sliced red and green peppers, broccoli, carrots, bamboo shoots, zucchini, and sweet basil in a coconut milk and red curry broth.

Best curry I've had so far in 'cuse. The fragrant smell of curry, mango, and vegetables coming out of the dish was unbelievable. As I waited for the steamed rice to be brought to the table, I could've inhaled this smell for the next 85 days.

I'd say "clean" and "refreshing" are two of the best words to describe the taste here (two words everyone secretly wants to hear when talking about good food in general, yes?). I couldn't stop eating it. Everything was there from the heat, the sweetness of the mango, tender chicken pieces, and plenty of well-cooked and varied vegetables. The curry was perfect and had just the right balance of heat and coconut milk. I'd note the heat-scale as a strong medium, as it was just the right amount of spiciness for my personal taste - but they make their dishes spicy upon request here, so be advised. It was a great dish and I'd definitely order it again.

Although it's not pictured here, just to include one small thing about the steamed rice: it was perfect. While it may sound like I'm making a mountain out of an ant hill, I couldn't get over how great it was. This wasn't rice that had been sitting around all day, remained dried and clumped together, was improperly cooked, or wasn't the right style of grain. This was perfectly cooked and appropriate rice that only heightened an already great dish.

Other notes...

- I don't know if they have beer, cocktails, or wine available here or not. I don't recall seeing anything on the menu. If not, it's possible that they're still trying to get their liquor license since it's a new restaurant and all.

- I'm not sure if they offer take-out or not, so please inquire within.

- Their "Prix Fixed" menu runs during lunch hours Mondays through Fridays from 11 AM to 3 PM. $9 gets you a first, second, and third course. My god, this is the best deal ever created for such amazing food. Go check this out if you're looking for a lunch option during the week. Good portion sizes as well.

You can tell when a place prides itself on quality, presentation, and execution. Thai Flavor certainly embodies all three of those. I'm going to reserve the perfect rating until I go here one more time as I haven't ventured passed the dumpling appetizer on my two visits so far (I'm completely addicted to them). I can say that everything I've had here has been outstanding, and I can only assume I'll raise my rating to 5 momentarily. Or maybe by tomorrow.

Welcome to my rotation of frequented restaurants in Syracuse, Thai Flavor.

My rating of Thai Flavor:

Review: Little Thai House (Part 2)

Name: Little Thai House
Address: 2863 Erie Blvd E, Syracuse, NY
Phone: (315) 251-1366
Neighborhood: Salt Springs (Erie Boulevard East)
Website: www.yelp.com/biz/little-thai-house-syracuse
Menu: View Menu
Cuisine: Thai
Restaurant Hours: Monday-Friday 11:30 AM to 3 PM, 5 PM to 10 PM, Saturday-Sunday 1 PM to 10 PM
Parking: Private Lot
Accepts Credit Cards: Yes
Take-Out: Yes

Note: For my original review of Little Thai House, click here.

Little Thai House was easy to overlook when searching for Thai food on a Wednesday night. I ended up there on a whim (after not being too impressed on the one and only visit a year ago) and was surprised by the changes upon walking in: new lighting, new paint job, new carpets, new serving dishes, new tables and chairs, with the cozy looking bar area near the front entrance. Everything is tied in together very nicely and an improvement on how it was before. The ambiance is nice and it was both impressive and reassuring because now there's an affordable Thai restaurant in the city with a good dining atmosphere. And that isn't meant as a slight to Erawan, Lemongrass, or Lao Village. They're all good in their own right, but they do have their own highs and lows and it seems like Little Thai House has found a better fitting niche for themselves.

But if Little Thai House is going this route (i.e. maybe not fine-dining, but upper-end Thai), they can do away with the paper menu and paper napkins. I could care less either way about what kind of material I'm reading from or about a piece of folded cloth that spends 90% of the meal on my lap anyway, but I think the real thing in both cases would fit into the new scheme of things a bit better and make it feel less like a take-out spot.

Also changed is a menu that, unless I'm mistaken, seems a bit more organized and concise than it was previously. Menu items include Thai salads, soups, traditional Thai dishes like Pad Thai, Thai Curries, as well as vegetarian and noodle dishes. I made a note of how it was unorganized in my previous visit, so it was nice to see the changes.

The order...

Singha: $3.50
Curry Puffs: $5.95
Sweet and Sour Chicken: $11.95
Ginger Ice Cream: $4
Total cost with tax and tip: $31.43

Pictured below are the Curry Puffs served with Thai cucumber sauce...

For as much rave as I've read about the curry puffs at Lao Village (including my own experience), I thought these were infinitely better. And probably one of the top 5 individual items that I've eaten since starting this blog.

The texture wasn't anything you would expect by looking at them. The interior part of the crust was warm and chewy, while the outside had a deep fried yet flaky, croissant-like crust. It was a great balance of all the ingredients inside (minced chicken, potato, sauteed onion, spices). Flavor-wise, it deceptively tasted like Indian food, but no complaints here. These were amazing. Perfect textures and flavors.

Pictured above is the sweet and sour chicken and a side of rice, with peppers, onions, tomatoes, pineapple, zucchini, and carrots.

I wasn't too impressed by this dish. A bit too much going on for my tastes. The sauce was thin with a good balance and not too overpowering "sour" to "sweet" ratio and the ingredients were cooked very well (with the exception of one piece of chicken that wasn't) but nothing was really coming together for me. The cherry tomatoes seemed a tad out of place and I think I would've preferred the dish if it was just kept simple. Though it all tasted better reheated the next day for lunch at work, I probably would order something else next time.

The meal ended with some excellent ginger ice cream. The concept threw me off at first, but don't knock it til you try it, they say. Simple dessert, but very tasty.

Overall it was a great dining experience (clean, nice atmosphere, very friendly service, good menu, good food). I wasn't 100% sold on my entree, but Little Thai has won me over since my previous visit none the less. I'm going ahead and raising my rating from 2.5 to 4.0 because I'm now a fan.

My rating of Little Thai House:

Review: Secret Garden/Bi-Won

Name: Secret Garden/Bi-Won
Address: 2731 Erie Blvd E, Syracuse, NY
Phone: (315) 449-3333
Neighborhood: Salt Springs (Erie Boulevard East)
Website: www.sushisyracuse.com/secret-garden.html
Menu: View Menu
Cuisine: Korean, Japanese
Restaurant Hours: Monday-Tuesday 11:30 AM to 10 PM, Thursday 11:30 AM to 3 PM and 5 PM to 10 PM, Friday-Saturday 11:30 AM to 11 PM, Sunday 1 PM to 9 PM
Parking: Private Lot
Accepts Credit Cards: Yes
Delivery: No

Before hitting up the "Turner to Cezanne" exhibit at the Everson Museum, my family and I decided to head over to Secret Garden on Erie Boulevard to fill up with some Korean food beforehand. Situated across the street from Erawan, Secret Garden is actually owned and operated by the same family that owns the Sakana-Ya sushi restaurants in Fayetteville and Armory Square, as well as Han's Oriental Supermarket located directly next door.

The inside is clean and open with separated, general seating sections, large tables, and a newly remodeled sushi bar near the back. There is also outdoor seating (weather permitting) with each table having a traditional barbecue pit. Personally, I wasn't too crazy about the interior. It was definitely clean and bright, but there was wood everywhere (wood paneling, wood tables, wood chairs). In theory it's nice, but it was a little too polished and hoity. And the chairs themselves actually became a bit uncomfortable after a while.

On the menu, you'll find a lot of different types of dishes like sushi, soups, salads, teriyaki, casseroles, stir fry, appetizers like tempura, fried tofu, and soft shell crab, a small vegetarian menu, and drinks like cocktails, sake, wine and Asian beers. If it's your first time here or at a Korean restaurant in general, the 7 pages of offerings, each with its own translation, might all seem a little intimating. Luckily there are pictures along the sides of the menu to help out.

The order...

Tea: $1.95
Shumai: $4.95
Galbi BBQ: $19.95
Total Money Spent with Tax & Tip: $31

The tea was excellent - very soothing and had almost a sesame taste to it.

Pictured below is the kimchi with other variations (pickled radishes, potatoes, and cucumbers).

I'm still new to Korean food (have only had it a few times) but it seems like kimchi is somewhat of an acquired taste. Essentially, it's salted and fermented cabbage (or veggies) seasoned with chili pepper and served cold. The first time I had it, I had no idea what to expect, but I'm liking it more the more I have it. Here, I particularly liked the pickled radishes and potatoes.

Above are the Shumai: essentially tiny, steamed dumplings with shrimp. I liked them - served warm and the dipping sauce was sweet. Though the dumplings were a tad too mushy for my liking.

Pictured here is the Galbi BBQ: thin, cross-cut beef short ribs marinated with special sauce, served with mushrooms, scallions, and onions, with a side of white rice.

This was great. Tender and juicy pieces of short ribs with a really sweet and tangy soy sauce. Add in some caramelized onions and mushrooms and it really kicked the whole meal up a notch. I would absolutely get this again. I don't even like mushrooms and I found myself eating them.

All the food tasted fresh and best of all, healthy. The nice thing about this cuisine is when you pig out, you don't feel weighted down or guilty or like you need to take a nap afterwards.

And you know the food is good when you've finished your meal and you keep finding something else on the table to pick at.

Other things of note...

- Not only was it a cold day, but it was very chilly inside on this particular visit. Though, maybe it was just be a fluke thing.

- There is an all-you-can-eat buffet on Tuesdays from 5 PM to 9 PM

Overall, I liked it here and would return. There were a lot of other dishes on the menu that looked interesting too. I didn't try the sushi, but I wouldn't rule out giving it a shot when I come back.

My rating of Secret Garden/Bi-Won:

Review: Little Thai House

Name: Little Thai House
Address: 2863 Erie Blvd E, Syracuse, NY
Neighborhood: Salt Springs (Erie Boulevard East)
Website: www.littlethaihouse.com/syracuse.html
Menu: View Menu
Cuisine: Thai
Hours: Monday-Friday 11:30 AM to 3 PM, 5 PM to 10 PM, Saturday-Sunday 1PM to 10 PM
Parking: Private Lot
Accepts Credit Cards: Yes
Take Out: Yes
Alcohol: Full Bar

On a Sunday night with a hankering for Thai food, I thought I would try my luck at the Little Thai House on Erie Boulevard. Despite the previous Northeastern snowstorm a few days earlier, parking was easy with a plowed, private lot located in the back. Little Thai House doesn't look like much from the outside (and actually looks more like a former Wendy's painted white), but the interior is fairly nice and a legitimate step up from most Erie Boulevard eateries that aren't chain restaurants. The atmosphere is a tad more intimate than what I was looking for, and even leaned towards the quiet / awkward side, but it was a nice change of pace and made for quite a relaxing Sunday dinner. There was no crowd here on this night, but if it happens to be packed when you step in, there's a quant mini-bar in the corner that offers seating while you're waiting for a table.

You may need a few minutes to look over the menu as there are quite a lot of dishes and they are not separated by vegetable or meat categories. At any rate... The order...

Satay: $5.95
Pad Thai: $11.95
Total Money Spent with Tax & Tip: $23.33

The Satay was alright - skewers of sliced charcoal-grilled strips of chicken, marinated in coconut milk, lemon grass, and imported Thai curry spices and served with a peanut sauce and a cucumber dip. I did like the option of having two dipping sauces with this. Between the two, I preferred the cucumber dip as there was more flavor in there with the chopped red onions and carrots. It was tangy and a bit like a thin sweet and sour sauce. The peanut sauce was a little bland and I thought it could have been a tad spicier. To be picky, my chicken was a hair under-cooked and I would have liked to have had a better presence of coconut milk and lemon grass, as I could not really taste either of them in the marinade.

The Pad Thai was pretty good - Thai rice noodles sauteed with shrimp, chicken, egg, bean sprouts, and roasted ground peanuts in a tamarind sauce. Though there was a ton of food on the plate. (This was enough to last me for 3 meals). And I'm not sure how I felt about the plating and presentation. The thinly sliced carrots were a nice touch, but everything else was sort of plopped on the plate - with a pile of peanuts on one side. I only received 3 small to medium sized shrimp with the dish, but even so, they should have been placed on top and not hidden underneath the mass of noodles. And I'm also not sure as to why it was garnished with a lemon and not a lime which is more traditional of Thai cuisine. But given that, I thought it was a decent dish of Pad Thai. The rice noodles, despite being plentiful, were cooked perfectly and the bean sprouts were crispy and fresh. Though my one issue was the tamarind sauce. As you may or may not know, Thai food is generally supposed to be a balance of up to 5 flavors: spicy, sweet, sour, salty, and bitter. This sauce in particular definitely weighed on the "sour" side. Enough to make my lips pucker a bit.

Some things of note: The beer selection is dismal - only Singha and Singha Light, but the wine selection is good. They also serve Saki as well.

There really isn't too much more to say about Little Thai House. It was a completely mediocre dining experience, which I guess is better than an awful one. Would I go back? Yeah, I suppose. But I would try some different dishes than what I ordered.

My rating of Little Thai House:

Review: Erawan Thai Restaurant

Name: Erawan Thai Restaurant
Address: 2724 Erie Boulevard E, Syracuse, NY
Neighborhood: Salt Springs (Erie Boulevard East)
Website: www.erawan-inc.com/home.html
Menu: View Menu
Cuisine: Thai
Alcohol: Beer & Wine
Hours: Monday-Saturday 11:30 AM to 2:30 PM, 5 PM to 9:30 PM
Parking: Private lot
Accepts credit cards: Yes

I pulled into Erawan on Erie Boulevard on a Tuesday evening. Parking is available in front of the building and in a private lot in back. Inside the restaurant, you'll find tables and friendly servers ready to seat you. The decor of Erawan is a little under par, in my opinion. My guess is they haven't changed the look of this place in quite some time, as it looks a little drab and dark. But sometimes you don't need to change things like that if you serve great food. And Erawan definitely proved that point.

The order...

Singha: $3.85
Paw Peea Sod: $1.49
Panang Gai: $10.99
Total cost with tax and tip: $19.47

Paw Peea Sod (Spring Roll: Fresh rice paper roll stuffed with pork, shrimp, lettuce and coriander, accompanied with dipping sauce)

Fairly simple ingredients, but all fresh and served cold. The rice paper was very chewy and the dipping sauce, which I'm guessing was some mixture of rice wine vinegar, sugar, ginger, and topped with peanuts, was tasty - almost like a sweet and sour sauce but thin and tangy.

Panang Gai (Chicken in a red curry paste, coconut milk, green peas, lime leaves, and sweet basil leaves)

They do spiciness on request here. I asked for "medium" and boy am I glad I did. This was soooo good. Just the right amount of heat with perfectly cooked chicken and peas in a hot and sweet sauce with curry and coconut milk. I really could have eaten the entire thing, but thought I should conserve some for tomorrow's lunch. My experience with Thai cuisine is somewhat limited, but this was the best Thai dish that I've ever had. So good.

I also loved the serving dishes, especially for the rice. Very unique.

Things of note...

- Erawan has gift certificates and does take-out as well. Call for details.

It's really hard to rip on Erawan about anything. The service was friendly and the food was excellent. The only thing that's lacking is the interior of the restaurant, but that really doesn't matter when you serve such a flawless meal.

My rating of Erawan Thai Restaurant:

Review: Tokyo Seoul

Name: Tokyo Seoul
Address: 3180 Erie Blvd E, Syracuse, NY
Neighborhood: Salt Springs (Erie Boulevard East)
Website: www.tokyoseoulrestaurant.com
Menu: View Menu
Cuisine: Korean & Japanese
Alcohol: Full Bar
Hours: Tuesday-Thursday 11:30 AM to 2:30 PM, 4:30 PM to 10 PM, Friday 11:30 AM to 2:30 PM, 4:30 to 11 PM, Saturday 11:30 AM to 11 PM, Sunday 2 PM to 10 PM
Parking: Private lot
Accepts credit cards: Yes

Note: I understand that Tokyo Seoul (and most Erie Blvd establishments) may be technically outside city boundaries, but I'm going to include Erie Blvd as far East as Bridge St on the reviews.

I went into Tokyo Seoul for lunch on a Sunday afternoon. The interior is a little dark, but very cozy, relaxed, and perhaps even good for a date. I would even go out on a limb to say that this place is kid-friendly, as hibachi usually seems to be a great draw for children. Inside you'll fine booths for more intimate dining, an open hibachi room, and a sushi bar towards the back.

The order...

California Roll: $6
Hot & Spicy Shrimp Bento Lunch: $10.50
Total cost with tax and tip: $21.66

There are different main entrees that come with the Bento Lunches such as chicken teriyaki, crispy pork loin, or marinated fish (check the lunch menu for details). They're a great concept as you get a little variety of different foods and tastes with your meal. First is the Miso Soup (excuse the picture quality).

This soup was really good. Tiny pieces of tofu and sliced scallions in an oniony broth.

Next was the sushi...

Ginger, wasabi, and the California Roll with crab and avocado, topped with masago (fish eggs).

I have very little knowledge with Japanese cuisine, but didn't really expect that the masago would be covering the sushi. I don't know if this is commonplace or if it was a fluke thing. I suppose it was a little overwhelming and I really had to scrape some of it off. The sushi was good, but nothing to write home about. I really should have gotten a more authentic style of sushi and maybe some sashimi as well.

I'm not going to dismiss Tokyo Seoul's sushi by any means, because I have only had one experience with it. I'd be willing to go back and check out the sushi bar at some point, just to try out some different kinds (and they did have a wide variety of choices). But, I suppose I was a little let-down by the California Roll in particular.

Then my Bento Lunch was next (and came pretty fast after the sushi).

From top left to bottom right: rice, ginger salad, Japanese chae noodles, hot & spicy shrimp, deep fried tofu (I think?), and vegetable tempura and dipping sauce.

OK first off, the shrimp was awesome. Just a perfect amount of lightly-breaded crispiness and spiciness with decent-sized, juicy shrimps. This was so good. (I'm always a little apprehensive about ording shrimp for the first time at any place that isn't along the Atlantic or Pacific coastline. It's more of a gamble because you never know if they are going to be small or regular sized - Tokyo Seoul did not disappoint). The vegetable tempura (carrot and zucchini) were both good, but the dipping sauce could have had a little more flavor to it as I though it was a bit bland and I'm not really sure what it was because it wasn't listed on the menu. The deep fried tofu was sweet and airy with some crunchiness mixed in. For someone who doesn't like tofu, they might even like this. The rice was a little dry and could have been a little more like "sticky rice". The Japanese chae noodles were some form of boiled vermicelli. I was not a fan of them, but I think that is more of a matter of taste. Just an odd texture of noodles that I'm really not used to. Again, just my own preference though. The salad was meh. I thought that the spicy ginger salad dressing was a little heavy and the whole salad-aspect probably could have been presented better on the plate (perhaps a different style of lettuce or thinner dressing?). Overall though, I'd say the Bento lunch is a great. Not only for the variety of food, but also for the amount of food that you get. I was totally stuffed.

You are given a few small packets of Japanese gum with your check. I don't care for melon-flavored gum, but it's a nice touch.

Some other tips...

- It can get crowded on Friday and Saturday nights, so make reservations ahead of time.

- It is also a favorite spot of college students. Just a heads up (or fair warning).

I would definitely go back here for lunch, dinner, or drinks (mmm, sake). And their lunch menu is worth trying out especially if you are new to either Korean or Japanese cuisine.

My rating of Tokyo Seoul:

Review: El Canelo

Name: El Canelo
Address: 2740 Erie Blvd E, Syracuse, NY
Neighborhood: Salt Springs (Erie Boulevard East)
Webste: www.syracuserestaurants.com/base-contact.asp?sn=elcanelo
Menu: View Menu
Cuisine: Mexican
Alcohol: Full Bar
Hours: Monday-Thursday 11 AM to 10 PM, Friday-Saturday 11 AM to 11 PM, Sunday 11 AM to 9 PM
Parking: Private lot
Accepts credit cards: Yes
Happy Hour: Every Sunday through Thursday from 5PM to 7PM with $.89 drafts
Buffet: Sundays from 11 AM to 4 PM

I don't at all claim to be any kind of expert on Mexican food, but it is one of my top three favorite cuisines and I have eaten at Mexican restaurants in at least a few places of note: New York City, Boston, LA, and on two separate visits to Mexico - once to the Baja Strip and once to the Yucatan Peninsula. At any rate, I was by no means expecting El Canelo to out-do any of the restaurants in these places, especially given the fact that most Erie Boulevard eateries are either chain restaurants or are relatively sketchy. However, I was expeting the food to be quite good being that they stated "Authentic Mexican Food".

Just by walking in through the door, you can almost tell that El Canelo in located in what used to be a Chinese restaurant. It's just setup that way. You walk in and there's a bunch of boxes of gum on the counter next to the cash register. Where else do you find boxes of gum when you first walk in to a place other than a Chinese buffet? The booths and carpet, although very clean, looked like they were left over from a previous establishment. And my theory on the whole "Sunday Buffet" is probably because El Canelo claimed the extra vats and heat lights from a Chinese buffet and decided they could still use them on their own. Although, I will admit, a Mexican buffet is a great concept. The interior could use some work, or at least some direction. It's really just a mass of former Chinese restaurant gimmicks and confusing Mexican restaurant additions. Kind of a let-down because from the outside, it looks like they might know what they're doing in here, but on the inside it was jumbled confusion.

The menu reads like a Chinese menu as well, with such things as "Lunch Specials" and "Combination Dinners". It can be a little confusing ordering, not only because of the amount of choices, but for the limited amount of descriptions on most of the dishes. (For a pdf file of El Canelo's menu, click here). The waitresses do not speak English very well, so you may or may not have to repeat yourself or ask the waitresses to repeat themselves. Not a big deal in my book, but just a heads up. The order...

Regular Lime Margarita: $4.95
Burrito California: $7.95
Total money spent with tax and tip: $13.80

Before the meals, you are served complimentary chips and salsa. The tortillas were very good and were served quite warm, so I'm guessing they had just made them before I had walked in. The salsa was a puree mixture - not necessarily what I'm used to for table salsa, but it was still good none the less. Although, I thought it could have had a little more heat to it.

Check out my huge margarita...

There was a rim of salt on the outside (which I'm a big fan of) but the grains were pretty small. Not that it really matters, but I'm used to sea salt on the rims and this looked a bit more like table salt. It wasn't really a big deal because the drink tasted limey and delicious. A great value for $5. Is limey a word?

The Burrito California was listed on the menu as "one big burrito rolled with carne asada, refried beans, Spanish rice, and pico de gallo, served with lettuce and guacamole".

The burrito was served with half a plate full of shredded lettuce with a large piece of tomato and small dollop of guacamole in the middle. A little too much lettuce for decoration (or for eating) and not nearly enough guacamole - especially being that this dish has the word "California" in it. And something was just off with the guacamole. I couldn't quite put my finger on it. It was very acidic and it wasn't because it had too much lime juice or anything like that. It just tasted funky so I didn't finish it.

As for the carne asada, it was fairly dry. Which was strange because as far as my understanding goes, carne asada is supposed to be marinated strips of grilled beef. Come to think of it, most of my burrito was dry: the tortilla, the meat, and the Spanish rice. And there really wasn't any pico de gallo in the burrito. Pico de gallo is essentially freshly chopped salsa, but there were hardly ANY tomatoes in it - there was just way too much meat for my taste and not nearly enough refried beans or salsa. I did end up finishing most of it, but I thought the proportions of ingredients could have been way better.

Overall, the prices were cheap, but I wasn't blown away by anything. In my opinion you can have cheap prices and still serve awesome Mexican food - hence the whole concept of roadside stands throughout much of Mexico. I guess I was just really expecting their "Authentic Mexican" food to be better. Instead, I left feeling let-down and confused. I doubt I'll be going back.

Oh, El Canelo. I had such high hopes for you.

My rating of El Canelo: