El Gran Mexicano

[Rachel Perlow]

We've been singing this small restaurant's praises for a while now on the North Jersey Mexican thread, I can't believe we never gave it it's own. Here's some pertinent quotes from the previous thread:

• "For a basic taco stand El Gran Mexicano in bogota is great." - finker99
  "The chimichangas were actually fried much more lightly than I'm used to and it was a welcome change....perfect Mexican rice and black beans." - 201
  "I will also add that their mole ... is some of the best I've ever had -- very powerful, bitter taste, like good mole should be." - Jason Perlow
  "I love those tacos too much, esp. the chorizo and flank steak versions." - jhlurie
  Then there were a bunch of posts about how the place closed for renovations and made everyone very nervous that they would never reopen. Fortunately, on November 22, 2002, they did. Yippee!!! "El Gran Mexicano has reopened! .... I hope you will all head out there and show them how much you missed them." - Nick Reingold
  "that mole is really something special." - pnapoli
  

We went back again last night, all is still yummy. I particularly noted the flavor of their corn tortillas. I don't think they are made in house, but are still a worthwhile wrap for the tacos and other dishes. We also tried their stuffed jalapenos, just for the heck of it. They are the same poppers you can get anywhere, but an excellent version of them. For some reason we thought the black beans were new (like they previously served refried beans), but after reviewing the previous thread, I saw 201 mention having them months ago, so I guess not.

Also, they now have a website in the works, El Gran Mexicano.com.

Edited January 26, 2003 by RPerlow (log)

[201]

I was at El Gran Mexicano last night with a couple of friends and we all went home very happy! It was particularly satisfying because two days prior I had been suckered into going to Chevy's for the first time, which pretty much lived down to my expectations of that chain.

El Gran Mexicano is just great because it's simple and honest comfort food. The chorizo quesadilla is made with really tasty cheese with a nice creamy texture. The skirt steak tacos are dangerously addictive. The mole is powerful and the enchiladas always hit the spot.

The only thing working against El Gran Mexicano is that it's a very small space, but there's not much they can do about that. As far as the cooking goes, they're doing everything right. It would be nice to see some daily or weekly specials from time to time, but they've always been very good about meeting my special requests as long as they have the ingredients handy.

Plus, you've got to admire the integrity Mauricio has. Last night, I asked for a large serving of guacamole, but they only had a small serving left and the avocados they had were "not quite ripe enough for making more". No problem... I'm sure I'll be back plenty of times when those avocados ARE just right!

[tommy]

would it be silly to bring beer here?

[Jason Perlow]

Not at all. I've done it. You considering going tonight?

[tommy]

Not at all. I've done it. You considering going tonight?

oh yes. is it open? wanna join?

[Jason Perlow]

Not at all. I've done it. You considering going tonight?

oh yes. is it open? wanna join?

Yeah.. definitely

[201]

I headed to El Gran Mexicano last night and (surprise, surprise!) ran into Tommy.

Since he forgot to post impressions on this thread, I figured I'd take the liberty of quoting the appropriate post:

i ended up at the el grand mexican in bogota. a few others came along, so i didn't have to eat alone. i have to say i was quite pleased with the place.

the "cheap tacos," as i like to refer to them, were outstanding. flavorful meats, onion, cilantro, a bit a cheese. oh man, for 2 bucks, you can't get hurt. now i have a craving for them

I didn't order anything new, but I did sample someone else's ground beef tacos which were a nice surprise. Very moist and apparently cooked in a tomato sauce or the like which adds an almost Ragu like flavor. Very different from the dried out sort of beef that I (unfortunately) have come to expect.

Oh wait, there was ANOTHER dish I hadn't sampled before. The flan. Mmmmmmm... the flan. VERY creamy, VERY rich. So good it makes one want to slurp it up with a straw!!

[tommy]

i don't know from "authentic," and i don't even know that there is a such a strict designation (of any type of cuisine for that matter), but i certainly got the impression that these were more authentic than most places.

"authentic" is just a horrible word. i'd like to use something like "honest," or "pure," or some such. i've always considered los dos rancheros (9th and 38th, NYC) to be an "authentic" experience. but now i see that there's room for both types of places. they prepare food like i prepare food, or at least in a way that i like to think that i prepare food. clean. honest. fresh. i dig this place.

Edited March 12, 2003 by tommy (log)

[tommy]

a positive review can be read here.

[201]

It's a very fair review even if he did steal some of my lines!

I'm kidding of course, but I was thinking about the chimichangas and the maduros (sweet plantains). It's odd that their frying technique raises the chimichangas well above the standard of most places, yet the maduros seem to fall below. I'm not entirely sure why that is.

The guacamole can be a bit salty sometimes, but Rachel fixed that problem on one visit by asking for a lime and using its juice to balance things out a bit.

Great, now I'm hungry and I'm going to have to go do something about that!

On a side note... I still miss La Posada.

[Jason Perlow]

I don't think David knows jack shit about mole. The best moles are supposed to have a bitter, scorching aftertaste. I've had mole in Puebla and Mexico City and Guanajuato and its SUPPOSED to taste like that. El Gran's mole is among the best I have had in the US.

[201]

Ummm... there's a NICE way to do that.

[Jason Perlow]

David can speak for himself then.

[jhlurie]

The sauce, made with several kinds of dried chilies, sesame seeds, nuts, chocolate, and cinnamon, was slightly sweet with a bitter edge - possibly from scorching the chilies when they were toasted. The mole was deep and complex but not very refined and the bitter, almost scorched tasting finish detracted from the overall dish.

"Doesn't know jack shit" is a bit strong. Instead I would question whether or not he realized that chocolate, without sugar, is naturally bitter.

That said, I've had mole poblano which wasn't bitter. But the best ones usually are. The bitterness is an aquired taste, which is why some people absolutely hate mole poblano.

Edited April 21, 2003 by jhlurie (log)

[Jason Perlow]

Sorry, I've been feeling particularly nasty today... I should have said he was "clueless"

[jhlurie]

In protest of this outrageous insult to El Gran's mole sauce, I just trucked on over there and ordered a boatload of tacos to take-out, with a huge side of bitter bitter mole sauce to slather on top of them.

I mean really, its like a half-hour round trip for me. I must feel strongly about this.

[Nockerl]

Jason: I am most admiring of the experiences you've had eating throughout Mexico. Certainly, they must have served to educate your palate.

While I too have traveled in Mexico, much of my education about moles and other matters of Mexican cuisine came when I worked with Diana Kennedy. Granted, it was in '94 and I may be a bit stale, but what I can tell you is this: mole can, indeed, have a slightly bitter flavor. Americanized moles, more commonly made with unsweetened chocolate, tend to have a bitter edge. Mexican moles are typically made with sweeter Mexican chocolate. Under no condition, however, should it taste scorched or burned. Obviously, there is a profound difference between scorched/burned and bitter.

Moles, as I am sure you know from your experiences in Mexico, differ quite a bit by region. In some regions, moles are elegant, complex sauces with mysterious layers of flavor, and in other regions they are less refined and consist of bold notes.

I hope this clarifies for you any issues surrounding moles.

David Bonom

[Jason Perlow]

David:

First of all, I'm glad that you finally revealed your identity after your months of participation on the site, because I was unwilling to do that myself, we respect members choices to remain anonymous here.

Yes, moles do taste different from region to region. However, I have never seen a mole made with sweetened chocolate, in Mexico or in the US.

Mole Poblano, named for the Puebla province which is where this particular mole originates from (and where the staff of El Gran Mexicano comes from), has a very distinct bitter aftertaste, which can be interpreted by some as scorched or burned and is most defnitely NOT made with sweetened chocolate.

[Nockerl]

Yes, moles do taste different from region to region. However, I have never seen a mole made with sweetened chocolate, in Mexico or in the US.

Mole Poblano, named for the Puebla province which is where this particular mole originates from (and where the staff of El Gran Mexicano comes from), has a very distinct bitter aftertaste, which can be interpreted by some as scorched or burned and is most defnitely NOT made with sweetened chocolate.

Jason: Mole Poblano is made with Mexican Chocolate. I don't know if you have had any experience or not with this wonderful product but it is not unsweetened.

Mexican Chocolate is a sweetened chocolate flavored with almonds, cinnamon and vanilla. The texture is grainier than regular chocolate due to its sugar content. This product is commonly used to make Mexican hot chocolate and Mole Poblano. Two of the most common Mexican chocolates available are Ibarra and Nestle's "Abuelita" brand. You can find them in Latin markets and better supermarkets throughout the region. I believe Altagracia in Englewood carries one or both brands.

As for the "scorched" taste. I think most chefs versed in Mexican cuisine will tell you that the chilies used in the dish were over toasted and slightly burned thus imparting a bitter/scorched flavor. Mole poblano is one of the most refined and elegant of the moles and it can have a slightly bitter flavor but should not have a burnt finish.

And yes, Mole Poblano was named for the region it heralds from. It was created by nuns from three provinces: Puebla, Oaxaca, and Mihoacan for a dinner in honor of a new archbishop. The Nuns took a basic mole made from chilies and added Mexican chocolate, peanuts, sesame seeds and sweet spices such as cinnamon to help balance out the heat in the original dish.

Edited April 22, 2003 by Nockerl (log)

[Jason Perlow]

Ok, I repeat, I have never seen Mole Poblano made in Puebla with Ibarra or Abuelita drinking chocolate. I HAVE seen it made with unsweetened, Mexican block chocolate.

[Nockerl]

Ok, I repeat, I have never seen Mole Poblano made in Puebla with Ibarra or Abuelita drinking chocolate. I HAVE seen it made with unsweetened, Mexican block chocolate.

Mexican Chocolate

[Jason Perlow]

That can't be right. Are you sure they aren't referring to Mexican chocolate in the generic sense, there are a lot of kinds of chocolate that come from Mexico.

[Nockerl]

That can't be right. Are you sure they aren't referring to Mexican chocolate in the generic sense, there are a lot of kinds of chocolate that come from Mexico.

That's from the Food Lover's Companion, a very reliable source of information. I doubt Barron's would publish an erroneous entry.

If you have Rick Bayless's "Mexican Kitchen", you can turn to page 392 and read about Mexican Chocolate as well. He explains the process of making the chocolate and how it is ground over heat with sugar and flavored with cinnamon, almonds and vanilla. He goes on to state how Mexican chocolate is primarily used as a beverage but also has another important use--in the making of moles.

In "Food From My Heart" by Zarela Martinez, she talks about Mexican sweet chocolate, how it is produced and used as both a beverage and in the use of making moles. Ms. Martinez also has an excellent explanation of the process of making Mexican Chocolate (grinding the cocoa beans with canela and sugar) in one of her other books "the Food and Life of Oaxaca" As you know the 3 states most famous for making Mexican Chocolate are Oaxaca, Tabasco and Mihoacan.

I hope you find this information useful.

Edited: to add punctuation

Edited April 22, 2003 by Nockerl (log)

[Jason Perlow]

Thats very interesting, David.

I've asked Tony Bourdain to shed some light on the situation, as he spent time in Puebla last year and saw a lot of mole being made.

I can tell you though, that Ibarra as a company is not as old as mole poblano is, and that there are many, many kinds of "mexican" chocolate including very raw, unsweetened, unflavored block chocolate that I've seen used in moles.

[tommy]

oh ladies...