El Azteca

[cinghiale]

Having had most enjoyable meals in the last week at Taq. Veracruzana (tacos celebrating Michigan's victory over OSU) and Garibaldi (mmm, chilaquiles), I thought to give a try to El Azteca, whose take-out menu fluttered through my mail slot recently.

They've got a large assortment of burritos/enchiladas/rellenos/quesadillas, in countless permutations, but I elected to go for the pork carnitas. Pretty disappointing. The lime-sized chunks of pork were dry and absolutely devoid of flavor. They came buried under a melange of rice, guacamole, salad, and grilled onions. Really not good. The flan was pretty tasty, though.

Delivery was quick, but jeez, $3 charge?!?! With tip, my dinner came to $23. I won't be calling again soon. La Lupe recently started scattering take-out menus in my nabe, so they'll be next up, despite two recent, underwhelming visits.

Never dined in at Azteca. Is the experience better live?

[herbacidal]

much like someone else's feelings in another recent thread,

i have never heard good stuff about azteca, but also never been there.

or more exactly, for every good thing i have heard,

i've heard about 5-8 bad things.

the occasional bad experience/comment/perception/etc. i can understand.

but that's way too high a ratio.

[gabe]

I've been the the El Azteca in Center City a number of times, and while the portions are huge, it doesn't really compare to the Washington Ave places or Las Cazuelas in terms of freshness, taste, and authenticity. I suspect that with Qdoba's arrival, El Azteca isn't even the best cheap Mexican in Center City anymore.

[dannyboy]

I think if you want to gorge yourself on whited-down "old El Paso" frozen dinner style Mexican, Azteca is the place to be. I can tolerate it when I'm in that mood. But most of the time, I rely on Veracruzana. 3 Tacos for $5 is cheap and very filling. 2 totally different restaurants.

I believe Veracruzana delvers now.

I won't eat at La Lupe again; Tamales and tortillas are good, but everything else I've had there has been consistently unsatisfactory.

Someday I have to try Garibaldi...

[herbacidal]

I think if you want to gorge yourself on whited-down "old El Paso" frozen dinner style Mexican, Azteca is the place to be. I can tolerate it when I'm in that mood. But most of the time, I rely on Veracruzana. 3 Tacos for $5 is cheap and very filling. 2 totally different restaurants.

I believe Veracruzana delvers now.

I won't eat at La Lupe again; Tamales and tortillas are good, but everything else I've had there has been consistently unsatisfactory.

Someday I have to try Garibaldi...

when i want a quick cheap good fix, verucruzana is my place.

i did like la lupe when i was there with katieloeb.

can't recall what we had (may be in a prior thread).

there was probably an innard, and something else with a green sauce.

vague memories. katie, wanna clear that up?

[KatieLoeb]

when i want a quick cheap good fix, verucruzana is my place.

i did like la lupe when i was there with katieloeb.

can't recall what we had (may be in a prior thread).

there was probably an innard, and something else with a green sauce. 

vague memories.  katie, wanna clear that up?

Herb;

I remember ordering something (Shrimp??) with either the Salsa Verde or the Mole sauce on it. Whichever it was I recall it was really delicious. In fact the time I was there with Herb is probably the only time I've ordered a real platter off the menu instead of my very usual assortment of Tacos. Some days I'm in the mood for chicken tacos and some days I can't leave without a Picadillo taco. Some days it's the Chorizo or Enchilada (Spicy Pork) tacos that call to me. Even the Barbacoa (goat) tacos are good although I have to be in the mood as they are a tad gamey.

Herb - I know we had just been to wine tasting together so I doubt I'd have ordered innards of any sort. I gotta be dead sober to eat offal.

[Andrew Fenton]

El Azteca, feh. I used to go there (occasionally, during the pre- Lupe, Veracruzana, Plaza Garibaldi days); it's pretty generic Americanized Mexican. Not awful, but way outclassed by its competition.

The best comparandum is with Plaza Garibaldi, in my opinion (that is to say, a restaurant, not a taqueria.) But PG is miles better.

By the way: has anybody noticed the changes at La Veracruzana lately? Fancier menus (with some more expensive dishes), for one thing. And there was a non-Mexican waitress when I was there a couple of weeks back. (I think it was her first day: she really didn't know what she was doing...)

[dannyboy]

By the way: has anybody noticed the changes at La Veracruzana lately?  Fancier menus (with some more expensive dishes), for one thing.  And there was a non-Mexican waitress when I was there a couple of weeks back.  (I think it was her first day: she really didn't know what she was doing...)

Yes, they have added some specials and taken some off- as long as they keep the "Alambre", they can change whatever they want.

Speaking of change, they've re-invented their tableside salsa rojo for the umpteenth time, and I kinda like it. I liked the original incarnation more; it was darker and more robust. I think they've switched to canned chilis perhaps?

as for the non Mexican waitress, that's quite a surprise! I have to imagine it's sink or swim there...

Has anyone tried the new "Weekend only" specialty taco?- Pork, Onion and Pineapple. Gotta git me some...

[Andrew Fenton]

Has anyone tried the new "Weekend only" specialty taco?- Pork, Onion and Pineapple. Gotta git me some...

The tacos al pastor? Meh. A little disappointing, to be honest. When I had them, they weren't too different from the regular carnitas, with just a little bit of pineapple. And they were kind of dry. They have some problems with consistency there, though, so your mileage may vary.

[cinghiale]

The tacos al pastor?  Meh.  A little disappointing, to be honest.

I double-Meh you back on the al pastor at TV. I've always found them to be terrific. But maybe I'm too laymanish when it comes to tacos. Do you have a secret spot for these beauties somewhere in CC, Sir Andrew?

[herbacidal]

By the way: has anybody noticed the changes at La Veracruzana lately?  Fancier menus (with some more expensive dishes), for one thing.  And there was a non-Mexican waitress when I was there a couple of weeks back.  (I think it was her first day: she really didn't know what she was doing...)

Yes, they have added some specials and taken some off- as long as they keep the "Alambre", they can change whatever they want.

Speaking of change, they've re-invented their tableside salsa rojo for the umpteenth time, and I kinda like it. I liked the original incarnation more; it was darker and more robust. I think they've switched to canned chilis perhaps?

as for the non Mexican waitress, that's quite a surprise! I have to imagine it's sink or swim there...

Has anyone tried the new "Weekend only" specialty taco?- Pork, Onion and Pineapple. Gotta git me some...

haven't noticed. looks like an excuse to go.

is the waitress cute?

it'd be interesting if she lasts.

i've heard of waitstaff not of a particular ethnicity working in

particular ethnic restaurants.

my cousin did it once.

maybe she's using it to keep up her spanish.

Edited December 4, 2003 by herbacidal (log)

[Andrew Fenton]

I double-Meh you back on the al pastor at TV. I've always found them to be terrific. But maybe I'm too laymanish when it comes to tacos. Do you have a secret spot for these beauties somewhere in CC, Sir Andrew?

Secret spot? I wish!

The tacos weren't terrible, just not as outrageously good as most of their other tacos are. I'm willing to try them again; in the past, I've gotten some meat that has seemed to come from the end of a batch (either very fatty or very dry) and I suspect that was the case with these.

[Andrew Fenton]

is the waitress cute?

it'd be interesting if she lasts.

i've heard of waitstaff not of a particular ethnicity working in

particular ethnic restaurants.

my cousin did it once.

maybe she's using it to keep up her spanish.

She was moderately cute. I think they brought her in to deal with their expanding gringo clientele. First time I've seen that, as far as I can remember.