Jump to content
  • Welcome to the eG Forums, a service of the eGullet Society for Culinary Arts & Letters. The Society is a 501(c)3 not-for-profit organization dedicated to the advancement of the culinary arts. These advertising-free forums are provided free of charge through donations from Society members. Anyone may read the forums, but to post you must create a free account.

Mexican in Vancouver


peppyre

Recommended Posts

I believe there was a restaurant serving Salvadorian/Mexican-influenced cuisine reviewed in last week's Province newspaper. Anyone else catch that? I skimmed it quickly and didn't note the name...

Heh, I came to this thread to post on that topic. It's Il Pulgarcito (or is it el?), in my building actually, 2500 block East Hastings on the south side of the street.

It's Mark Laba who reviewed it, and I think it was today, or at least it's on Canada.com today. Oh oops, cancel that, it was last Thursday it appeared in print. I was wondering why Laba was off his usual day.

Clickety-Click

Link to comment
Share on other sites

it's light years beyond the soggy, flavorless crap you get at Steamrollers.  Steamrollers really is the bottom of the barrel; I imagine it was conceived by someone who has never tasted a proper burrito, and has an obsession with steam. 

This is kind of funny. I don't think Steamrollers set out to be a top-notch restaurant. I think the idea was to provide an alternative to a high fat burrito. I like to think of it more as a wrap. I eat them. I like them. It' an alternative to all the fat food, fast food out there. When I'm in a rush I'll got there for a healthy, nutritous wrap. To me it's the best fast food out there.

Derek

Link to comment
Share on other sites

it's light years beyond the soggy, flavorless crap you get at Steamrollers.  Steamrollers really is the bottom of the barrel; I imagine it was conceived by someone who has never tasted a proper burrito, and has an obsession with steam. 

This is kind of funny. I don't think Steamrollers set out to be a top-notch restaurant. I think the idea was to provide an alternative to a high fat burrito. I like to think of it more as a wrap. I eat them. I like them. It' an alternative to all the fat food, fast food out there. When I'm in a rush I'll got there for a healthy, nutritous wrap. To me it's the best fast food out there.

My point is I'd first like a place to find the Steamroller's high fat cousin.

edit:

Wait, wait: I mispoke. First, a good burrito doesn't have to be high in fat. Grab yourself a nice freshly made tortilla, some rice, throw in some smokey black beans (probably smokey because of some pork product, granted), some nice grilled chicken or steak (or even better, braised goat), peppers, maybe a freshly made roasted tomato salsa, quese fresco, and you are good to go. Not high in fat, high in delicious. And that's certainly not an authethentic mexian burrito. It's probably more california-mexican, but unlike the stuff I've found in this town, it doesn't rely on prepackaged materials and misconceived flavor combinations, and it might actually taste good.

And I never said Steamrollers set out to be a top-notch restaurant, but I have to assume they set out to be non-horrible.

Edited by eatvancouver (log)

Jason

Editor

EatVancouver.net

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Found an article about the place just over the border: http://www.businessjournal.org/ejournal/au.../potencial.html

Best Mexican food I have found within a 1 hour drive of downtown Vancouver.

By the way, there is a directory of many other options to try in the GVRD here: http://bc.seccionlatina.com/modules/xdirec...cat.php?cid=201

Cheers!

Edited by Vancouver (log)
Link to comment
Share on other sites

From 2004 Best of in the Georgia Straight

Best trip to Mexico

The Mouse and Bean Antojería Mexicana

207 West Hastings Street

604-633-1781

The Mouse and the Bean edges out its Hastings-strip neighbour, Mexico Sabroso (440 West Hastings Street). At the latter, the Spanish-language soaps on TV make the feel more authentic, but the Mouse and Bean still has that charmingly erratic Mexican service and wins out with its excellent food and especially good value. The $9.50 lunch special is unbeatable.

From me:

I have had some snacks from there at the Vancouver Mag restaurant reviews in 2004. I faintly remember enjoing something.

Anyone else "bean" there?

Gastronomista

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Yes, I've been to the "Bean" a couple of times and the food is good but somehow I end up going to Mexico Sabroso more often. They are both pretty authentic (or what passes for that in Vancouver). Sabroso is open evenings (and I don't think the Bean is) and seems to have a bit more depth in their selection. Sadly neither one has Cervaza.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 2 weeks later...

Third time wasn't the charm.

Okay. Went to HolaChurro. Awful, to say the least. Poor service. Slow and inexperienced. She had to come back and ask what I ordered because she didn't know Spanish. She made luke-warm and less then half cup servings of our Americano coffees. The food was served, again luke-warm and lacking a decent amount of meat and filling. I had the Flautas and I would saying the filling was definitely lacking. Only a few shreds of chicken meat in the middle. The plate consisted of four Flautas covered in shredded lettuce and chopped tomato salsa with a spoonful of Guacamole on the side. Hubby had the enchiladas in the Verde sauce. Again, not hot and too lemony. Believe me, my husband loves lemon. He is Greek and even this was too much for him. He said the lemon overpowered but even with less lemon the dish would be bland. Not spice heat, at all.

This was our third and last visit. The first two were for Churros. Churro visit number one consisted of cold Churros because that is how the cook likes them. He even asked us if we liked them hot or cold. We said hot but were served cold ones. Tried to give them one more chance on Churros but the Churro machine was broken.

A placed called HolaChurro and has no Churros. Hmm? Churrolicious got our business that day. I have yet to have a bad churro from there.

Anyhow, I am sure we will soon see this place in the "openings and closings" thread. I believe this was predicted by someone else in the forum.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Anyhow, I am sure we will soon see this place in the "openings and closings" thread. I believe this was predicted by someone else in the forum.

LMFAO!!!

That was Me! :raz:

I knew the end was near when I read on the menu about the 'vegetarian Tuna' dish. :rolleyes:

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Anyhow, I am sure we will soon see this place in the "openings and closings" thread. I believe this was predicted by someone else in the forum.

LMFAO!!!

That was Me! :raz:

I knew the end was near when I read on the menu about the 'vegetarian Tuna' dish. :rolleyes:

Give yourself a pat on the back for this one. You are/were so right.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 2 weeks later...

I found a place in my neighborhood called "Chilo's Taqueria". I think it just opened up. I've eaten there the past couple weekends, and it tastes pretty good imho. Reminds us of the tacos we ate at street stands in the back alleys of Cabo San Lucas (don't laugh--the trip was free). They've got cabeza, lengua, etc. They serve them with just onions and cilantro. 1 green and 1 red salsa at the table, limes, salt. $1.25 each, you just gotta try em :)

English is not very strong there, so maybe brush up on your spanish before going. As far as I know, starting April 1st they're gonna have regular hours... M-F 5-10, S-S 11-9. Right now, I think they're just doing weekends until their big opening.

Give it a shot and tell me what you think! Here's a map link:

http://maps.google.com/maps?f=q&hl=en&q=51...015719,0.048752

The exact address is just a guess, but it's definitely on that block, beside the <s>Esso</s> Chevron station. There's another mexican/honduran restaurant a few doors down, but me and my wife have tried some of their stuff and were not impressed at all. But definitely give Chilo's a try...now Victoria Dr. might not just be known for pho and banh mi :)

btw I'm new here...my first post!

Edited by flowbee (log)
album of the moment: Kelley Polar - I Need You To Hold On While The Sky Is Falling - 2008
Link to comment
Share on other sites

I found a place in my neighborhood called "Chilo's Taqueria". I think it just opened up. I've eaten there the past couple weekends, and it tastes pretty good imho. Reminds us of the tacos we ate at street stands in the back alleys of Cabo San Lucas (don't laugh--the trip was free). They've got cabeza, lengua, etc. They serve them with just onions and cilantro. 1 green and 1 red salsa at the table, limes, salt. $1.25 each, you just gotta try em :)

English is not very strong there, so maybe brush up on your spanish before going. As far as I know, starting April 1st they're gonna have regular hours... M-F 5-10, S-S 11-9. Right now, I think they're just doing weekends until their big opening.

Give it a shot and tell me what you think! Here's a map link:

http://maps.google.com/maps?f=q&hl=en&q=51...015719,0.048752

The exact address is just a guess, but it's definitely on that block, beside the Esso station. There's another mexican/honduran restaurant a few doors down, but me and my wife have tried some of their stuff and were not impressed at all. But definitely give Chilo's a try...now Victoria Dr. might now just be known for pho and banh mi :)

btw I'm new here...my first post!

Welcome! And thanks for the tip, my curiosity is definitely piqued and I will try to check it out this week. As some may know I'm quite critical of the Mexican/South American cuisine in this city and it seems like this place could be a step in the right direction.

Jason

Editor

EatVancouver.net

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I went to La Casita in Gastown the other day and it was excellent. Particular faves are the Tortilla Soup and the Floutas. Everyone I know who've been have become converts. Nice little bar area too, and the food is quite authentic. Not quite as authentic as Tacos Mexico Rico/Sabroso, but since the former are liscenced and the latter are not, I'll be returning to La Casita first...

k

Edited by kurtisk (log)
Link to comment
Share on other sites

I found a place in my neighborhood called "Chilo's Taqueria". I think it just opened up. I've eaten there the past couple weekends, and it tastes pretty good imho.

<SNIP>

btw I'm new here...my first post!

Welcome flowbee, and thanks for the rec!

I went to La Casita in Gastown the other day and it was excellent.  Particular faves are the Tortilla Soup and the Floutas.

Their soup is one of my favorites as well! A perfect way to spend a rainy lunch in Gastown.

Anybody read Ms. Gill's take on Mexican in Vancouver? LINK. Mostly a review of Red Burrito and Chocoatl (nice to know you're still reading Angela :hmmm: ) but others like La Casita and Burrito Bros. :blink: mentioned as well.

A.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

man i'm stuffed! here's what we just had at Chilo's Taqueria:

gallery_24789_2714_28616.jpg

Top 2 tacos are carnitas, bottom 2 are beef (they say it's a part of the cow called "salero", it's from the side of the cow...not sure about the spelling). We loved them...my wife loves stringy meat (like beef brisket cubes), so she was all over these. In the upper left is my mug of cerveza ;) Some people might think the meat is a little dry, but I thought it was very flavourful. The owner recommending putting the red salsa on the pork and the green salsa on the beef. The salsas were good, and actually had a bit of heat to them.

gallery_24789_2714_26664.jpg

Corn soup served with tortilla chips...we put them in the soup, so I guess it's sorta like a tortilla soup. Tomatoey base. We added a squeeze of lemon and some herbs that they had on the table.

gallery_24789_2714_25773.jpg

Beef tripe soup. Had that stinky tripe smell...but not that I minded at all. I loooove tripe! This one was served with warm tortillas that I put the tripe into and ate. Seems like it was cooked a long time, the tripe was very soft. Yummy!

We thought both soups would taste the same, but they actually tasted pretty different from each other, so they're probably seperate soups. They also had a third soup with shrimp (owner said it was a "brown soup"), which we might try next time.

There's no written menu, but I think the soups were $5. The tacos are $1.25 each. We already love this place because there are so few places in the Lower Mainland that serve tacos simpy like this (ie. tacos singley, not part of a combo platter).

album of the moment: Kelley Polar - I Need You To Hold On While The Sky Is Falling - 2008
Link to comment
Share on other sites

I'm going to Chilo's ASAP, like today. The pozole should have come with some raw cabbage and radishes on top as a garnish. A good bowl of pozole is waaaaayyyyyy more than I ever hoped for in Vancouver. Hell a bad bowl of pozole is more than I ever hoped for. The tacos look right, perhaps a little stingy on the toppings.

Looks promising.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

There's no written menu, but I think the soups were $5. The tacos are $1.25 each. We already love this place because there are so few places in the Lower Mainland that serve tacos simpy like this (ie. tacos singley, not part of a combo platter).

Wow, those look about right. The meat looks good, cilantro, double corn tortilla - I like what I see. Add a wedge of lime and bit of shredded radish relish, and they would look exactly like images I carry around of times long past. Looks like a roadtrip is in order.

Edited by eatvancouver (log)

Jason

Editor

EatVancouver.net

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I tried La Casita today for lunch. The food was very average. We had the enchiladas, and the chili relenos. Both were very average. The tortillas are home made. The are too thick and doughy for a decent enchilada. The releno was big and lacked any sophistcation. A good releno is lighter in style. Not a big mound of the ingrediants on a plate. I love mexican food, and love it when it is simple, or fancy in preperation. You are only as good as the guy in the kitchen. Maybe monday lunch is the chefs day of.

I enjoy Sabroso/Rico on Hastings, and miss Mexican Village that was in Bellingham for many years. Anyone remember Mexican Village. It was so good it was full of Canadians driving down for dinner.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

×
×
  • Create New...