Taco Love Grill

I was invited to Taco Love Grill by owner Mena earlier this week. Yesterday, we took her up on the invitation and left the restaurant full and happy. The food was great and the staff was extremely welcoming and attentive. Had we not been invited we may never have found this hidden gem as it's very much hidden and off the beaten path. Let this be your invitation to seek out this restaurant as soon as possible. The extra miles in the car are well worth it.

We started off our meal with a basket of chips and salsa. The chips were freshly fried and the salsa verde and roja they served on the side were both delicious. The verde was the more mild of the two and offered a fresh citrus flavor. The roja had a nice smokey flavor and brought some nice heat to the party. I shouldn't forget to mention our beverages. I had Tamarindo and Deana had a Hibiscus tea. Normally, I wouldn't mention my drink choice when it's not a cocktail or beer but these stood out. I was having a heck of a time coming up with a descriptive way to explain these drinks yesterday and I'm still at a bit of a loss today. All I can say is that these drinks are a much better choice than the everyday soda or bottled beverage.

For dinner I ordered the shrimpotle burrito which came recommended by Mena and Deana ordered the verde Enchiladas. Both meals were filling and full of flavor. In fact, I can say with confidence that I haven't had a better burrito in the area. It comes stuffed full of shrimp with a cheesy rice mixture and bits of cilantro and guacamole. It didn't need help, but I still had fun putting on the salsas I mentioned previously and also another corn salsa they offered.

Deana's enchiladas were also a hit. The chicken was tender and I don't know who wouldn't be happy with anything found underneath their out of this world verde. As we were driving home Deana happily proclaimed these were the best enchiladas she has had. It was hard for me to disagree.

As good as our meals were, though, the highlight of the night for me was the Mexican Corn on the Cob. I love corn on the cob, but this variation might have spoiled me for life. I'm not sure I ever want a plain piece of corn again. I woke up today thinking about the flavors on this little masterpiece. The corn is topped with mayonnaise (don't be afraid), cheese, and something spicy like cayenne, and I suspect some lime was squirted on it. The flavor was out of this world. The corn was sweet, the mayo and cheese were creamy, there was spice there, and the citrus made everything pop. If you end up at Taco Love Grill and find yourself confused about what you want to order be sure you don't pass this up. As far as I know, nobody else in the area is serving anything like this.

As if that wasn't enough food we were also treated to a delicious dessert. We had a plate of sweet tortilla chips that were sprinkled in cinnamon and sugar. The taste was reminiscent of a crunchier churro and they were served with a raspberry dipping sauce. They were very good, but if you save room for dessert the chocoflan is the way to go.  Until last night I had never tried flan, but that definitely won't be the last time. I never really knew what flan was but if I knew it was basically a light and airy custard like concoction I wouldn't have waited so long to seek some out. The flan sat on top of a super moist piece of chocolate cake and all of it was topped in a thin caramel sauce. This is a dessert worth breaking a diet for.

If you've made it this far into my post, please do yourself a favor and seek Taco Love Grill out. This restaurant has great food and it deserves to be talked about and frequented by people from all over the area. Best of all, the staff is great and they go out of their way to make sure that you're happy with your dinner experience.

Price: Cheap
Recommendation: Visit them today and tomorrow!
What to Order: Don't pass on the Mexican Corn on the Cob and Chocoflan.

Fiesta Mexicana

It would be very easy for me to jump right in and talk about just how good the food at Fiesta Mexican is. However, before I do that I want to make sure I hit on what I think a trip to Fiesta Mexicana is all about. When you enter this tiny little 12 seat restaurant you are immediately met with a smile by the owner. He hands out menus, talks you through the menu, tells you about the different ingredients and how he chose them, cooks your meal, serves your meal, and even rings you out at the cash register. I've never felt as valued as a customer as I have when I've visited this hidden gem located in Rosedale. The owner takes immense pride in the service he is providing and we are all better off for it as customers. Obviously, I've been to a restaurant or two in recent times and there isn't another place I've come across that makes me feel as valued as Fiesta Mexicana does.

Now on to the food! I don't think there will ever be a time that Deana and I visit Fiesta Mexicana without ordering the fresh Guacamole. And when I say fresh I mean it. The kitchen is in plain view and you can watch him select the avocado, cut it up along with some onion and cilantro, and mix it up till it reaches the right consistency. The contrast of the creamy avocado and crisp onion is awesome. And if you're looking for a touch more heat the Salsa Verde served on the side is one of my favorite condiments. It's just the right heat level for me and pairs perfectly the with creamy guacamole.

On this particular visit we decided to split a platter that included a Sope, Enchilada, Fluata, and Taco. Not only was everything on that plate delicious, but it was a ton of food and our entire dinner only totaled $16.50. Deana and I both agree that our favorite on the plate were the Enchiladas. The chicken is so tender and there is nothing I like more than the green sauce they top it off with. The flavors are straight forward (nothing like the typical Mexican restaurant tries to pass off as Mexican), but all so delicious. We also quite enjoyed the quesadilla. Prior to biting in I wasn't expecting to be wowed. After all, it's just a quesadilla, right? But, man, was I wrong. This was a fried quesadilla that left the tortilla appearing almost as if it were pastry. 

When it comes to Fiesta Mexicana I feel very confident stating that this is a place everyone within a 45 minute drive should try. The food is excellent and the service is nothing like any other restaurant I know of in the area.  Give them a try tomorrow. 

Price: Cheap

Recommendation: If you claim to be from Baltimore you have to eat here. 

What to Order: Guacamole and Enchiladas. 

La Tolteca

Normally, coming up with an intro for a restaurant review comes rather easily. Today, I have nothing. No matter how long I sit here and think the only thing I can come up with is rather straightforward. La Tolteca makes some good ass Mexican food.

If your only view into the Mexican culinary world is Don Pablo's, or god forbid Taco Bell, La Tolteca is a great stepping stone into the world of authentic Mexican cuisine. I think the common perception is that Mexican food is a type of food meant to overwhelm your palate with heat and a smorgasbord of spices. It's really not. Mexican food is very subtle in its flavors when done right. The spice should be there, but it should complement the ingredients, not be the only thing you remember about a meal.

Like a lot of Mexican restaurants, La Tolteca starts you off with complimentary tortilla chips. The difference? They give you homemade tortilla chips, have some of the best salsa around, and some sort of sour cream sauce that is out of this world. The salsa has such a fresh taste thanks to all of the cilantro and fresh onion. And the sour cream sauce is maybe my favorite part of any visit. It has a sweet creamy taste with just enough heat on the end to keep you going back for more. It's like a girl who isn't all that good looking, but she gave you a simple look and all of the sudden you can't get her out of your head for the rest of the night. This stuff really sucks you in. If you're not careful, you could go in with an empty stomach and be full before you entree is out because you've already eaten so many chips.

For dinner, I can't recommend enough ordering something that includes a chalupa. I ordered the number 19 combo that also included a burrito and enchilada. But back to the chalupa. Ashamedly, the only thing I knew about chalupas prior to La Tolteca were the taco like things from Taco Bell. Real chalupas are NOTHING like that. The chalupas are a fried tortilla shell with the creamiest refried beans, lettuce, and some of the best guacaomole around. The simplicity is what makes it amazing. The burrito and enchilada are also both excellent. Although, I think if I had to pick one the enchilada would come out the winner. The red sauce on top is delicious and the meat inside is incredibly tender and simply seasoned.

Really, as much as I love this place there isn't a whole lot more I can say about La Tolteca. The food speaks for itself. The next time you find yourself in the mood for Mexican let La Tolteca show you how it's done.

Price: Average
Recommendation: Excellent Authentic Mexican
What to order: Combo #19

Pacific Coast Dining Co.

Anyone who has followed this blog at all knows I'm quite the fan of Groupon. Thanks to the site, I've come across an endless amount of restaurants I might have never tried had I been left to my own devices. Pacific Coast Dining Co. is one of the restaurants I recently tried thanks to a pretty good deal they were offering. Unfortunately, I'm not sure I'll find my way back to the Pacific Coast.

By no means is Pacific Coast Dining Co. a bad restaurant. The food isn't bad, but the menu is confused. Half of the menu is Italian and half is Mexican/pacific. Neither is bad, but if you ask me they need to pick a direction and run with it. I get that they are located in Little Italy and they are trying to cater to those expecting that kind of food, but if you're going to call yourself Pacific Coast then be Pacific Coast.

While we were going over the menu I put in an order for a beer. I can't remember exactly what I ordered, but I know they poured it into a glass. That in and of itself isn't a problem. Any beer outside of the typical American staples is best served in glass (non chilled at that for the beer snobs among us). But the glass my beer was poured into smelled like a dirty rag. Once upon a time I worked in a restaurant and realize that things happen so I didn't raise an issue, but it really threw me off throughout the meal trying to get over the smell.

Prior to dinner we worked up quite the appetite at Max's Rare and Obscure event so we decided to start off with an appetizer of hummus. It was okay. The hummus had a good garlic flavor and was creamy but it was served really cold. Sometimes I don't mind that if the pita is nice and hot, but it wasn't and the hummus got kind of one note rather quickly.

The Groupon deal I purchased raved about the tacos and after consulting with the bartender she agreed that the tacos were really good. Okay, sold. I ordered a couple steak tacos cooked medium rare. Deana decided to go to the non-Pacific Coast side of the menu and ordered the Chicken Marsala.

The tacos were okay. The aioli you see zig zagged over the top of the tacos was really tasty as was the mango pico. The main problem I had with the tacos was the temperature in which my steak was cooked. I ordered medium rare, but I got something back that in my opinion was borderline rare at best. It was almost to the point of being raw and while I'm not afraid to eat something that's still mooing, this wasn't for me. Another small issue I had was the fact that nothing is served on the side to mix up the meal a little bit. After awhile I want a different taste or texture and since they didn't give me that option, Deana and I decided to switch dinners with one another.

The Chicken Marsala, again, wasn't bad but it didn't score as big on the tastebud turnon score-o-matic as I would have liked. I'm happy to report that the noodles were cooked al dente and the mushrooms were nice and earthy, but on the whole this wasn't a dish I felt like I needed to brave the terrible parking of Little Italy for.

Don't be fooled by the name. Pacific Coast Dining Co. is trying to lead you down a path they only deliver on halfway. If they reworked their menu I think they could have something good, but until that happens I'd probably pass on a second visit.

Price: A little expensive for the portion sizes
Recommendation: Pass
What to order: Steak Tacos

Good Deal on Groupon for R&R Taqueria

If you found the previous post about R&R Taqueria intriguing, you'll be super excited to hear that they are offering a great deal on Groupon right now! They are offering $30 dollars in value for $15 (more than enough for 2 people) or $60 in value for $25. Hook yourself up and come back here and let me know what you think of the food.

R&R Taqueria

Not that long ago a new Mexican restaurant opened inside the cafeteria at White Marsh mall. Considering I work within walking distance of the mall, I often find myself meandering through the cafeteria looking for something good to eat on days I forget to pack a lunch. I struck gold when I decided to take a chance and try the R&R Taqueria.

Ever since the day I tried their food I've been telling everyone I can they need to try this place out. If you like Mexican food, it's a must eat as far as I'm concerned. Apparently, I'm not the only who feels this way. As I was putting my order in yesterday, I noticed a big poster in the background touting the fact that the R&R Taqueria will be featured on Diners, Drive-ins, and Dives on February, 27. Unbeknownst to me, the location in White Marsh isn't the only R&R restaurant in the Baltimore area. They also have a restaurant in Elkridge in a Shell gas station.

At this point, the only thing I've ordered is the steak burrito. I think what makes their food stand out is the fact that they cook everything to order. Their isn't a whole bunch of grilled chicken or steak sitting in a bin waiting for customers to come along and order. The steak is tender and tastes delicious when combined with the fresh onion and pepper they fry along with it. The pinto beans they top the burrito off with are (to steal a phrase from Guy Fieri) "out of bounds". Beyond creamy is how I like to describe them.

As good as the burritos are, after take a looking at their to-go menu I know know I'll have to venture off and try the rest of their menu ASAP. They have tortas, tacos, huaraches, and a variety of platters. The chili relleno platter and the R&R Tacos Enchilados (lamb tacos!) have my name all over them. Did I mention that the most expensive thing on their menu is less than 10 dollars? I think I might starting "forgetting" my lunch a lot more often now that I have a place like this within walking distance. Even if you can't walk to the R&R Taqueria, don't let the distance get in between you and this sublime Mexican food. It's fantastic.

Price: Cheap

Recommendation: Visit ASAP

What to order: Steak Burrito

Update: I recently went back to R&R after purchasing a Groupon and have a whole slew of new recommendations. You're going to need more than one visit to get an appreciation for all this place has to offer. Their flautas are excellent. They are super crunchy on the outside and filled with tender chicken on the inside. Dip them in their red and green salsas and you're in for a really nice Mexican treat. I was also highly impressed with their lamb tacos. Simply dressed with raw onions and cilantro these tacos will instantly change your mind about what a taco should be. Lastly, they had a lamb soup that blew my mind. It may have been served from  Mexican joint but it reminded me of a mix of beef barley soup and something you'd get at an Asian restaurant. It had a very flavorful and rich beef broth, tender shredded lamb, cilantro, chives, and a little bit of onion. Don't hesitate to try this soup out.