Thursday, July 13, 2006

lame

I feel like this blog has a negative vibe today (but remember just yesterday I posted a positive review of Zen Toro) but how annoying is this? It's from last wednesday but I just noticed it. An article about tortas in which the only local establishment mentioned is Tortugas? So only a place that Americanizes and blands out its food is name-dropped? OK, maybe that is strong, I am basing that on the eating experience of three friends, but I have repeatedly tried Ernestos and Zocalo and found them to be bland. How about the local Mexican restaurants who have been serving tortas for years? How about tortas chilangas, the place that has buzz from people who are serious about finding good food and not just going someplace where you can get valet parked?

14 comments:

Anonymous said...

sorry this is unrelated, but do you happen to know what's on the menu for the thursday night sub shack extravaganza tonight? i haven't tried it yet but am hoping to go tonight. thanks.

beckler said...

I called and they said "he's not sure yet, call back"

beckler said...

and I do have subshack saved in my phone book

Anonymous said...

Amen sister!

Anonymous said...

I had the afternoon off and checked out two places I have been curious about but have the M-F lunch-time hours.

Goodie Tuchews is on 10th Street btwn J and K (just a few doors down from Temple.) Kate Washington wrote about it recently and many of you may already know about it. It is a really neat space, very no-frills, but the cookies are great and only $1. The owner said they've been there 25 years but have to relocate because the boutique hotel is going into their building. I told her about SRD and she is interested.

Then I finally went to Earl of Sandwich. I love that place!!! I had a delicious cheesesteak (though next time I'll have them hold the mayo and lettuce). The current owner has had it for 11 years. He said they are famous for their special chili sauce(!) They were doing pretty good business when I was there.

I highly recommend both places and was given more inspiration to support unique businesses like these before they get eaten up.

Anna

beckler said...

ok, tonight at sub shack it's just a bbq menu (which I'm pretty sick of, frankly)-hamburger, hotdogs, potato salad, "some dessert with strawberries". the good news is that it will be at a reduced price but Gary doesn't seem to have decided what price yet. He said five or ten.

cakegrrl said...

He needs to do Hawaiian -- kahlua pork, etc....or Cuban food would be rad, too.
-sick of BBQ too.

Anonymous said...

I know Becky doesn't believe me but the brown Earl sauce is really good!! I own this thread.

miller

beckler said...

quit claiming all the threads! crazy ballhead owns this thread! all the ladies over there say "yah" all the fellas over there say "ho"!

Anonymous said...

Oh yeah, well guess who owns Crazy Ballhead? Me.

miller

ACK said...

Gary promised us he would do a "State Fair" theme soon, with everything deep fried and on a stick.

Anonymous said...

Tonite is the Shami-sen concert and yaktori at a street vendor with summer thunder boomers lightin` up sky.I`m skippin`beer and drinkin` black coffee enjoyin` the night.Anybody read Ryu Murakami he`s from Kyushu and the book "69" was a fun easy one with chapters called "led zeppelin"..Hope that gives good karma.

Anonymous said...

OK, I'm a longtime reader and first time poster on here. I notice this ongoing theme of Ernestos and Zocalo being referred to as bland. I couldn't disagree more, and I think I know a thing or two about good, spicy Mexican food (I am a former restaurant review editor for a major national Web site, and I've lived in SoCal and Arizona and spent lots of time in Texas, all hotbeds of good Mexican food). I think both Ernestos and Zocalo are among the best restaurants in town and among the best Mexican food I've had in Northern California.

So my question is, if you find Ernestos and Zocalo so terrible, what do you consider good and unbland? Without trying to incriminate myself further, I'll add that I'm on a short list of folks who's not fond of the La Fiesta/La Favorita empire.

Anonymous said...

that torta article horrorfied me...my 2 favorite sandwiches were both birthed by french colonization!!! what does this say about me and the sandwiches i desire. this i do not know but everybody knows that all crazy ballhead says is "when i say crazy, you say ballhead"!!!

CRAZY BallheAD

homz