I went to the reopened 524 yesterday and it really warmed my heart to see what a nice job they've done fixing it up. I always loved the old 524, but let's face it, it was a dump. The corroded wall unit air conditioner leaking down onto the torn, flocked wallpaper always kind of grossed me out at the old. It's clean and bright inside with southwestern style decor. The service was a bit awkward and obsequious (really, you don't have to apologize ten million times for everything) but very nice. We definitely waited longer for our food than I expect from 524, but it wasn't that long, so it was fine. The chips and the two kinds of salsa were exactly the same, which is great news. The soup was the same. The delicious beans are the same. My friends got the carnitas sopes, which I had never tried, and they were sort of ridiculously piled with guac and sour cream but really excellent. With that and the Real Pie Co. on that block, things are really looking up.
I went to New Roma for a sandwich yesterday for the first time. It really is like a time warp of cheapness. The doughtnuts smelled so good it was really hard to resist ordering one, but resist I did. The sandwiches are refreshingly simple. They don't pile a bunch of unneccessary ingredients on them, they just taste good, and the bread is really fresh. I love the black olives on the sandwiches. ***thanks to bitchface for the spelling corrections.
Thanks for that update on 524. When I used to come up here with my buddies in the Authorities and the Fall of Christianity and my band D.U.H. back in the early '80s, we used to hit 524 all the time, because it was open until like 3 a.m. and it was the closest thing to Azteca Cafe and Arroyo's in El Stocktone. And once I moved here I ate there all the time. After the kitchen fire, I started hitting 524 No. 2 on Northgate, which is still there. Not quite the same, but still a pretty authentic Cali Mexican food experience. Gotta check the new 524 out.
ReplyDeleteOne question: Does that soup use a pork-based broth? (I'm a vegetarian now, but I do love it still.)
Actually, two questions, and here's my second: Have you checked out the Mexican restaurant that went into the space on Q Street west of 21st once occupied by El Charro? It's been a few non-Mecican food places since then: a candy confectionary and something else. Anyway, me just wonsering.
grwffydd
That's Mexican and wondering in the last graf. Doh.
ReplyDeleteWhen I was biking to work this morning I noticed they have a new banner up saying they now serve breakfast. As someone who lives down the street I find this exciting. Also I allready like that place just for being open late, which is why I always call it 'open' and now I can't remember it's real name...
ReplyDeletejana
The place next to Bennys? They're great but they have weird hours so the people kicked out of the bar can eat.
ReplyDeleteTheir veggie burrito has all kinds of neat stuff in it. It's not just rice and beans. Squash was in there and I don't remember what else, even though I've eaten it a dozen times. I'm not a food reviewer for a reason.
They change their salsa recipes to experiment. The only bad thing is it's often filled with creepy Bee reporters trying to scoop each other with stories about the new invention "tortillas".
"Tortillas" are like a squished flat English Muffin that people from South of the Border like to wrap their food in. Usually rice, beans, cheese and some kind of meat.
Now this is some brilliant foodie prose:
ReplyDeleteThe sanwiches are refreshingly simple. They don't pile a bunch of unneccesary ingredients on them, they just taste good, and the bread is really fresh. I love the black olives on the sandwiches.
Welcome back, Scoopette! I'm glad your day job isn't keeping you too busy.
ReplyDeleteYou're right. Posting on blogs during work hours is so, you know, inappropriate
ReplyDeleteAP?
ReplyDeleteWho says I have a job? Let me know if your work is hiring. I think I'd fit right in.
ReplyDeletejeez, bitchface (oops, I mean anonymous bitchface) I dashed off an entry before I had to run for the DMV, give me a break. it's not some full, polished review (if you're interested in that please check out my academy award nominated prose in midtown monthly), I just wanted to call attention to New Roma, because it doesn't get a lot of local press buzz. ewww...and don't call me a foodie. that's a gross term.
ReplyDeleteand JG, to answer your question, I reviewed Chita's in my now legendary "late night eats" column a few months back. i said something along the lines of, like benny's except with burritos. i had quite an experience inside.
yummers interview with kw
ReplyDeleteI agree about the sopes. I liked them but next time I think I'll have them hold the sour cream and guac. The guacamole seemed store-bought.
ReplyDeleteAnna
I usually like 524's guacamole, though, and it usually doesn't taste storebought. I hope they haven't made that decision.
ReplyDelete