I’m entertaining a European guest whose exposure to Mexican cuisine is fairly limited. We talk of immigration and how effective preaching fear of the “other” seems to be regardless of where you reside. Europe has the seemingly intractable problem of Brexit, we’ve got Mexicans cutting through Trump’s new “virtually impenetrable” border wall with $100 power tools from the local hardware store.
Luckily, the world’s gastronomic cultures know no borders and the lust for the rich heritage of Mexican cuisine seems insatiable. The latest local entry is Hacienda Corralejo Mexican Kitchen, which is filled to overflowing even early in the week.
My frozen lime margarita is absolutely huge and tastes fine, but it has an odd, unnatural color. It looks like something that the Simpsons would satirize — as though Homer mistook glowing nuclear waste for a cocktail. Still, with my eyes closed, it’s refreshing.
I’m not sure I can say the same for the red sangria. It looks fine and has multiple fruit garnishes, but not much taste. Great sangria begins with wine that is fruit forward; add a bit of sweetness and a splash of brandy and you’ve got the basis for a delightful drink. This one is just dead in the glass. At least it’s not the horror I remember from a metallic undrinkable version from reviews past. But, if this one is typical, stick to beer or one of the many margarita options.
The complimentary chips and salsa are nothing special. The salsa screams of a canned or jarred base, without the freshness that wows at the region’s best choices. Luckily, our appetizers break the chain of mediocrity and soar over the bar like a champion pole vaulter.
Guacamole fresco is served in a small molcajete with a quartet of colorful red and green corn chips representing the Mexican flag poking upwards. It’s got a great balance of the lime and cilantro in the chunky avocado mix. It’s everything on the palate that the generic salsa is not.
Also, the four pieces of fire-roasted Mexican Street corn are full of flavor. The tender charred niblets are absolutely covered in cotija cheese, freshly minced cilantro leaves, a sprinkling of tangy Tajin seasoning, and an ample spritz of fresh lime. The flavors dance on your tongue.
The sizzling sound of chicken fajitas arriving makes my mouth water, but we’re still working on the starters and there’s no room on our two-top table. Even casual restaurants need to think of a meal’s pacing; it’s disruptive. We manage to make room and the fajitas are good. Each element is fresh and the beans and rice are nicely done.
I wish I could say the same about the Torre de Mariscos. It’s an impressive tower layering creamy avocado with great looking seafood — plump shrimp, tender scallops, and slices of octopus. There’s some raw red onion as well as a drizzle of tangy aioli dripping down the sides. The problem is that the lime and ample dressing (which puddles on the plate) absolutely overwhelm everything that promises to delight your taste buds. These prime ingredients are totally wasted.
Things tick up with dessert. My guest has never had fried ice cream and is enthralled. The vanilla confection is covered with crushed cornflakes and flash fried, then dusted with cinnamon sugar, honey, chocolate fudge and whip cream. It’s enough to split.
The flan custard, though, is grainy and slightly underdone, but there’s plenty of the burnt caramel sauce. It’s not inedible, but it falls short of the great heights that you might reach with a custard with more finesse. Still, there’s a large, comprehensive menu, plenty of satisfied guests, and no reason for fear.
CL Food Critic Jon Palmer Claridge dines anonymously when reviewing. Check out the explanation of his rating system.
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This article appears in Nov 14-21, 2019.
