Rubio's - Review #1

Date of Visit: January 11, 2006

18517 Brookhurst St
Fountain Valley, CA 92708

Listing on Yahoo! Local

Official Site

I really, sincerely did not want to follow up a review of El Pollo Loco with a review of Rubio's and I wanted to wait a while before hitting another Fountain Valley restaurant but my father (a Fountain Valley resident) passed away early in the morning and as I was driving my mother around later in the day to take care of some business she suggested going to Rubio's and I just didn't feel like I was in a position to say no.

This chain was originally known as Rubio's Fish Taco, then it became Rubio's Baja Grill, and now it is known as Rubio's Fresh Mexican Grill. I wonder what their next name will be? Rubio's Fresh Baja Fish Taco Grill? Maybe they can merge with Baja Fresh, La Salsa, and Sharky's and create the ultimate fresh Mex conglomerate chain. They also used to be more surfer hip, and while they have retained some of that surfer hipness I have also observed them becoming more corporate over time. They also used to sell t-shirts and if you went in and ordered some food while wearing one of their t-shirts you would get a 10% discount. One time about ten, eleven years ago I went to the one at Harbor and Fairview and told the cute girl ringing up my order that I had a t-shirt at home (honestly, I did have one at home) and she said, "Okay!" and punched the ten percent off button on her keyboard. So she gets her very own five Speedy Gonzales rating:



Now, I know I go off about beverages available at these Mexican restaurants so now is my chance to sound off about the fact that the Rubio's chain got rid of their Ocean Spray drinks. I used to always order their Ocean Spray Mango Mango drink (don't ask me why "Mango" is mentioned twice in the name of the drink - I always knew it took two to tango, but it wasn't until I saw this mass-produced fruit beverage that I realized it took two to mango), squeeze a little lime into it, and it blended perfectly with their food but now it's gone and they just have beer and soda now. I think I e-mail them once a year asking them to bring it back and they probably get my e-mails and think, "Yeah, yeah, it's that same guy spouting off about the Ocean Spray drinks again." They do get a plus for having Vanilla Coke at their soda fountain (the only fast food chain I'm aware of that does) and every once in a while when I am daydreaming about the glory days of Rubio's I'll even squeeze a little lime into that. There you go, Vanilla Lime Coke. It's probably gross and most people grimace when I even tell them of my concoction but what else am I supposed to do? And I don't feel so bad now that a couple of days ago while driving up to Los Angeles I noticed a billboard advertising Black Cherry Vanilla Coca-Cola.

I also admire the fact that every location (as far as I know) still has an aquarium in the dining room but the one I saw during last night's visit was the least lively and the least colorful. Hopefully this was just an exception and maybe they just need to make a trip to the nearest tropical fish store (add some seahorses while you're at it, folks). But the whole aquarium aspect does make a nice touch.

I haven't even talked about food yet. My mother ordered a steak and a carnitas street taco and a water and I ordered the chicken taco meal deal (chicken taco, rice, beans, chips, small drink). The girl ringing up my order this time said, "You know that only comes with one taco, right?" So I added a carnitas street taco and the total for me and dear old mom came to $7.53. Not bad. Not bad at all. And it was all very fresh tasting too. On my next Rubio's review, whenever that might be, I'll get even more in-depth into the food characteristics.

This experience is hard to rate since there are definitely some things that irk me about the whole Rubio's chain, but, then again, there have been some positive aspects to outweigh the negative ones. I'm tempted to give this a two and a half Speedy Gonzales rating, but since I haven't Photoshopped a half Speedy Gonzales yet then Rubio's earns a three Speedy Gonzales rating:

El Pollo Loco - Review #1

Date of Visit: January 9, 2006

3002 El Camino Real
Tustin, CA 92782

Listing on Yahoo! Local

Official Site

Tried to go to the Rubio's at the Tustin Market Place last night but it had just closed (don't restaurants know that sometimes I need to eat dinner at 9:30pm?) so I went across the little street to El Pollo Loco.

At the counter I ordered a taco al carbon, a black bean burrito, which isn't even on their menu anymore and used to be called the "Smoky Mountain Black Bean Burrito" (now that's a mouthful), so be aware that it is something you can order, and chicken tortilla soup. Now this is what I have to stress: Their chicken tortilla soup is the real thing and may be the best I have ever had. I was reluctant to try it my first time because it seemed like the type of item a fast food restaurant could mess up very easily but each time it has been surprisingly fresh and came with a cup of fresh cilantro and cotija cheese and a bag of tri-colored tortilla chip strips to add to your own liking.

El Pollo Loco used to bill themselves as "the fast food habit worth having" but maybe they got rid of that slogan after they began serving Foster's Freeze products. I tried to eat healthy for this meal but when I was asked what I wanted to drink I panicked because of the line forming behind me and impetuously ordered a Foster's Freeze chocolate malt. I used a discount card my work had been handing out and the total came to $7.05.

Got myself some spicy avocado sauce and some pico de gallo from their salsa bar. Every salsa bar at every El Pollo Loco is always rather sloppy. Maybe it's just impossible to clean up after every sloppy guest but I do notice it every time.

I'd knock this down to a three Speedy Gonzales rating for their perpetually sloppy salsa bar and the fact that any chain can never rise above a four Speedy Gonzales rating but the fact that their chicken tortilla soup is so perfect and that they always let me order an item that's not on the menu brings them back up to a four Speedy Gonzales rating:

Jugos Acapulco - Review #1

745 W 19th St
Costa Mesa, CA 92627

Listing on Yahoo! Local

No known official website.

I was making my way down the quiet western end of 19th Street in Costa Mesa all set to reacquaint myself with an establishment I hadn't been to in several years but used to go to all the time when a particularly colorful place caught my eye so my initial plan was averted. Don't worry, though, as I'll still be covering Taqueria el Granjenal in the future. Jugos Acapulco is so bright and colorful you could almost confuse it for Disney's Enchanted Tiki Room. As its name would imply this restaurant specializes in jugos (Spanish for "juices") and they have plenty that you can get in fresh juice or milkshake form.

Nobody that worked here seemed to know English (not a complaint since that's usually a good indicator you're at an authentic Mexican restaurant) but the guy taking my order seemed to be suggesting that I get the Carne Asada combo . . . so I did. Maybe he suggests it to every gringo. It took a while to prepare but I didn't mind as I was soaking up the colorful atmosphere of the surroundings. I took a couple pictures since this place really has character and wanted to take more but was a little self-conscious about it.

The papaya juice came to the table right in the blender it had been blended in along with a styrofoam cup I could pour it into to drink from. I'm pretty sure the juice was nothing but a papaya blended with a little water. Talk about natural.

The main dish finally came served on a paper plate with a large carne asada steak, some salad fixin's, and rice & beans (surprise!), as well as a half-dozen warm corn tortillas. After making myself six tacos I was full enough to have to call it quits yet there was still food on my plate.

I'm looking forward to returning and taking more pictures and trying more menu items. Plus, I spotted some other spots along 19th Street that I'm eager to review.

Overall the experience at Jugos Acapulco merits a four Speedy Gonzales rating:



Here's some much better quality pictures taken by Shelly B. in September 2007:

On the Border - Review #1

Date of Visit: January 3, 2006

13772 Jamboree Rd
Irvine, CA 92602

Listing on Yahoo! Local

(It should be noted that their Yahoo! Local listing is fairly beefed up with photos, full menu, etc.)

Official Site

Located in the Irvine Market Place, On the Border is literally located on the border between Irvine and Tustin and made a convenient stop for me on the way home from work. I'd been once before, maybe about a year or so ago, and on that occasion I tried their Build-Your-Own Burrito specialty where you check items off on a notepad to specify how you want your burrito cooked and exactly what ingredients to include.
This time, the server, who was particularly and genuinely attentive, brought me the biggest basket of chips I'd ever seen and two cups of salsa. I don't think I ate more than half of them and never dipped into the second cup of salsa.

Next up was a very fresh house salad topped with white and orange tortilla strips. The waiter didn't ask what kind of dressing I wanted on it but when he brought it out it was with a cup of dressing he said he recommended and that he would get me a different kind if I didn't like it. I kept meaning to ask what kind it was and never did but in perusing their menu online now as I write this there's a good bet it was the chipotle-balsamic vinaigrette and it worked as the perfect complement to the particular blend of salad ingredients.

As a beverage I ordered a refreshing virgin strawberry daquiri. Once again, bonus points go to any restaurant that offers any drink in addition to alcohol, soda, and water.

On the Border bills themselves as a Mexican Grill and Cantina but with an item on their menu called "ranchiladas" you know it's gotta be Tex-Mex. But I was in a Tex-Mex mood so I ordered the ranchiladas. It was a dish comprised of a fajita-grilled steak (not bad but the meat was just a bit too chewy), two cheese-onion enchiladas, Mexican rice (lots of corn in it!), and black beans. The whole plate had a lot of the ranchero sauce smothered all over it so I got to use some of my extra chips and make my own custom nachos again.

I wish I wasn't allergic to pecans because their Chocolate Turtle Empanadas looked good enough to, well, eat. I just couldn't . . . eat them. The dinner had filled me up anyway so I didn't even have room for any of their other desserts.

Overall the experience merits a four Speedy Gonzales rating:

UPDATE (June 5, 2008): Here's some photos from a more recent visit:

Azteca's - Reviews #1 and #2

Date of Visits: Dec. 31, 2005, and January 2, 2006

18033 Magnolia St
Fountain Valley, CA 92708

Listing on Yahoo! Local

No known official website.

I made two visits to Azteca's over the New Year's holiday weekend. It is situated near my parents' house in Fountain Valley so I've had numerous opportunities to visit in the 4 or 5 years they've been open. It is a small family-run business that has one other location at Beach and Slater in Huntington Beach (which is more like a fast food restaurant where you order your food at the counter but the menu is the same).

One thing I like about this place is that they have Jarritos brand sodas from Mexico. They always seem to have a different two or three flavors on hand so I've been able to sample flavors such as strawberry (fresa), grapefruit, hibiscus (jamaica), mandarin, lime, guava (guayaba), tamarind, and pineapple (piña), and more.

On visit #1 I ordered their special of the day, a chile verde plate, chunks of tender pork in a chile verde sauce and served with rice, beans, and warm corn tortillas. On visit #2 I ordered their mole enchiladas. At first the chocolate mole sauce seemed a little too bitter but I completely forgot about that after the first few bites. I wouldn't mind if they sprinkled a lot more sesame seeds on it and put a little less beans and a little more rice on the plate but those are minor concerns.

All the dishes seem to be in the $5 to $10 range. A small handful might cost a bit more. They have a full breakfast menu and I have even ordered their huevos rancheros a number of times for dinner. I remember when this restaurant opened for business and I wasn't sure they would last considering their humble position in a sleepy little suburban corner shopping center but they have kept a steady business going through positive word of mouth spread by numerous local patrons. They also have a take-out window and offer catering services and advertise tamales for Christmastime.

I wish they would bring back one of my favorites dishes. It was the #44, a chile relleno and two potato taquitos. Their current menu completely skips over #44 now but maybe I can convince them to make it for me on my next visit.

Overall the experience warrants a four Speedy Gonzales rating and will very likely be reviewed here more in the future.

UPDATE: Here's some chilaquiles I got on July 7, 2009:

Las Brisas - Review #1

361 Cliff Drive
Laguna Beach, CA 92651

Listing on Yahoo! Local

Official Site

Free Appetizer: Bread Basket (included jalapeño corn bread muffins)
Ordered Appetizer: Picadillo de Atun
Entree: El Topolobampo

I'm not even entirely sure this counts as a Mexican restaurant since it is owned and operated by an Arabic family and all the waiters and waitresses appeared to be Caucasian and instead of chips and salsa as an appetizer you get a bread basket, but it is part of the El Torito chain and serves predominantly Mexican-oriented dishes so I guess it qualifies for a review here.

The restaurant is situated on the cliffs overlooking the beach at Laguna which makes for an ideal locale. Parking in the area is tight with metered spots winding up Cliff Drive and away from the restaurant. The first quarter I put in my meter never registered so be aware that the same thing could happen again. All of my subsequent quarters did work however. And parking is enforced so if your meter runs out while you are in the restaurant there is a good chance you will be ticketed so don't let that happen to you. I believe they also have valet parking behind the restaurant. Or maybe you have a friend who lives in one of the nearby houses and you can use their driveway.

While I was making sure that everything was kosher with our parking situation my guest placed our reservation and was told it would be about a thirty minute wait. Four minutes later his buzzer rang and he was seated before I even got back. Our waiter was very polite and we ordered the Picadillo de Atun from the Comienzos section of the menu. This appetizer consisted of "Chopped rare ahi, roasted pepitas, papaya-cucumber slaw, lime chile arbol dip and tostaditas." It was the first time I'd had raw fish in a while so I didn't have too much of the ahi but used all the fixings available from that dish and from my main entree to make nice little glorified nachos.

Being under a little bit of a time constraint my guest and I kept things simple with him ordering a very basic salad and me ordering the fresh fish of the day. It was yellowtail and was served with a seafood enchilada (stuffed with shrimp, crab, mushrooms), some broccoli, and a scoop of Mexican-style rice. The presentation was effective and the food, while not spectacular, warrants some further exploration during a future visit, especially with a fine variety of items on their dessert menu.

Their official site is very outdated. On one hand I want to tell them to update it; on the other hand it's a little nostlagic to view it and see what all websites looked like back in 1996. The menus on the site seem to be mostly accurate though except that when you arrive at the restaurant you'll find that the prices have gone up a tad. For example, my dish (El Topolobampo) is listed at the site as costing $12.95 but was $13.50 on the menu at the restaurant proper. Not a big difference but they may want to look into at least updating the prices at the site.

Overall the experience merits a four Speedy Gonzales rating:



UPDATE: Here's photos taken at a visit a couple years after this original review:


Created with Admarket's flickrSLiDR. | Click here if you can't see the slideshow above.

Little Onion Mexican Restaurant - Review #1

110 W Macarthur Blvd
Santa Ana, CA 92707

Listing on Yahoo! Local

Official Site

Appetizer: Chips and Hot Sauce
Entree: Arroz con Pollo

I'd never even heard of Little Onion but I saw it when driving away from the dealership where my car had just got a checkup so I made a U-turn and pulled into their parking lot. This place doesn't jump out at you because it's just part of a little strip mall and I assumed it'd be slow but it was actually quite busy and there were people fighting for parking spaces. I'm not even entirely sure the place I parked was actually a parking spot.

When I went in the downstairs was so full that I was led to a table in the upstairs loft area which was an interesting spot because I was seated right near what appeared to be a roof below the main roof of the building, sort of an inside roof with potted plants all over it and even a couple old brooms.

This restaurant seems to fit firmly into what I think of as your "standard sit-down Mexican restaurants," one of those places that has been around 30-plus years and is a lot like all the other Mexican restaurants that cropped up around the same time. Nothing too inventive but sometimes you just want a familiar experience.

The menu was pretty standard and I ordered a bowl of arroz con pollo, which arrived quickly, filled me up quick, and sat well. No rice or beans (well, I guess the rice was already in the bowl and I don't mind skipping the beans every once in a while) but there were nice, hot corn tortillas and butter and some lettuce and guacamole on the side.

Overall the experience was just above average so Little Onion warrants a three Speedy Gonzales rating:



These photos were taken more than three years after my initial visit. Click any of them to be taken to the complete photo album: