Mi Casa - Review #1

Mi Casa 296 E 17th St Costa Mesa, CA 92627 (949) 645-7626 Listing on Yahoo! Local Listing on Ask.com's Citysearch Official Site

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Venturing from the calm surroundings of his natural habitat of the city of Orange with its illustrious traffic circle and myriad antique stores to the rough and tumble suburban jungle of Costa Mesa with its infamous traffic triangle and myriad tattoo parlors, frequent guest reviewer Johnny Automatic reports on his recent visit to Mi Casa, the Mexican restaurant that qualifies for barnacle status yet keeps its generations of customers constantly coming back for more. I think I've had my cheese allotment for the year just by reading in this review about all the queso Mi Casa serves:

Eight of us went to Mi Casa on a busy Saturday night. There was a wait so we passed some time in the bar watching Angels baseball, drinking margaritas and nibbling on chips and salsa. They have 3 salsas available. One is a mild red salsa which is pretty much tomato sauce. They also have a dense pureed green salsa with a pretty good kick and a thin hotter red salsa. The green salsa was the standout for us.

It has been over 20 years since I've been to Mi Casa. It has been around for more than 30 years, and when I lived in Costa Mesa I went several times. I am old enough to remember that it used to be a steak house (a Sizzler I think) and to this day they still have the old steak house tables. You'll see the steer heads and brands pattern in my photos. That kind of sums up Mi Casa. It is a local's favorite, the kind of Mexican food place that was pretty standard 30 years ago. Think Don Jose's. It exists in its own world, pleasing its long time customers with no regard for time and changing trends. I think Mi Casa hasn't changed as much as I have changed and now there is so much more in Mexican food.

Volume, volume, volume is the story here. Oh, and the cheese. I think if I sat there too long they'd melt cheese over me. You get a ton of food for your money and no one has any right to go away hungry. You can see the special burrito is a full plate of food by itself, filled with the kitchen sink and topped with sauce, cheese, sour cream and guacamole.

They make a tostada that looks more like a big taco salad. Supersize me!

Three of us ordered the Chile Verde. A whole shoulder worth of pork on the plate but very little chile or verde. I found mine to be sort of bland and a bit dry. It certainly was the least saucy version of Chile Verde I've ever had. One could have mistaken it for carnitas. Their beans are pretty standard and so is the rice, although many of us enjoyed it because it had a crunchiness like Chinese fried rice while still retaining some moisture.

Our friend Debbie ordered the cheese quesadilla, which she thought was ok.

My wife Thea ordered the taco and enchilada combo. She proudly displayed the huge taco they make. She was happy with her meal and especially liked the giant taco.

Our friend Cheryl ordered the Huevos Rancheros which is one of several traditional Mexican breakfast items you can get for dinner here. She just found it ok. A number of us really wanted more spice, kick or flavor out of the food. A lot of it was more focused on quantity than quality. But that sure seems to please a lot of people here.

If you like an Americanized style of Mexican food and want good value for your money then you will probably be very happy here. If you worry about Mexican food being too spicy then this place will satisfy. You have to add your own spice to most of the food here. In fact they offer several non-Mexican items as well - from steak sandwiches to hamburgers and french fries (to my mind another throwback to an era when you had to appease the people in your group who couldn't handle Mexican food because it was too spicy or foreign). So I can see that this would be a popular place for families trying to please a variety of tastes. There is nothing wrong with any of the food here, but none of it was terribly memorable either except maybe the green salsa. Oh, and the margaritas were pretty strong. Makes me want to break out my old Eagles records - "Just another tequila sunrise..."

3 Speedy Gonzaleses:

Thanks, Johnny! I'm starting to wonder if I should keep referring to you as a "guest" reviewer.

Click here to be taken to the complete flickr photo album (27 photos so far).

Taco Rosa Monthly Specials

Went two days ago with some family members to Taco Rosa in Newport Beach (on somebody else's suggestion) and found out they had just started a new monthly specials program where the same special items are available throughout each calendar month. The special items for September 2007 are duck tacos, vegetarian chile rellenos, and a flan trio platter with chocolate, strawberry, and coconut flans.

Follow the 'taco rosa' label for all our extensive coverage and dozens of photos from both locations:

El Molino de Oro - Review #1

Date of Visit: August 25, 2007

El Molino de Oro 31886 Plaza Dr #D3 San Juan Capistrano, CA 92675 (949) 489-9230 Listing on Yahoo! Local Listing on Ask.com's Citysearch No known official website.

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Following up on a recommendation made to me back in what seems like ancient times I finally went to check out El Molino de Oro in San Juan Capistrano last Saturday for a late lunch. The fact that it was solidly in between lunch and dinner didn't stop a steady stream of customers from coming to enjoy this authentic Mexican food.


The food is served cafeteria-style from warming trays but the food moved so fast they were always replenished with fresh supplies. There is nothing too surprising about the menu here: it might be described as "Mexican comfort food." I ordered a combo platter with two beef enchiladas and a carnitas chile relleno which they topped off with lettuce, tomato, salsa verde, and a drizzle of sour cream. I helped myself to a radish from a nearby bowl to add some potassium content to my meal:


They also have five flavors of aguas frescas on hand. When I was ready to pay for my food the girl ringing up my order asked if I wanted anything to drink. Paralyzed by the variety of choices but feeling the pressure of hungry people in line behind me I uninformatively blurted out, "Agua fresca." Having to guess what flavor I might be referring to the señorita asked, "Jamaíca?" (pronounced "huh-MY-kuh," not like the name of the country with the same spelling). I readily went with her suggestion and enjoyed the refreshing hibiscus-flavored "fresh water."


As an adjunct to the tortilleria they have a bakery next door that reminds me of the kind I learned of when little when mi padre took the family on culinary adventures in Los Angeles. There's all kinds of breads and pastries here. You can grab a pair of tongs and grab some goodies and load them on to a cafeteria-style tray and take them up to the register to have them rung up.


I went for one of my favorite treats from years past: a custard-filled "horn" pastry, a miniature dessert cornucopia which smoothly capped off my spicy meal:


Even though I had never been there before my trip to El Molino de Oro felt like a visit to an old friend, one you always feel comfortable with, thereby earning a 4.25 Speedy Gonzales rating:


Here's some additional photos:

Taco Rosa - Review #11

Taco Rosa #2 On the Irvine side of The Tustin Marketplace 13792 Jamboree Rd, Suite 42 Irvine, CA 92602 (714) 505-6080 Listing on Yahoo! Local Official Site

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I didn't even realize she was going to do it, but Shelly B. did a writeup on the Taco Rosa meetup I mentioned recently. Here's what she had to say:

I’'m a fellow foodie who loves Mexican food, so I was thrilled when Christian invited me to join him, Cynthia Furey, who writes a blog for the Orange County Register, and two other food lovers to dine at Taco Rosa in Irvine. I met all at the restaurant on a Wednesday night. When I arrived, I was surprised to see that it was packed. I had never been there. The décor and clientele was pretty hip. It reminded me of a few restaurants I had previously visited in L.A. While waiting for a table, I reviewed the Specials Board and noted it offered a Tamarindo Margarita. I had never seen that before so I knew I had to try it and did. It was truly unique. It had somewhat of a tart tamarind flavor that went well with the homemade sweet and sour mix. I highly recommend it.

It was difficult to choose from all the exciting dishes on their menu, but I ultimately decided to order the Chili Relleno en Caldillo and a Portobello Mushroom Taco. Their Chili Relleno was the largest one I had ever experienced. The chili size was very generous and the cheese was creamy. I would have to say that it was one of the best I had ever tasted. I was also very impressed with the selection of tacos. There are ten different ones to choose from. I found them reasonably priced and diverse. I look forward to going back to try more of them.

For dessert Christian ordered a Dessert Platter that we all shared. It included freshly prepared warm Churros. Wow. They were rich, especially dipped in chocolate. I was truly impressed with the Flan de Queso. It was different than any flan I had tasted — it had the consistency of cheesecake. I loved it and would definitely order it again.

Overall, I very much enjoyed the entire experience. It was fun to dine with fellow food lovers. We tried each other’'s dishes and had a great time. Thanks for inviting me, Christian. I hope to dine with all of you again at another fabulous Mexican restaurant in Orange County. Your blog is useful and informative.

Thanks, Shelly! Here's the dessert platter that we all shared that Shelly mentioned:

Follow the 'taco rosa' label for all our extensive coverage and dozens of photos from both locations:

Rasta Taco Tasting #2

Redemption Song

If you missed the last Rasta Taco Tasting a couple weeks ago you can assuage your guilt by participating in their second free taste test this Wednesday:

Back again by popular demand...Come on down to Salt Creek Beach Wednesday, August 29th, for a free RASTA TACO TASTING. We'll be cooking up Jamaican-style Chicken, Caribbean Carne Asada and other favorites just like we do at our Rasta Taco parties. Enjoy the California sunset with a taste of the Caribbean. It's BYOB. The reggae music will be on tap. Our Event Coordinator, Lovalee, will be there to reserve your private Rasta Taco party date.

Grillin' and jammin' from 5 til 8 on August 29th.
We'll be down at the picnic benches and basketball courts near the waterfront. Look for the signature cart!

Moving Javier's Off the Map

Went to Javier's at the Irvine Spectrum yesterday for lunch and found a flyer there advertising a Javier's Getaway to the Cabo Azul Resort & Spa in Los Cabos, Mexico, with a third Javier's location opening there next month. So here we have an example of a Mexican restaurant that began in Orange County opening a location in Mexico itself. What are we to make of that?

Also found out while at the Irvine location that the pending Crystal Cove location now has a projected opening for November this year. Still don't know if it's a replacement of their original Laguna Beach spot or just the fourth Javier's.

Click on the "javier's" label below to get up-to-date information on all Javier's locations:

Putting OC Mex Food on the Map

Thanks to the guys at Foodieview this blog here now has its own Google Map, complete with thumbtacks pointing out the restaurants we've reviewed so far.

Roundup #13

If this is the first time you've been to this blog don't be thrown off by this entry. We still have over a hundred reviews of Mexican restaurants in Orange County but every once in a while I do a "roundup" entry where I mention things that don't fit neatly into an official restaurant review.

Mexican restaurants I've reviewed before and have visited since the last roundup entry for non-review purposes include: Azteca's, Fiesta Grill, El Pollo Loco, Taco Rosa, Taleo, Taco Bell, Las Barcas, Baja Fish Tacos (where I went for lunch on an incredibly impromptu blind date), Del Taco, Kantina (who seemed to have recently swapped their eclectic menu out for a more traditional one), Las Fajitas, Molcajete Grill, and La Salsa (who have a new "Chipotle Citrus Salsa" added to their salsa bar and have also recently brought back their Chipotle Shrimp Salad).


Molcajete Grill Chile Relleno & Tamale Platter


Molcajete Grill Carnitas Tacos
I also visited Wahoo's once for non-review purposes and then the long lasting Wahoo's Non-review Curse was finally broken with this review . . . and then I went back again for another non-review visit.

Also, the Salad Wars entry has been updated with reviews of at least two more fast food Mexican-inspired salads.

Met up several nights with Cynthia Furey of The Orange County Register, new guest reviewer Johnny (we have a fourth review of his coming soon) and his wife, and new reader Shelly (who found out about this blog from the Register article), at Taco Rosa in Irvine where we enjoyed some great food as well as conversation that never slowed down. I believe Cynthia will be mentioning this visit on her blog. For now, here are a few pictures from our meetup:

Taco Rosa's Camarones Rancheros

Taco Rosa's Dessert Platter

Non-Mexican restaurants I've visited since the last roundup entry include, but are not limited to: Kabuki, Funashin, Aloha Mixed Plate, Royal Ocean Terrace, Ferraro's at the Four Seasons Maui, Longhi's, The Wok Experience, Tropical Smoothie Cafe, Market Broiler, King's Hawaiian (both locations), Ebisu, Gong's Chinese, La Brea Bakery, Claim Jumper, TK Burger, Daphne's Greek Cafe, Johnny Rockets, Kabuki (again - and they had some new menu items this time - and free edamame for every table now), Jackson Barne Classic Grill, Mandarin Restaurant, and Pat & Oscar's (gotta love those breadsticks).

And here's a reminder of the coupon we're offering (yes, it's legitimate) good for a free appetizer or dessert item at Taleo Mexican Grill:

Click Here for Printable Image

Before heading to Taleo be sure to check out our complete coverage of them giving an extensive rundown of their menu and environment.

Chevys - Review #1

Date of Visit: August 11, 2007

Chevys Fresh Mex 8200 E Santa Ana Canyon Rd Anaheim, CA 92808 (714) 974-6703 Listing on Yahoo! Local Listing on Ask.com's Citysearch Official Site

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Appetizer: Chips and Salsa
Entree: Tequila-Lime Shrimp Fajitas
Drink: Watermelon Lemonade
Dessert: Chiquita Sundae

UPDATE: Chevy's has closed down as of late 2011.

Time for a Chevys review, the restaurant that I thought went out of existence when its Fountain Valley location shut down a few years back. I'd made many visits to the FV location where they always pointed out "El Machino," the tortilla-making machine in the front that mass-manufactured tortillas that seemed like they were made by hand. The last time I remember going there for sure was probably 2001/2002 and it's now a Stonefire Grill restaurant. When it shut down I mistakenly assumed the whole chain had gone out of business.

The saggy sign didn't stop customers from coming

Recently though I realized there was one in Anaheim so I went last week with Anaheim friends James and Lori to get reacquainted with Chevys. If you've never experienced Chevys before just think El Torito with a little more color and a slight Tex-Mex spin and you'll have a pretty accurate idea of what Chevys is like. They were promoting some special summer dishes, much of which seemed to be focused on watermelon. I started out with a watermelon lemonade which was extra refreshing and much less acidic than normal lemonade. Could I possibly convince Chevys to add this as a regular item?

Each of us ordered a different fajita dish with Lori ordering the mixed grill ("Baby back ribs, tender grilled chicken breast, marinated skirt steak, fuego-seasoned shrimp and sauteed San Antonio veggies."), James ordering the chicken fajitas (" A skinless, fresh chicken breast marinated in our own Agua Negra served with sautéed San Antonio veggies."), and me ordering their special Tequila-Lime Shrimp Fajitas.

If I could convince Chevys to also add the Tequila-Lime Shrimp Fajitas to their regular menu I'd do that too. The sauce was so flavorful and robust that I was trying to scoop up as much of it as I could with my shrimp before stuffing them into the tortillas from El Machino and making three sublime shrimp tacos.

For dessert I ordered their Chiquita Sundae - "Rich vanilla ice cream afloat a sweet cinnamon 'boat' topped with our freshly–made cajeta and homemade chocolate sauces and whipped cream." When James and Lori saw what I got they ordered one too.

Chevys earns a four Speedy Gonzales rating:

Fast Food Maven Blog Goes Live

Readers of this blog got a sneak peek about a week ago at Nancy Luna's blog (Fast Food Maven) but today it officially became part of the Register's website. If you get a chance catch Nancy talking about her blog on "The Real Orange" on KOCE at 11pm tonight where she gives an overview of her blog's coverage and happens to mention a "local foodie who loves Mexican food."