Posted June 21st, 2011 by Meg
Although I’ve been to El Cholo in Santa Monica on numerous occasions, this past weekend was the first time I was seated at the World-Famous Nacho Table!
While being seated, we were given the option of: “sitting here at THIS FREE NACHO TABLE or…a table… over there….” We weren’t born yesterday – of course we took the nacho table! I had never heard of this table, but immediately sitting down and getting acquainted with my environment, I realized why there was a complimentary nacho plate: the view.
The nachos were standard tortilla chips and cheese with a few semi-hot peppers on top. Nothing fancy. Although you automatically get free chips and salsa, the satisfaction of getting something for free made the whole experience… worth it. Kudos to El Cholo for making a not ideal situation, better.
Aside from the nachos, I ordered one of my favorite El Cholo plates: Tres tacos al carbon - Grilled marinated top sirloin with bacon, Jack cheese, tomatillo-chipotle salsa, black beans, and rice.
El Cholo
1025 Wilshire Boulevard
Santa Monica, CA 90401-1906
(310) 899-1106
Posted October 21st, 2008 by Meg
I love Mexican food. I don’t have it as often as I like, but that makes it quite the treat when I do get my taco fix. A few weeks ago my roommate and I were both in the mood for Mexican in close proximity to the home. Usually, we just go to El Cholo, Border Grill, or La Cabana. Not this time. We wanted to try a different place. We drove down Pico with our hungry eyes wide open looking on both sides of the street. We pulled over when we saw two signs side by side: The Talpa Restaurant and Don Antonio’s Cantina. Was it the same restaurant? Or was it two separate restaurants next to one another? We both checked our phones to see what was up with this situation until we realized we were how silly it was to be parked right in front of both restaurants looking at our phones for information about the restaurant(s). So we did what any rational person would do: flipped a coin. It landed on the Talpa Restaurant. We walked in but immediately recognized it was not where we wanted to eat for dinner. It reminded me of a pizza place where you order at the register and then sit down at a booth and watch the tv that is hanging on the wall. Not that there is anything wrong with that, but we just wanted a more restaurant-y atmosphere. We awkwardly turned ourselves around explaining to the hostess that we “forgot to lock the car.”
We traipsed over to Don’s where we quickly realized we had made the right decision. It was a little busy, so we put our name down and sat at the bar. But, before we could even order a margarita, our table was ready for us. We sat down while within a few short blinks of the eye a server had brought over water and chips and salsa. I would rate the chips and salsa very high because the chips were warm and the salsa was spicy.
I ordered a margarita to drink (on the rocks with salt) and to eat I decided on the basics: cheese quesadilla, carne asada taco, and a chile relleno.
I wish I could say that this was the best Mexican food I have ever had. But, sadly it is not. I am a taco truck girl and spent my college years eating the best: Leo’s Taco Truck in Eagle Rock. The fact that I spent 8 dollars on a cheese quesadilla is beyond ridiculous. Although it came with guacamole and sour cream, this q-dilla was just too plain and boring for me to ever order again at that price. The taco is the same story. I am used to flavorful carne asada, but this was bland and a little too dry for my palate. The worst was the chile relleno. It was no bueno; soggy and bland.
I don’t like writing bad reviews, but I would return to Don’s. Why would I give them a second chance you ask? Am I crazy? Yes! But, the margarita was great! They cost around six dollars a pop; an amazing price for a non-Happy hour satisfying margarita. Worst comes to worst, they have no good food in which case I would still come back to drink the cheap yummy margaritas and eat the deliciously free chips.
Don Antonio’s
11755 W Pico Blvd
Los Angeles, CA 90064
(310) 312-2090
Posted September 19th, 2008 by Meg
Border Grill is one of my favorite Happy Hour Mexican restaurants in Los Angeles. Not only do I enjoy the food, but I have many positive memories eating there with my family. Over six years ago, my parents took me out there the night before I started college and when it was located in Pasadena. My how time has flown by! Now Border Grill is located in Santa Monica by the Promenade. It is owned by the chefs Mary Sue Milliken and Susan Feniger from Food Network’s TV Show Too Hot Tamales. They also own the downtown Spanish restaurant Ciudad. And if you have ever bought any food at Whole Foods that had the label “Border Girls” on it, these are those ladies behind that brand.
The best part about Border Grill is their amazing Happy Hour at the bar: $4 Margaritas/Mojitos /Wines. Free chips and salsas (tomato, chipotle, and tomatillo). Various appetizers all between the price of 4-7 dollars. Their margaritas and mojitos are delicious, you can never go wrong ordering them! During this visit I tried their red wine for the first time, an Esser cabernet sauvignon.
What we ordered:
Black Bean Dip - warm refried organic black beans with salsa fresca, crema, and plantain chips
The dip was not as heavy as I expected nor was it bland (which is the usual vibe I get from bean dips). I especially enjoyed the plantain chips which were soft and salty sweet. I preferred those chips over the regular table chips.
Q
ueso Fundido - panela and manchego cheeses melted over raja (potato), and spanish chorizo
This appetizer was more than I expected on both the amount and satisfying levels. It was a plethora of cheese that dominated the raja potatoes and the chorizo. It was an excellent appetizer, but was probably too much for two people to share.
Carnitas Sope - slow cooked carnitas topped with jalapeno citrus slaw and border guacamole
A sope is a relative to a tortilla. It is made from the same ingredients as a tortilla, but the size and thickness are much different. The sope is smaller in diameter but much thicker. Other than that, they are used for the same purposes. This was my favorite appetizer of the night because it had a nice and refreshing citrus sour flavor mingling with the salty and savory carnitas.
Seriously, it is the best happy hour on the west side of town. Fact.
Border Grill
1445 4th St
Santa Monica, CA 90401
Get Directions(310) 451-1655
Happy Hours:
Monday - Friday: 4:00-7:00pm
