Tag Archives: Quesadillas

February 10, 2013 · 3:00 PM

El Tule *****

609.773.0007

49 N. Main Street

Lambertville, NJ 8530

Located in a town with a fiercely competitive restaurant scene, El Tule distinguishes itself with a unique menu that features both Peruvian & Mexican specialties. They have a casual, no-frills dining room adorned with traditional Incan tapestries and artwork, and the vibrant color scheme combined with the festive images transports you to some other Latin American world from the moment you walk in the door. If your lucky enough to go in the spring/summer, they also have a nice outdoor patio area where you can enjoy your meal al fresco!

Just don’t let the relaxed nature of the dining atmosphere fool you about their food. El Tule takes their cooking very seriously, and no detail is overlooked in the foods preparation, presentation, or service (which I will admit was a bit slow when they first opened, but I assure you it has gotten much, much better!). It is clear that the presentation of each dish has been well contemplated and then artfully executed. The flavors are well developed, seasoned, and perfectly balanced. And the servers (which seem to be family) are genuine experts on the cuisine, that can help you navigate the exotic menu, which can be intimidating for first time Peruvian diners!

And although both cuisines are excellent, I highly recommend ordering one of the unique dishes off the Peruvian menu when dining at El Tule. Sure their quesadilla is great, but how often can you find fresh ceviche in Bucks County?!

And that brings me to my next praise for El Tule; their ceviche is among the best that I have ever had, in Bucks County and beyond! Here are a look at my 3 favorites, which can be conveniently sampled in their tasting platter called the Trilogy Ceviche.

Ceviche Limeno, which is fresh Corvina marinated in lime juice with red onions, cilantro, and hot rocoto pepper garnished with sweet potato, yellow corn, and potato.

Ceviche Mixto, which is fresh Corvina, shrimp, octopus, and calamari marinated in lime juice with red onions, cilantro and spicy rocoto pepper with sweet potato, yellow corn, and potato. Tigre de leche.

Ceviche Chifa which is fresh corvina fish, pickled vegetables, micro-herbs, and crispy wontons in a black-sesame leche de tigre dressing. This one might just be my favorite because the Asian flavor makes it so unique!

Some of my other favorite Peruvian specialties served at El Tule include:

Peruvian Chicken & Rice Soup with Cilantro Pesto. This is my go-t0 lunch in the winter because it warms you from the inside and keeps you feeling satisfied all day long. The cilantro pesto brings a very fresh flavor to dish which helps lighten the otherwise heavy chicken stew.

Taboule Quinoa Salad, which is traditional Inca style taboule garnished with avocado, boiled potatoes, and cilantro dressing. This very light and fragrant quinoa salad with a distinct lime flavor makes a nice lunch pairing with a soup!

Red Snapper & Crab Meat Tacu Tacu, which is a pan roasted fillet of red snapper on top of a black bean tacu tacu bathed in a light creamy Rocoto pepper and crab meat sauce. The rocoto pepper is a spicy pepper native to the Peruvian region, and it works beautifully to help balance the light cream sauce that bathes this dish. As you can see, they certainly aren’t stingy with the crab meat either!

If you aren’t ready to explore the flavors offered by the Peruvian menu, you can play it safe by ordering one of the more familiar entrees on the Mexican menu. My favorite menu item from the Mexican menu would have to be the Quesadilla El Tule, which is a massive grilled flour tortilla filled with shredded beef (or chicken), roasted bell peppers, mushrooms, sauteed onions, and cheese served with sour cream and guacamole! I recommend the shredded beef, which is outrageously tender and abundant!

Overall, nothing but 5 stars for El Tule!

Las Adelitas *****

(+420) 222-542-031

Amerika 8, Vinohrady

Prague, Czech. Republic

CHECK OUT THE MENU!

Pop on your sombrero and pump out the tequila, because this place knows how to do Mexican grub RIGHT!

When I first arrived in Prague this summer, I had absolutely no idea what to expect. I figured that there was a famous bridge, an arc de triumph, and a few beautiful cathedrals (as this goes pretty much without saying in all European cities), but I certainly did not anticipate that I would find the most incredible and authentic Mexican food tucked away in landlocked, Central Europe.

And then I met Fernando.

Fernando is a food enthusiast from California, that decided to settle in Prague and open up Las Adelitas Cocina Mexicana with a few of his friends. My friends and I were lucky enough to meet this crew out at the bar on one of our first nights in Praha, and after a few good beers and some drunken Macarena dance moves, we got an invite to have dinner at the restaurant later in the week (while watching a couple of futbol games, of course!). Now I am always down for Mexican grub, but I was particularly excited for this meal, having consumed nothing but dumplings and goulash the previous five days.

The Macarena Dancing....I was not kidding!

When we arrived at the restaurant, there was a large table covered in assorted plates of food and I became truly beside myself. We were given a sampling of almost every style dish on the menu (my dream come true)!! We started with homemade tortilla chips accompanied by salsa verde and salsa Adelitas (red salsa), as well as Cilantro infused Guacamole. The chips were fresh and crunchy and the Guacamole was delicious, with large chunks of chopped tomato and onion.

Cue the first round of drinks–Margaritas!

Margaritas on the rocks and by the pitcher! Absolutely amazing with a spicy pepper rimmed glass!

Next we shared an order of Chicken Nachos with shredded tinge chicken, melted cheese, jalapeños, salsa verde, black beans, and sour cream. Finally, a nacho platter done right: no pump cheese in sight, a proper serving of chicken, and an even distribution of toppings. Nothing artificial on the plate. Ohh, and the homemade salsas, take this classic dish over the top!

Cue next round of drinks–Tequila shots!

Las Adelitas has a ridiculous selection of imported tequilas that will have you singing La Vida Loca as you stumble on out the door.

The next thing we ate were the Flautas–3 crispy corn tortillas stuffed with shredded chicken stew “Tinga,” topped with melted cheese, sour cream, pickled red onion, and fresh lettuce. The chicken was very tender and the juices in the stew helped to keep the meat moist, compared to regular shredded chicken. I had never had meat “Tinga-style” before Las Adelitas, but I quickly fell in love with the spicy and smokey chipotle flavors. This spice was subdued and nicely contrasted by the sour cream and cheese garnish!

After the flautas were polished off, we began noshing on an assortment of Quesadillas; (1) Quesadillas de Tinga with stewed shredded chicken, onion, and tomato, (2) Quesadillas de Cochinita with achiote marinated pork meat, and (3) Quesadillas Vegetarianas with season mushrooms. All of the quesadillas were made with homemade corn tortillas, topped with sour cream and cheese, and served with refried beans and rice! I’d have to say that my favorite quesadilla was the pork-filled one, which was followed by the vegetarian option, as the mushrooms were a nice change-up of flavor.

The homemade tortillas were really what made this dish special though. It seems that the quality of Mexican food (especially in America) is going to shit anymore; pump cheese is taking over, meat quality is deteriorating so burritos can be made larger and for cheaper, salsas are jarred, and chips and tortillas are no longer a made on site. Las Adelitas has preserved the art of homemade corn tortillas, delivering a truly authentic cuisine to their diners.

Cue next round of Margaritas (and one foot on the floor at bedtime!)

Next we sampled some Crispy Corn Tostadas, one of which was topped with stewed chicken Tinga and the other which was topped with Achiote marinated pork meat. They were both garnished with pickled red onion, and accompanied by a serving of seasoned rice and refried beans. I am a sucker for all things pork, so I gravitated towards that one in terms of preference, but both were phenomenal. The meat was very, very tender and well-seasoned.

All in all, we had an incredible meal and an unforgettable night! If you are lucky enough to be in Prague, definitely go check out Las Adelitas (they even deliver!).

I would not hesitate to make the statement that Las Adelitas is hands down the BEST Mexican grub I have ever had the privilege of eating. Worth another trip to Prague!

La Cholita *****

Rodriguez Peña 1165

Buenos Aires, Argentina

Recoleta

11 4815 4506

I’ve only been in Buenos Aires for about three weeks now, but I am eating my way through this city at an almost unstoppable rate. Since I am currently living in a hostel, the kitchen situation is less than ideal (toaster oven = only oven), forcing me to venture out for about two meals a day. But hey, I’m not complaining!

I am doing the Buenos Aires food scene like a true Porteno, and getting in touch with my carnivorous side. It’s bife de lomo, bife de chorizo, vacio, morcilla, and salchicha for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. Ohh, and don’t forget the Malbec! I thought I would be sick of it by now, but something tells me I’ll develop gout before I tire out of this good steak and wine.

Unlike my previous travels this summer, which I treated like a vacation in terms of budget (aka no budget), I am now living in Buenos Aires–this is not a vacation. And since I will be working for pesos, I need to think of spending in pesos. Naturally, this equates to a budget. I’ve pretty much eliminated every expense that is unrelated to eating and drinking (so no more new shoes or unnecessary beauty treatments), and I’ve begun exhaustively hunting for the best food deals in the city. But just because I am on a budget, doesn’t mean I am compromising the quality of my meals. I won’t give a restaurant a good review just because the food is dirt cheap. Personally, I’d rather eat Ramen Noodles at home 5 nights a week to enjoy 1 good meal out than a bunch of cheap meals.

Fortunately though, I have found La Cholita–an incredible parrilla in Recoleta with big portions and even better prices. I’ve dinner here at least twice a week since I have been in Buenos Aires because it truly is the best bang for your buck. I recommend the Provoleta Completa (28 pesos) to start, which is a cast iron skillet with baked provolone cheese, topped with onions, oregano, tomato, and a drizzle of olive oil. Baked cheese, need I say more? I also love the Salchicha Parrillera (14 pesos), which is a very flavorful grilled sausage wrapped in a coil and secured with a skewer. It is awesome, and doesn’t have the fatty texture of most other sausages. Both of these make great appetizers for the table to share, and I highly recommend sharing at parrillas because they are generous with the portions.

As far as meat goes, the Bife de Lomo (55 pesos) is my favorite because it is the most tender and the least fatty. The plate comes with two huge pieces of meat, a side of french fries, and mashed calabaza (which is a cross between a sweet potato and a pumpkin, in my opinion). I also like the Bife de Chorizo (53 pesos), again large enough to share, and served with the same sides.

If you aren’t in the mood for steak though, La Cholita also happens to have some of the best Chicken Quesadillas (32 pesos) that I have ever had. They come served with guacamole, pico de gallo, sour cream, a fresh side salad, and french fries. I was eery to order them at first (considering I was at a steak place), but they turned out to be amazing and I order them often. I also suggest the Suprema Milanga de Pollo Napolitana (36 pesos), which is an obnoxiously large piece of chicken fried to golden perfection, and then baked with tomato sauce, and fresh mozzarella cheese. It is accompanied by a serving of french fries and it is a belly buster to finish.

If you are looking for something on the lighter side, a rather difficult task in Argentina, then I recommend the Ensalada la Cholita, which is a bed of mixed greens topped with mushrooms, tomatoes, onions, diced peppers, and a large piece of chicken palliard.

On the other hand, if you’re looking to eat you way into a food coma, I suggest the Parrilla para Dos, which is an enormous sizzling hot-plate of mixed grilled meats. Here is a glimpse of what you will get:

Ohh, and the house wine is dirt cheap and a HUGE pour! So far this is my favorite casual dinner spot in Buenos Aires. Great steak, great prices, and big portions, and big pours. Love it!