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| - This is the newest spot to hit Montford Drive in Charlotte, and it is a great addition. It takes the place of the old Andrew Blairs restaurant.
The Food at El Camino is really good - some pieces will require many Charlotte "Mexican" eaters to keep an open mind. The flavors (and some of the textures) are different than many of the overly cheesy (literally) mex spots around town.
We ordered several items and shared them among our group of six. There were some real bright spots-
1) The Sauces- The items we ordered- and I believe many that are on the menu- can be ordered with any of five or six sauces. I did not do a good job of taking note of their names, but we tried them all on each of the entrees. These sauces REALLY change the complexion of each dish, so playing around with sauce/entrée combinations here is fun, and yields a lot of flavor. The list of sauces is sort of hidden toward the back of the menu, but order several.
2) The Bullets- These were slices of fresh jalapeño peppers, topped with a cheese blend, some spices (and maybe some bacon or chorizo) and then baked. They are great!- and they are spicy hot. You get the real flavor and real heat of a jalapeño pepper here- there must be a few seeds hidden in there!
3) Fajitas- We had shrimp, chicken, and steak. All three were good, but I Liked the spice on the perfectly grilled shrimp the best. The chicken was good, too- and was full of flavor AND moisture (not all dried out like at some spots). Also, they had what the server called a "hybrid" shell- a tortilla made of corn and flour. I like them- they were soft like flour shells, but had a bit of nutty flavor, too.
4) The Guacamole- Really good rendition of fresh =-made guac. I like mine with a little more garlic flavor, but this is an excellent Guacamole for a restaurant. Clearly made fresh from avocados, and not made from pre-ordered avocado pulp. It comes with the fajitas, too- so no extra charges.
5) the Chili- its like nothing you've ever had. More like a Cincinnati chili, but still with Tex Mex flavor. It is sweet and rich, complex and full of flavor. But nothing like the tomato chili you make at home with 5-alarm spices. Have an open mind, and enjoy it!
5) The Value- Great prices. Most things around $8-$9, and the expensive combo fajitas were $12. The portions are huge, and the price is right, Most diners will get dinner and lunch tomorrow out of an order.
I didn't have a drink, but I heard a couple at the bar saying the margaritas were made with all fresh juices......something for next time.
A few improvements are needed at this brand new spot......seems they are still working on the décor. Its a funky kind of look in there. Also, the service was good enough, but our server wasn't fully up to speed to answer some questions about the menu. With the complexities of multiple sauces, and items that many diners won't already know by heart, it is important for the staff to know the menu in depth. This needs to get fixed.
So, its a bit of an adventure, but you will enjoy El Camino if you approach it with a sense of adventure. Welcome to the neighborhood!
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