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| - Clarendon's controversial concept for cultivating Chicano cuisine offers conventional dishes, with a little bit of the unique flair that makes the executive chef a bit of a local celebrity. And while your taste buds won't be left bored, I can't exactly promise Tranquilo will hit the spot.
I was excited to give this place a try, especially after giving them a few weeks to work through any inconsistencies. I decided to go with something modest and simple. Here goes:
Carne asada burrito: The gold standard of casual Mexican fare. The meat used was clearly of above-average quality, but the choice in seasoning was conspicuously sweet. Almost like some sort of BBQ sauce. That would totally kick ass in taco form, but IDK about how it meshed with very strong, tangy cotija, and some of the saltiest pico I've ever had. No really, that salsa needs to be toned down. I am surprised at how poorly it was executed considering your other salsas (one's avocado, the other is...chipotle?) are absolutely legit. BTW, please make an effort to warm up your tortillas. Another BTW, this dish is a healthy portion size, meaning the average American should be prepared for something a bit small.
Jicama cucumber slaw: This is more of a palate cleanser than a side dish. Looked cool, sounds cool, but IDK what they wanna do with this. It's just a crunchy, slightly sweet, forgettable little bowl of nothingness. Boring.
Margarita: Damn good for $6. 10/10 would drink again.
Service is also pleasant (bravo for fixing this, Clarendon) and swift. I think this place has potential, and that way too many people are trashing it on Yelp because they can't stop crying about its predecessor taking off. But while diners who miss their old haunt aren't quite ready to put away the tissue, this is at the very least worth a try, so that they may fine-tune the flavors of affordable, quality food to become a worthy CenPho competitor.
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