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| - I was hoping that I would like this place more, but the food was not what I would expect from the Two Hot Tamales. To start, my house margarita was just how I like it, lots of fresh lime and a little salt, and they brought out warm chips and a trio of salsas. I may have filled up on chips while waiting for our food, but most of it failed to impress.
The sweet corn tamal was certainly not like my husband's abuela used to make, but the flavor really reminded me of a corn pudding casserole that my grandma makes for special occasions. Her's involves cans of creamed corn and a roux that is cooked in a microwave; the rest is a family secret. The chile relleno was OK, but lacking in some areas. The batter was soggy rather than crispy and the cheese medley just didn't have that oozing, melted quality that every good relleno needs. The beans on the side were bland, and the red and green rices provided more color than flavor. However, the biggest offense here was something labeled on the menu as "Peruvian ceviche." It beared no resemblance to any ceviche I've ever seen a Peruvian make, even appearing to contain mayonnaise?! The plate was messy, and my husband was unhappy. If you want to be bashed by my husband for eternity, serve him a bad ceviche. Worse yet, throw some watercress and orange segments on the plate, so I can laugh at the poorly planned garnish.
Our dessert was a simple plate of flan with 3 pieces of strawberry. I'm delighted to say that the flan was perfect: rich, dense, and creamy with a nice dark caramel flavor. My husband commented that this was the only dish he'd think about coming back for. It was not filled with air bubbles from overbaking, as many restaurants tend to serve it. Overcooked flan makes me want to cry. I can't say much for Border Grill, but at least the meal started and ended on positive notes.
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