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| - Serving up serious Mexican biomass
Needing to burn a couple of hours while my daughter attended a birthday party at Ultrazone, I decided this was the perfect opportunity to partake in the grocery store slash taqueria that is Tienda Los Gemelos.
Hats off the the previous reviewers that confirmed that there actually is a restaurant in the back of the grocery store. That fact is not readily apparent when you first walk through the front door. Despite a modest looking storefront, the dining area is rather substantial. With its dark walls, black ceiling and scant natural light, the interior of the restaurant could easily double as a set from the move From Dusk to Dawn. And while I was disappointed there were no Santánico Pandemónium sightings during my visit, the steak tacos did live up to their star billing.
Once I got settled in my booth, the server dropped off a small basket of chips, a small bowl of guacamole and two bottles of salsa. The chips were remarkably average, crisp but under seasoned. The quac was more of an avocado puree, a disappointment to this chunky quac enthusiast. The red salsa was liquid fire - I tried it twice and both times it numbed my mouth for five minutes. I like hot, but I prefer being able to taste my meal. The salsa verde was my favorite of the three condiments. Though a little too watery, it was freshly made and it was a great addition to the rest of my meal.
About five minutes after I was seated, I received my dinner entrees. The $2 steak taco was as good as advertised. The steak was crispy and well seasoned and the corn tortillas were off the press fresh. Topped with finely diced onions and cilantro, this was quintessential Mexican fare.
The other two entrees were good, but did not reach the exalted heights of the steak taco. The pork in the $2.50 pastor gordita was under seasoned. It needed a healthy dose of the salsa verde and fresh lime juice to bring out the flavors. The masa harina shell of the gordita was seriously good.
The $3 cheese quesadilla at Tienda Los Gemelos was a vast improvement over what you normally find at most Americanized Mexican eateries. Rather than your standard thin layer of shredded jack cheese (or mozzarella - horrors!) pressed between a pair of corn tortillas, this baby featured a crispy masa harina pocket crammed full of melted Oaxaca cheese. Like the gordita, this dish benefited from a healthy dose of the salsa verde.
Just a head's up that your server will not leave the check at your table once you finish your meal. You''ll need to go to the cashier and they will retrieve your bill.
I left Tienda Los Gemelos with a smile, a full stomach and a relatively full wallet, since my Mexican feast only set me back $7.50. Good times, good times indeed.
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