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| - On a lazy Tuesday morning my girlfriend and I wandered to this corner of Val Vista and Elliot, intrigued by the statements of "artisanal, seasonal, authentic Mexico City cuisine" proclaimed upon Rosa Blanca's website, yet sitting in the middle of bland suburbia. This was one of the first results that popped up under the new restaurant tab for this area is Rosa Blanca, so I was hoping that breaking away from the usual rotation wouldn't leave me disappointed again (that's NOT what she said, I swear!)
Walking in was extremely startling, with a very trendy decor but very pleasant airy openness. If I remember right there is probably seating for about 50, with a booth along one wall, tables scattered about, and a bar area, with a view of whats going on in the kitchen as well. Also of note is the President's Award the owner got as well as picture taken from when he served in Afghanistan. We were promptly greeted when we entered, seated, and took our drink orders of water for the g/f, and Hibiscus Pomegranate($3)agua fresca for me, which was ridiculously good and was the perfect rejuvenation for a warm day.
We took a long time ordering, with our server checking in at respectful intervals. The tamale crisps ($8) were calling out to me, with 2 tamales deep fried and cut into halves, topped with Mexican crema and salsa. 1 tamale was pork in a spicy red sauce that I preferred, and the other was a chicken in green sauce which while also quite tasty, didn't quite match the heights of the red. The interplay between the meat, masa in a deep fried format is something that I intend to indulge in repeatedly- one of the wonders of this dish was the fact that I didn't get an oily feeling at all.
Still feeling peckish and not quite ready to commit to an entree yet, I also ordered a side of Green Poblano Rice ($3), which was described as rice simmered with herbs, poblano chilies, chicken stock, topped with crumbled queso fresco and corn kernels. The queso fresco didn't add much to this dish I felt, but I still thought this was a wonderful appetizer and a delicious rice dish. I also ordered Black Bean Soup ($3) black beans served chopped onion, cilantro, and olive oil, which was tasty but nothing spectacular.
Tortas dominate the menu, so we decided to go with them. My girlfriend ordered the La Ranchera ($9), which was steak, poblano strips, grilled onions, melted Chihuahua cheese, and lettuce smothered in a smoky borracho salsa. This was absolutely one of the best tortas I've ever had, with the filling being supported by wonderful bread as well. I'm sure the Taliban put up a pretty tough fight against the owner during his time of service, but I battled an even fiercer opponent in my girlfriend when I tried to get a 2nd taste of her sandwich. Although I think my forearm will be scarred from when she stabbed me with my fork, I judge that as a fair exchange for a second bite of that torta.
My torta was less of a hit, as I wanted to get away from my comfort zone and ordered La Chilanga ($9), which was barbecued pork strips served with an interesting citrus mayo spread, pineapple cilantro relish and arugula greens. The pork was tender, but the torta was too sweet for me, but for others with a greater appreciation for sweetness in meat this torta would be wonderful.
I only ate half of my torta, so I also decided to order a beef taco and a carnitas taco ($3 each). The beef was very average, and the onions + salsa that came with it didn't save it from being too dry as other reviews have stated. However, the carnitas taco was excellent, with the pork being as moist as pork could be, although once again the onions and salsa were too quiet as accompaniments.
Overall, I was impressed and satisfied with coming here, despite spending about $55 on lunch, although it was $41 pre tip. If I had ordered a torta more along the lines of what I know I like I probably wouldn'tve ordered those tacos, and the sides I ordered on a whim- so I would say that you would normally be in the moderate price range per Yelp standards, at about 10-15 per person. For tortas and tacos you don't normally expect that price, but for the quality of this restaurant it is a fair exchange. I look forward to returning here, hopefully this week!
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