Quick take out lunch in P.G. today after church. I’m a little unsure about Mexican in Prince George. But I’ll try anything once.

Tyler had the Barbacoa bowl, which he reported as good.

I’m going to go out on a limb and say it wasn’t made in the traditional manner. Regardless, he seemed to really like it.

Breanna had the Chicken Quesadilla.

Pretty hard to go wrong with this, but apparently an average quesadilla.

My fish tacos.

Overall pretty tasty while being skimpy on the fish, IMO. Great salsa and everything was fresh.

So Mexican in PG? The taco shops in Puerto Vallarta would scoff at the idea. But honestly not too bad.

6/10

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Not sure why it took so long to get back, especially since we moved in just down the street a few months ago. But we haven’t been in a rush to try it again.

Our last visit saw some pretty good food, but some pretty terrible service. And I’m not talking about the waitress herself she was fine. Long story short, I was refused refried beans when asked if I could have a side order.

Read the full story here.

It went so far as to even having a back and forth with the owner on Facebook. In the end it left a rather sour taste in my mouth about eating here again.

But a year and a half is long enough. We’ve been avoiding it and trying everywhere else in downtown New Westminster.

Time to give it another try.

When we walked in the owner was at the front desk. If you recognized me he said nothing.

We were seated at a small table in the back section. It is my least favorite part of the restaurant. It’s dark and rather noisy when it’s busy due to the low ceilings, like it is tonight. I recommend sitting at the bar.

As we are in a Mexican restaurant we are starting with a traditional margarita. On the rocks. None of those frozen, girly drinks tonight.

Having had previous experience with the salsas, we are skipping them and going right to some mango guacamole.

They make it fresh in-house, though not table-side, and it’s very nice. In this particular version I’d like to see a little bit more fruit. The mango flavor isnt as strong as I’d like. The freshly made tortilla chips elevated it to a rather nice snack though.

And since we’re In a snacking mood we decided to try their Ceviché.

Unfortunately it didn’t live quite up to expectations. They cut the fish into pieces that are too small. With everything being the same size you cannot appreciate the fish as well as if it were in bigger chunks compared to the other ingredients.

I would also say that the Tigre de leché is a little one note. At home I use orange, lemon and lime juices to add multiple levels of flavor.

You also have to throw a little heat in there from some Habanero or Serrano peppers. Or Ghost if you dare. This was missing that heat.

But don’t get me wrong, still good. With the homemade tortilla chips I ate the whole thing.

I ordered a side of beans just to see what would happen.

Yes they’re not refried. But tonight I wasn’t going to push the kitchen to see if they would make me some. But I have to tell you these were way better tha soupy mess that looked as if it came from a baby’s diaper that they gave me last time.

Full of flavor and packing heat, I polished these off easily.

I wonder if my influence had any factor in the decision making to change their menu?

Doesn’t matter. At least they got rid of that awful shite.

Is it going to be another year and a half before we get back to El Santo?

I’m not sure.

It’s certainly not my favorite restaurant in New Westminster. But it’s not the worst. Might be worth checking out a couple more things on the menu before I rule it out completely.

Piva managed to change my mind after all.

7/10

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Even if you are a resident of New West I’d be surprised if you knew about this restaurant.

While it is on 6th, its south of Columbia. Very easy for anyone to not realize it’s there

inside you will find a small selection of Mexican foods. Spices, snacks, beverages, etc.

And tucked away in the back a small, but colourful dine in section.

The menu has a good selection of typical dishes you’d find in a Mexican restaurant in Canada. Tacos, Tostadas, Burritos and E xhiladas, to name a few.

Merilynn likes her Burritos.

I personally am not a fan. Don’t like the rice inside.

It looks a little crispy to me on the outside. I didn’t try it myself but she said it was good. But not the best she’s ever had. A bit heavy on the rice.

I went with Enchiladas Verdes des Pollo.

The green sauce had the beautiful tangy flavor that comes with tomatillos that was well balanced with the queso fresco. And there was lots of tender Chicken in there. For $16. That seems pretty good to me. That’s a lot of Pollo. Bueno!

One thing I did appreciate was I did feel like I was in a small slice of Mexico. The colorful atmosphere and the ladies speaking Spanish reminded me of our recent trip to Puerto Vallarta and the wonderful food we had there.

I’ll be back to try out the tacos.

7/10

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This place is pretty lively, live music and it’s hopping.

And ok value for this part of town. 195 pesos for a pretty large drink.

This Is the regular sized margarita.

Mango with a spicy drizzle.

It tasted great, but a little hard to drink as it was very viscous. The mango flavour really was vibrant and that drizzle added a great little kick.

Merilynn had the strawberry basil.

Her’s was even better. That strawberry/basil combination is a perfect combination.

A pretty good stop in the Zona Romantica when you’re looking to get a little tipsy.

8/10

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Live music, lots of people and great smells waft from within.

And it’s close to our hotel. I swear we can smell the place from our room every night, as well as hear the live music.

We really didn’t feel like venturing far tonight so the location was ideal. A short walk down the hill is perfect.

From the moment we walked in the ambiance was fantastic.

The waiters were dancing.

The musicians were rocking it.

The whole place was alive.

There’s a waiter dancing with a bonfire in his hands. Turns out this is how they serve the fajitas.

This is how they serve the guacamole.

I’m not much of a guacamole fan. I’ve never enjoyed the stuff that comes out of a jar from the supermarket.

But this was fantastic. Likely the best I’ve ever had.

I love how much lime he put in. And fresh Mexican avocados are the best in the world.

Along with the guacamole we got fresh made salsa.

It tasted very fresh. I usually prefer Pico de Gallo this was so tasty. And no vampires here. Lots of garlic!

And of course fresh made tortilla chips, a must in any Mexican restaurant. If they don’t serve you fresh made tortilla chips just head right on out the door.

As usual I ordered way too much food for us. I just love to try things.

Here we have Cilantro fried cheese.

If you’ve had Saganaki at a Greek restaurant you’ll be cool with this. Gooey, salty, melted cheese in a tomato/cilantro sauce. Though it could have used more cilantro. I tasted no soap.!

And my first ceviche this week. Why did I wait this long?

I’ll skip the octopus ceviche and stick with the fish.

It was very good. I do prefer a ceviche  that’s a little more citrusy, but no complaints. Still very tasty. A very good balance of tomato, fish, onion and avocado.

Drinks were a margarita,

And a Mojito,

I guess the show they do here sometimes of pouring your tequila into the drink at your table is supposed to impress you by how much they appear to be adding.

I find this makes a very unbalanced drink though. The tequila floats on the top of the drink, so unless you mix it in really well yourself you end with with iced lime juice to start and then watered down tequila to finish.

Best to mix the drink properly to start with.

The mojito was very good. It’s essential to get a nice balance of mint and sweetness to balance the rum, often not achieved. This one was perfect.

And tonight’s bill came to 1200 pesos. That’s $84 CAD.

For the amount, and quality of food and drink we got tonight I think that’s pretty reasonable.

We have eaten cheaper this week for sure. but it wasn’t quite this good.

8/10

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If the lineups at any given time are any evidence then this very well may be the case.

Not that consensus is always proof to go by. We did, after all, at one point in our history think lobotomies were a good idea.

Since we arrived in PV we have walked by a few times and there doesn’t seem to be any point during the day that there isn’t a lineup.

There’s about 30 people in this line right now.

Fortunately this was the line as we left. We were very, very fortunate to get in with only a 5 minute wait. From my understanding this is normally much longer.

Did I really need to eat again so soon after La Campanario?  No. But such a short wait time was hard to resist. So lets’s go!

They walked us in to a very cramped seating area right by a ripping hot cooking station.

How would you like this job in 28° weather? Or warmer? It is only March after all.

The picture doesn’t do it justice but there sparks flying from the rotisserie at times. It nearly burned a hole in my good shirt on the way out.

Interesting menu. Reminds me of going to all you can eat sushi.

We went with a combo, beef and chorizo.

They served us 3 salsas to spice things up.

The green was quite mild, the red a little spicy (to my palate) and the tomato a rich, tasteful addition.

And of course a Pacifico.

No wonder there is a line up here all the time. These were fantastic.

The chorizo with the beef made a wonderful combination.

Adding the different salsas only made it better.

I skipped the habaneros. We were warned they were very spicy. I decided I didn’t need to kill myself.

And it’s very good value. 240 pesos for 4 tacos, an agua and a cerveza.

Can you really beat that?

That’s way more food than we need. And it was great.

So, if there isnt much of a line up, or there is a big lineup, Pancho’s is definitely worth a visit next time you’re in PV.

9/10

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Since we were with a local (our tour guide through the gardens) we asked where a good spot for lunch that the locals would go.

He recommended Fonda la Marina, on the second level of the Mercado Municipal Rio Cuale, just across the bridge from the Zona Romantica

If you’re a tourist you would likely never even think to go upstairs and find this local gem.

Merilynn went simple, an omelette and refried beans.

Well cooked eggs with a cheesy filling. and while those refried beans don’t look appetizing, they were very tasty.

I had Chili Relleno.

its not gourmet at all, but we aren’t here for that.

Really flavourful, subtly sweet and smokey from the poblano. Incredibly hearty and filling.

This is real Mexican food. and real Mexican prices.

All told, with two drinks, was around S14 Canadian.

9/10

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And Tequila.

Hibiscus Margherita I think.  I do like Jamaica (the drink not the country.)

That’s a very good margarita. Not too strong and it’s very well balanced. Using 1800 doesn’t hurt. That’s good tequila

One of my consistency tests for Mexican restaurants is fish tacos.

Yeah they make one of the better ones around.

Not entirely sure what fish this is exactly but it’s tasty. Love the coleslaw and the Chipotle mayo. Corn tortilla of course.

I do prefer their 4 inch versions. They’re just a bit easier to eat. Fabulous nonetheless.

And lastly I am going to try the Tuna Tartare.

Lots of big chunks of ahi tuna “cooked” in soy sauce with avocado, cucumber, jalapeños and tomatoes. And a good amount of fresh made tortilla chips on the side to eat it with.

I guess they don’t call it ceviche as it doesn’t have tigre de leche but it’s close enough for me.

Whatever it was excellent. It was salty/subtley sweet with lots of textures going on. If I had any complaints it was it was just too much. I don’t need that much food. Maybe a good shareable?

So another excellent meal at La Taqueria Pinché.

Definitely go check it out!

9/10

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There certainly no shortage of options

With a large food court, Earls, Tap and Barrel, OEB and Neptune Palace all on site plus the many spots around the Centre it’s pretty hard to choose.

But today I feel like tacos. In the rain. A lot of rain.

It’s been quite awhile since I’ve been to let Taqueria Pinché. Mostly due to the fact that I’m going to town anymore.

And to my surprise La Taqueria Pinché has grown up a little.

My first visits many years ago were to their counter service restaurant at Cambie and Broadway.

It was a tiny little spot and you were lucky to get a seat. But the food was amazing. One of the most authentic Mexican restaurants in Vancouver.

Over the years they opened up a few spots and I visited them all.

But today as I walked into the Brentwood location I found a sit down full service restaurant.  They sure have come a long way. I sat on the heated patio which was very nice

I decided to start with a margarita. When in Rome right?

This a Pineapple Margherita, on the rocks as it only ever should be.

Absolutely delicious. Pineapple makes a great margarita!

And luckily I am here early enough for happy hour. Normally now they have 6″ tacos, but you can get the 4″ ones at happy hour. Three tacos for $15!

You can mix and match from a choice of 6 varieties.

I picked one Baha Fish, one Camaron and one Rajas Con Crema. That last one is a new one for me.

My only complaint about any of the tacos was the amount of protein on the fish taco. They put it on sparingly. Exceedingly sparingly.

Otherwise they were excellent. A little Salsa Verde on each and really you can’t get much better, Well in Vancouver at least. Bordertown Mexican grill will give La Taqueria a run for their money.

I was particularly impressed with the Rajas Con Crema. The poblana pepper was charred nicely giving it a subtle smokey flavor.

The Camaron was cooked well, not rubbery.

The corn on the Baja Fish taco was a brilliant touch  It added a really nice sweet element to the taco.

I took a 6″ fish taco away to give to Merilynn. I didn’t get a picture but it was really good too. And it had lots of fish. No corn though.

All in all La Taqueria Pinché has to be one of the best Mexican restaurants in Vancouver.

I’ve been to four of their locations over the years. The food has been exceeded every time.

If you haven’t had a chance to try La Taqueria yet I highly recommend it.

9/10

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There’s at least 4 Mexican restaurants in our tiny city with a pub I know that serves Mexican as well.

To me The Taco Factory is hands down the best Mexican food in New West. Honorable mentions to the others but this is my go to.

And while it’s not as good as Bordertown Mexican Grill in Blaine, you don’t have to cross the border.

Today as usual I’m just sticking with tacos.

Pescado, Carnitas and Al Pastor.

The fish ones were good. I prefer grilled fish over deep fried but that’s becoming harder and harder to find. I guess everybody likes that Baja style.

The Pastor was a bit dry today. Yea the pineapple helps. A bit bland as well. The salsa Verde fixed it up nicely though.

The winner today was the Carnitas. So full of flavour. Really moist and juicy. A little touch of heat an that might be the perfect taco.

Wash it all down with some Hibiscus and I’m happy.

You want real Mexican try the Taco Factory.

Bueno!

8/10

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