Hot Dish Review

Starting off 2013 with reruns like everyone else!
Chef Robert Phalen’s shrine to the tortilla, Holy Taco is a quirky spot that fits right in its East Atlanta neighborhood. Much like his dishes at One Eared Stag, Phalen makes use of obscure ingredients and offal in dishes like his fried chicken hearts faco and the “Buffalo style” pig tails appetizer.

The expansive patio comprises most of the seating with a long bar inside. Brightly painted brick walls reminded me of Cabo. A nice selection of tequila is available by the shot, but they are just as expensive as the drinks, so we ordered our standard skinny margaritas with salt. By the way, if you are planning to sit on the patio, make sure you wear something long enough to cover your thighs. The chairs and tables are the black wrought iron variety that cause (nearly) permanent indentations.

Although I wanted to order something unusual like arepas, we resorted to our usual chips, queso with jalapenos and guacamole to start. The chips were cut from their corn tortillas, which are not made in house but obviously come from an authentic (although admittedly not Mexican) source, then fried, creating thick and flaky chips. Guacamole was much like mine, just not as spicy. But the bottle of XXXHot Habanero Sauce on the table scorched our tastebuds when added to the queso…ay carumba!

We did venture off the taco trail by ordering the pan fried padron peppers as a starter. Eaten individually or added to our queso, these little boogers packed a lot of flavor, but only about one in ten were hot….exactly like our server said.

However, we were at Holy freakin’ Taco so we had to order tacos! I only wanted one, but it was so hard to choose….young goat or grilled shrimp? In the end I couldn’t resist the skirt steak with cotija cheese, while LC tried the 12 hour roasted pork shoulder and the beek brisket tacos, all in corn tortillas. We also got a side of corn on the cob, described as “streetstall-style roasted organic”.

Every taco I eat is a test of authenticity compared to the God of all tacos eaten in Playa del Carmen. Holy Taco’s tortillas were made of yellow corn (yay!) but were flimsy enough to require two per taco (boo!). Unfortunately, juices from the fillings caused the tortillas to get soggy and fall apart. I enjoyed the steak and the pork, although a liberal sprinkling of cilantro would have helped both. Neither of us cared for the brisket which was accompanied by five pieces of carrot. I couldn’t find the Vidalia relish that is mentioned on the menu. The corn, topped with spiced mayo and queso fresco, was sweet and awesome, but I think it would have been even better with roasted chili butter.

I really wanted to save room for the pan de chocolate or an order of churros, but I ordered another skinny margarita instead.

And that’s how I like my corn. Hardcore.

1314 Glenwood Avenue 404-230-6177

That’s right, my first visit to Fork & Screen in Buckhead will be my last. This year for Halloween I decided to forego a costume and go to a scary movie, Paranormal Activity 2, with a friend. On the way to the theater we stopped in at Kyma for a couple of appetizers and a martini…a great start.

But the evening soon went awry. When we got to Fork & Screen we went directly to the bar in the lobby and ordered a pitcher of Miller Lite. The barely legal chick behind the bar refused to serve us saying we were intoxicated. Seriously?

I figured it was no big deal, since we were not at all drunk. After finding a comfy table inside the theater we summoned our server and placed a beer order only to be informed that she too could not serve us.

Despite the utter bullshit, we proceeded to order a chicken quesadilla, and chips and queso. I didn’t expect it to be good, but I’m quite certain my cat could do better. Tri-color chips with melted Velveeta were abysmal as was the flacid lukewarm tortilla filled with pre-packaged chicken and a smattering of melted cheese. A side of sour cream and another reportedly made with avocado did little to salvage it, nor did the side of half-ass fries that we didn’t order. There was no hint of spice in the quesadilla or the queso, unless you count salt.

I must have Milkduds at the movies. Thankfully, they did allow me to have those! To top it off, the movie was as dull as the food.

We left Fork & Screen completely sober. But the experience put a bad taste in my mouth in more ways than one.

At the end of a post I often give the address and phone number but I don’t want to inadvertently promote this venue. But I will give them one thing….a big fat Knuckle Sandwich!

You might think I would be sick of guacamole and margaritas by our fourth day in Cabo, but you would be wrong. Even now, back in the states, I am craving a decent taco, looking forward to exploring some authentic tacquerias on Buford Highway!

After our appetizer tacos at O Mole Mio, B and I were strolling down a side street contemplating eating more when we were corraled by a dodgy guy offering free tortilla soup and sangria if we went to MigueLocos. Free soup you say? We followed him.

Thankfully he wasn’t a knife-wielding psychopath. We chose a table on the sidewalk with a view of the vibrantly painted interior of the restaurant with its kitschy yet inviting Mexican decor. It was obvious that most of their guests were American as English was spoken fluently.

A big bowl of tortilla soup was delivered, as promised. I thought it was quite tasty. B got the complimentary sangria which was pretty good. My margarita was perfect. Guacamole, chips, salsa, and queso with jalapenos were next. I dove into the gooey cheese, scooping it onto a corn tortilla. Everywhere we went the guacamole was great and MigueLocos was no exception.

No longer hungry but craving something fiery, I ordered the shrimp diablo. Really fresh and succulent, the shrimp were in a spicy sauce. Although I wouldn’t label it fiery, it was delicious.

My experiences with food in Cabo San Lucas were certainly consistent. Many dishes were served in a sauce and nothing was very hot and spicy. The corn tortillas were somewhat bland. I’m not sure if this is simply typical of the Baja region or if the food is dumbed down for American consumption. That would be a shame since most people these days are really seeking an authentic experience when travelling. Perhaps it’s the influence of shows like Anthony Bourdain’s No Reservations or Andrew Zimmern’s Bizarre Foods, both on the travel channel. I can promise you we were not offered pig brain tacos or fried grasshoppers in Cabo!

This heat almost reminds me of Brazil, minus the part where there is no air-conditioning and the only clothing you can comfortably wear is a bikini. Here, thankfully, bikinis are optional. Especially when me and B are chowing down on baskets of chips, fajitas, and tacos at El Taco.

Their patio is the perfect spot to chill out and sip tangy margaritas with salt. On Saturday our server recommended an all natural margarita made with only lime juice, tequila, and a little agave nectar….awesome!

El Taco serves freshly made guacamole that can be spiced up with jalapenos and cilantro from their salsa bar. The cheese dip is the perfect consistency to cling to chips, although I do wish their chips were a bit thinner, like Uncle Julio’s.

B ordered the steak and shrimp fajitas while I got my usual red chili steak taco having already filled up on chips and dips, as planned. At just $3.95, the taco is full of grilled steak, crispy onions, and tomatillo-lime salsa. I get it on a corn tortilla and add a bit of shredded cheese, guacamole, cilantro, and jalapenos…..delicious!

The fajitas came out on a sizzling platter. Of course B let me have one! I was impressed with the perfectly cooked fat shrimp and tender steak, although B mentioned that the steak would have been easier to eat had it been sliced thinner (true). At $14.50 the portion was not huge but I think the flavor compensates.

I like El Taco. It’s close to home, the margaritas are great, the food is fresh and flavorful. Only problem, I always have a huge bill because they nickle and dime you on everything. Chips and salsa are $2.50, guacamole and chips are $5.75, and queso is $4.75….$13 just to get started! Ouch. Have another margarita and maybe it won’t sting so much.