Recent Returns

Hi, everyone!

Been back to eat at a few places recently and I thought I would share my experiences.

Los Chorros

Los Chorros is still one of my favorite restaurants in Wheaton. My original review can be found here. This was only my second time eating in the restaurant. We went on a Friday night and it was pretty busy but there was no wait for a table. They brought out complimentary chips and salsa while we decided what to order. I decided on the Tacos al Carbon, which is three corn tortillas filled with steak and served with rice, beans, pico de gallo, and guacamole. Really good tacos, and a great portion for $11.95. I never leave this place hungry. My friends were very happy with their dishes as well. My buddy got the Especial Doña Reina, which came with steak, sausage, an egg, avocado, rice and beans. It was a huge portion and according to him, also delicious. My girlfriend got the Chef’s Taco’s, which is three corn tortillas filled with steak, chicken, and beef tongue. it comes with cilantro, pico de gallo, avocado, and rice and beans. I can personally testify that this dish is also delicious. For those who are hesitant about the tongue, give it a try. The meat is very tender and flavorful. This place remains one of my go to restaurants in Wheaton for the good food, good prices, and comfortable atmosphere. They also have great service.

Nava Thai

Nava Thai is still the most frequented restaurant by my family in Wheaton ever since Suporn closed. My original review of Nava Thai can be found here. I’ve been trying to order some different things. I usually go for the Duck Kaprow or Panang Curry, but I decided to try the Pineapple Curry with chicken. I liked this dish because of the sweet mixed with the savory. If the sauce is good enough to drink at the end, I’d say it’s a thumbs up. We also ordered the spring rolls which are consistently good here.

Silver Diner

Silver Diner is like a reliable friend that you don’t need to visit all the time to know that things are good. My original review was here. I ordered the chicken tenders (my food of choice as a kid) and a Tupper’s Hop Pocket Ale. The chicken tenders were pretty good but the beer was amazing. This beer is actually from Bethesda, MD. It’s an American Pale Ale with a 6% ABV. I can’t recommend this beer enough.

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El Chilango – Arlington, VA

Last week at this time, I had not experienced El Chilango for myself. I had driven past it longingly on more then one occasion.

Finally, the stars aligned and I was able to try it out.

El Chilango is a food truck located off of Route 50 in Arlington, VA.

We drove up to the truck and found a parking spot across the street. I approached the truck and the smell was amazing. On the side of the truck, they list the different types of tacos that they have, all for $2 each. They have beef, pork, chorizo, tongue, and chicken. These are some of the freshest tacos that I have ever had.

The truck is run by two brothers, who could not be nicer. They are known for handing out free tacos to people as they wait.

The tacos are outstanding. They are served with lime, picked onions and habanero, cucumber, radishes, and two different types of salsa. The steak is my favorite, but they are all delicious.

Those who are scared off by the tongue need not be afraid. You will be surprised by how tender and tasty the meat is. Do yourself a favor and check this place out. Not also is the food cheap and delicious, the owners are extremely nice.

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That Food Truck Behind the Laundromat on Georgia Avenue – Wheaton, MD

Located behind the Wheaton Laundromat on Georgia Avenue is a nameless taco truck serving up the best tacos that I have ever had.

I was really starving and it was a beautiful day, so I took the short walk to the taco truck. It’s located in the parking lot behind Wheaton Laundromat and directly across from Legends.

The truck does not have a name, just the menu items on the side of it. You will be able to smell the delicious food cooking once you approach.

Wheaton Patch got some great photos of the truck and the food.

According to Wheaton Patch, the truck is owned by Ulizes who used to work at Jaleo and Austin Grill. I was quickly greeted at the window and pointed to the picture of the steak/chicken/pork taco combination. The three tacos will set you back $6.

The woman working in the truck told me it would be about ten minutes so I took a seat at a table they set up out front. After about five minutes or so, she called me over to pick up my tacos. I also grabbed a mandarin Jarrito.

When I opened up my styrofoam container, I realized she had made me three chicken tacos by mistake. However, I was hungry and was still really excited to try these tacos. They come wrapped in two soft corn tortillas. The chicken was perfectly cooked and seasoned just right. They are also served with onions, cilantro, green salsa, and a lime.

I don’t have a picture of my meal, but Wheaton Patch posted one of the three taco combination:

If that doesn’t make you hungry, nothing will.

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Area Round-Up

Good afternoon, everybody!

Just a couple of updates in the world of food from our area.

• Elevation Burger is now open in Wheaton Mall. It’s located next to Panera. I’m yet to try Elevation Burger, but I have heard mixed reviews. I’m sure I’ll get over to the mall to try it out soon.
• DCsocialite is reporting that the Arlington location of Pollo Rico is now taking credit cards. No mention of the Wheaton location. I’m interested to hear if they are now taking cards in Wheaton. The story is here.
• Wheaton Patch recently reviewed Nut House Pizza. Never tried it myself. The review is here.
• Tom Sietsema really enjoyed his meal at Fishnet, the new seafood restaurant in College Park. The review is here.
• Eatin’ in Wheaton contemplates ordering chicken feet.
• The Ecclesiastical Revue enjoyed the bánh mì at Saigonese.
• Congee is good for the soul. Or so says Janet Yu, the owner of Hollywood East. Read the article here.
• Speaking of soup, Hôpital Sacré Coeur shares a recipe for Jouwoumou, a Haitian soup that is traditionally served on New Years Day. One of the ingredients is a tropical squash that can be found at HanHnReyn Asian Market in Silver Spring. The link is here.
• Rockville Spoons checked out the Great Wall Supermarket in Rockville, located where Jeepers used to be on Rockville Pike. The link is here.
• Earlier this week, I went to the open house at Beers and Cheers in Germantown. They were offering 20% off of everything in the store, and were having beer and wine tastings. This was a great event and there were a lot of people there. I was able to try the Sam Adams Double IPA which was delicious.
• I had a craving for tacos yesterday, and was in the Arlington area. I drove past El Chilango but did not have any cash and there is nowhere nearby that is convenient to take out any money. I drove to El Charrito Caminante and they were closed. I didn’t realize they are not open on Tuesdays. I ended up ordering food at Chevy’s this week, which I hadn’t done in a long time. I ordered the Chevy’s Super Cinco which included one chicken enchilada, one beef enchilada, a beef crispy taco, a hand rolled pork tamale, and a hand battered chile relleno. Chevy’s food is not worth screaming from the rooftops, but it’s not too bad when you get the craving for Mexican food. We played an order for carryout, and they were very prompt about bringing me my food when I arrived. This is not my go-to choice, but I’m glad it’s there.

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D.C. United Games – Washington, D.C.

I am a huge D.C. United fan, and have been going to games since the league began in 1996. At that point I was 11 years old, so I wasn’t too concerned with eating and drinking well at the match.

Now that I am older (and hungrier), I’ve learned a lot about the best way to experience a match at RFK Stadium.

Going to see D.C. United is one of my absolute favorite things to do. If you go about it the right way, you can have the time of your life.

I suggest taking the metro, because that way you can avoid the $15 parking fee. The stadium is a short walk from the orange/blue line stop called Stadium Armory. However, if you drive a VW, the first 50 people driving a VW get free parking in Lot 4.

Come to the game early so that you can experience the tailgate in Lot 8.

This is where the supporter groups tailgate before the matches. The gates open about four hours prior to the start of the game. I am a member of the supporter groups called Barra Brava.

Their website is here.

The tailgates are amazing. The tailgates are open to members and non-members, and there is tons of delicious food and drinks. They do ask that if you will be eating and drinking the provided food that you bring something to share. All contributions are welcome, no matter how big or small. In the past, I’ve brought popcorn, chips, doughnuts, etc.

The food varies depending on which game you go to. The best tailgates are the ones on the weekends. My favorite thing to eat is the carne asada, which they make on the grill. At one tailgate, a few of the members came together and spit-roasted an entire lamb for hours in the parking lot. They made pita and home made tzatziki sauce. Even the owner of the team, Will Chang, comes out to the tailgates to eat and drink with the fans.

There are usually one or two kegs at the tailgates. The members all gather around, drink some beer, kick soccer balls around, and get ready for the games.

If you can’t make it early enough for the tailgates, they have recently started hosting food trucks in the parking lot. The food trucks that I have seen there are D.C. Slices, BBQ Bandidos, Dangerously Delicious Pies, Eat Wonky, and Doug the Food Dude. There is also a stand that sells beer (Corona and PBR) and water.

I really enjoy the cajun tots from D.C. Slices and the beef brisket from BBQ Bandidos. I haven’t had a chance to try out the other trucks, but I am going to make sure I do so next season. Eat what you can outside the stadium because the food is not the strong point inside the stadium.

Once you make your way inside, your chance to eat delicious food has decreased considerably.

I made a little map to show you a couple of highlights:

While making this map, I found out that they have Starr Hill inside the stadium. I wish I had known that! I always sit on the opposite site of the stadium (what is called the loud side because of the supporter groups). The other side is called the quiet side, and is where most of the families sit.

You’ll see I didn’t list much food on the map. Most of the food is too expensive and not very good, but I am a big fan of the carne asada stand. The portion is huge and the food is delicious. As far as beer, you have to go inside the concourse to find anything other then Bud/Bud Light/Miller etc.

The season just ended, but I hope that you’ll check out a game next season. If you have any questions, leave me a comment below.

VAMOS UNITED!

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El Charrito Caminante – Arlington, VA

I finally had a chance to check out El Charrito Caminante. I have been planning to pick up food here for months.

I put the address from Yelp into my GPS:

2710-A N Washington Blvd
Arlington, VA 22204

This did NOT take me to the right place! I ended up somewhere by Fort Myer. I don’t know if that was just my GPS not working right or if the 2710-A messed me up. Anyway, I thought that El Charrito Caminante was next to Boccato Gelato & Espresso. I’ve walked past this place many times and assumed this was the taco place. Not sure why my brain made that connection. So I parked next to Boccato Gelato and walked next door and saw a sign for Julie’s Empanadas. At this point, I was frustrated and getting even more hungry. This must be new because it used to be a Latino grocery store.

This is where I thought it was:

I decided to take a deep breath, look at the address, look at the map, and stop relying on the damn GPS. I’m the first to admit since getting my smart phone that I overly rely on the GPS.

I finally made it. It’s located next to the 7-11 on Washington Boulevard.

I walked up to the counter, and the customers were inside sitting on stools and eating. It’s a pretty small place.

I had read the reviews, so I already had an idea of what I wanted to order. People had remarked that the staff can be kind of rude but I had no qualms with them at all. He took my order, and the food was ready in about ten minutes. I ordered a ton because I was starving after having driven around for so long.

The food was DELICIOUS. I ordered the goat, chorizo, beef, and cow tongue tacos, rice and beans, and pupusas with cheese and pork. The pupusas were served with pickled cabbage.

I’ll start with the tacos.

These are definitely worth the hype. Everything tasted very fresh and delicious. My favorite were the goat tacos. The tacos were served with salsa verde. The refried beans and rice were heavenly. I was also a big fan of the pupusas. They only cost $1.50, and were definitely worth it. The cabbage was good but nothing that blew me away.

For drinks, they have Mexican coke (with real sugar) and a variety of juices, etc.

I am a huge fan of this place.

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Los Chorros

One of my new favorite discoveries in Wheaton is Los Chorros, a Mexican and Salvadorean restaurant located on Blueridge Avenue. It is easy to miss from the street. There is only a small sign out front, and then you have to go downstairs to get to the restaurant.

On my first visit, I walked in and was given a warm greeting by their staff. In fact, my server gave me a hearty handshake and introduced himself. The place was hosting what looked to be a wedding party, and there were tons of families inside. Everyone was very friendly.

They will bring you delicious chips and salsa while you decide what to eat. I went with the Combinación Salvadoreña, which had a chicken tamale, a pupusa, plantains, rice, and beans. I was starving, and I still could not finish the huge portion they provided. The food was extremely delicious. I also ordered a Regia, a Salvadorean beer.

The food was so good that I decided to eat it again a few weeks later. This time, I ordered Especial Intipucá. I will be craving this dish for years to come. This dish includes grilled beef steak, chicken breast, and spanish sausage with pico de gallo, rice and beans. This dish could feed an army.

My girlfriend ordered the Chef’s Tacos. This dish includes three corn tortillas with beef, grilled chicken, and beef tongue. The tacos come with cilantro, pico de gallo, avocado, and rice and beans. This portion was also huge, and we loved the different flavors in the tacos. This time we had ordered it for carry out. The food didn’t take too long, and when we arrived to pick it up, it was right there waiting for us.

They even offer free delivery!

I will be coming back again and again. I can not recommend this place enough.

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El Tenampa Mexican Restaurant

I recently returned from a trip to Kississime, Florida.  We were starving after being out at Cocoa Beach all day and wanted to get a really good meal that was close to the resort.  This particular area had mostly stuff like TGI Friday’s, Applebees, etc.  I did some searching and found El Tenampa Mexican Restaurant.  Located next to La Hacienda Bakery, you will find the place.  It is difficult to find because the sign is so small.

Here is what the bakery looks like:

El Tenampa is right next door. As soon as I walked in, I knew I was going to like the place.

The colors were very bright, they were playing good music, and the staff was very friendly.

One of the things I liked the best was the aguas frescas on top of the bar:

We were curious what the white one was because many people seemed to be ordering it. Turns out that it is horchata, a beverage made with rice, cinnamon, and vanilla. It was very good, and tasted a bit like almond milk.

We all ordered margaritas, which were huge and delicious. They had a great selection of beer, as well. The chips and salsa they brought out were also very tasty.

For an appetizer, we tried the beef tounge and tripe tacos. The beef tounge was very tender and reminded me of corned beef. The tripe taco was crispy and tasted delicious with a squeeze of lime on top.

For a meal, I ordered carne asada. The portion was HUGE and only cost $8.99. The prices here were great. The carne asada came with rice, refried beans, guacamole, and pico de gallo. You also got your choice of corn of flour tortilla. I chose the flour tortillas, which came out piping hot in a small covered basket.

Overall, this is an excellent place to go if you are in the Orlando area and looking for some real food.

Here is their website.

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