Aqui Es Texcoco-Barbacoa de Borrego (Chula Vista)

Thanks for stopping by the food blog, mmm-yoso!!! Kirk is in the midst of a busy time at work, Ed (from Yuma) is recovering from a busy weekend visit to San Diego and Cathy's busy days ended about yesterday, so she's the blogger for now.

I liked Ed (from Yuma)'s most recent post, about barbecue and how he described his meal (critically) and began thinking of 'other' versions of  barbecued food.  Last month, I went on a Chula Vista Food Crawl  (see the bottom of the post for links to all the places we went) with fellow bloggers canine cologne and Dennis, where our first stop of the day included 'proper' barbecued lamb (Barbacoa de Borrego).

Located at the South end of a strip mall on Broadway in Chula Vista, we arrived around 9:30 a.m. on a Saturday for this first stop of our food crawl. Cute little lamb on the signage. Just so you know, by 10.a.m., there was a line out the door waiting for seating.

There's another cute little lamb on the counter. 

This is the entire menu.  It is served from 8 a.m. until closing. Note the flavored waters are made here daily.

When you are seated, two sauces are brought out to your table (the green one is very hot-spicy, the brown one is essentially a mole and quite pleasant), along with cut limes and a cilantro-onion mix.  These items go with lamb.  

Since we were on a food crawl, we were sharing and tasting and planning on other stops so ordered three tacos to share ($1.95 each). The top right is 'meat' (lamb shoulder or thigh) the one in front is rib meat (nicely fatty) and that one on the top left, I chose-brains.  Each meat is unique in flavor and delicious.  I grew up eating lamb and my initial taste of the meat and rib tacos brought back good memories.  The brains tasted like liver, both the first taste and when I burped as we were walking to our next destination. 

We also chose two quesadillas to share. ($2.50 each).  Above, the mushroom, which was very nice and rich and buttery.

Because none of us had ever had 'fresh' huitlacoche (a fungus that grows on corn)(I've had a canned version packed by Goya), we decided to share one here.  Good idea to try the milder mushroom first, as the flavor of this corn smut is strong.  I liked it; my blogger friends not so much.   

I had to bring The Mister back here to share the flavors enjoyed.  Surprisingly, Aqui es Texcoco is not crowded around noon on Wednesdays.  We were seated immediately and ordered a squash flower quesadilla ($2.50). Always wondering what to do with our squash blossoms from the yard or the Farmers Market (which we have usually stuffed with cheese and fried) having them stir fried and mixed into melty cheese was a great way to eat those flowers.

Each of our orders came with a small (10 oz) lamb consomé (lamb broth made with drippings of the roasting lamb, with garbanzo beans and rice), a slightly spicy very flavorful way to begin (or be) a meal. It's served in styrofoam cups, as it would be at your neighbor's home.  

The regular order lamb plate ($8.75) 1/3 pound shredded lamb meat and tortillas.  That's it and it is all you need.  

Three grilled quail plate ($9.50).  We wanted to see how quail should be prepared.  They were not treated like little chickens and baked, but splayed, seasoned and grilled and served with it's own sauce, which went perfectly with the meat.  

Yes quail are small, but have the same bone structure and number of bones as chicken and turkey...a bit of work, but tasty.  The food here is great, the service excellent.  Back in 2008, guest blogger Miz Ducky had a post here about Aqui es Texcoco and things seem to not have changed much in the interim. I like consistency. 

Aqui Es Texcoco 1043 Broadway Chula Vista 91911 (619)427-4045 Website

 

Comments

[nhbilly]

YUM!

[Soo]

The food looks great! I've been looking for a place that has awesome quail.

[caninecologne]

hi cathy - great post from a fun day! i did NOT like that huitlacoche and the lamb brains! i can scratch those two off my list now, ha ha.

@ Soo - Que Huong in City Heights serves quail (in a different style of course).

[caninecologne]

Me again...I noticed in the desserts section that Niederfranks (from National City) provides their ice cream AND they have an exclusive flavor only at Texcoco, the Jamaica sorbet. I've got to try that next time!

[Cathy]

Really good, authentic Mexican food, Bill.
It's really good here (if you look at the website, there's a link to the Andrew Zimmern Travel Channel show). The quail was a bit of work, but really flavorful, Soo.
I know you didn't like the brains or huitlacoche, cc. I'm glad you tried it (and didn't have to have a whole serving, or let any go to waste). I was happy to get it fresh and learn about it. Next time, we will try one of the fresh made beverages and a bit of the sorbet as well as rabbit...and the cactus salad; I've always been curious about that...

[Soo]

Cathy,
Thanks for the warning about the work. I've had it a few times in San Francisco.

C.C.,
Thanks for the tip about Que Huong. I'll have to give them a try too.