A Family Blog

Banjara

2010-06-19T16:59:00.002-07:00

Hello again, Plotheads, and welcome to another installment of “A Family Blog” – a Web page dedicated to the reviewing of restaurants and bars in and around the New York Area by yours truly – members of A Family Plot.

THE PLACE

In an effort to cover as many bases as we can here for you food blog-starved Plotheads, our third review will take place on the continent of Asia. Well, not literally of course, but nonetheless, we will be sampling the tastes, and taking in the sights, sounds, and smells of Northern and Southern India – albeit from the much more convenient location of the East Village in New York City.

Banjara, located on First Avenue, is named after the Banjara people, and features both classic and contemporary Indian dishes “that use spices in a more subtle way than often found in Indian cooking,” according to the restaurant.

Banjara offers an array of starters, and an assortment of chicken, lamb, seafood and vegetable main courses – as well as ample Indian breads, and a full bar. The atmosphere is intimate, with authentic Indian décor setting the tone – including ethnic music in the background. The staff is inviting and friendly, but not at all smothering. Prices range from $9.95 for vegetarian dishes, to a pricier $20.95 for shrimp, lamb and prawn creations.

THE BANTER

Joe: I can’t wait for my main course, the Khurus ke tukre, to arrive. Did you know that “Ke Tukre” means “what do you think” in Spanish? So when I eat it you guys can ask me what I think!

John: What do you think of the what do you think?

(Laughter)

Waiter (still taking our order): Do you want any special rice?

Joe: No. We are very simple reviewers. We don’t want to review your rice.

(Laughter)

You know, I’ll never forget back in the day on this Indian restaurant strip, places would be fighting for your business. They’d give you a $5 ticket and you’d eat like a king. I didn’t understand how they made any money.

Mike: When I went on one of my first dates with Sam (Mike’s wife) the first Indian restaurant I went to was right down the block.

Joe: I like those tacky places where they have the Christmas lights up.

Mike: I don’t mind the Christmas lights, I just don’t like the thin railroad style, where everybody is basically sitting on each other’s laps.

Wayne: To Joe’s point about restaurants fighting for your business: I always have said how good can an establishment really be if they have to resort to soliciting customers? If they are that good at what they do then they should get by on the quality of the food, service, and decor alone.

Mike: There’s definitely something to be said about that.

Joe (Looking around the room): I have to say, I think the décor in here is a little tacky.

(There are hundreds of oddly shaped pieces of mirror glass glued to the walls. Of the more noteworthy decorations, there are the Indian dolls/puppets that we later learned were called “Ra t/d avishna” )

Mike: The look of this place is just very dated. It’s kind of kitschy. But it’s nicer than some of the Indian places I’ve been in.

Joe: Mirrors glued to the walls (and ceilings) is very ‘80s.

John: Wayne has left the table to go wander about. He went to the other section of the restaurant.

Mike: (Out of nowhere) I was just thinking, I don’t know of any place that offers Indian breakfast!

(Laughter)

John: That’s a very interesting point.

Wayne: What do Indians eat for breakfast?

John: (to Wayne) Look at this gavone. He’s got sauce all over his fingers! Look at this madman! Look at him.

Joe: I have a feeling they just eat the same stuff they do the rest of the day.

Mike: What do they do, just wake up and have some curry?

(Laughter)

John: There’s other kinds of stuff – like dosas (Indian-style pancakes) – stuff like that.

Mike: I’ve never had an egg in an Indian restaurant.

Joe: I know what Indians eat for breakfast: Curry-os. A nice bowl of Curry-os.

(Silence)

Wayne: Joe, you are a silly, unfunny man.

(Laughter)

Joe: I sat here for five minutes thinking of that joke.

John: Did you?

Joe: Actually, about 30 seconds.

Wayne: I’d love to ask the staff this stuff, but I certainly don’t want to seem like I’m making light of their culture.

(Incidentally, further research revealed that Indian breakfasts vary greatly depending on where you are in India. However, scrambled eggs – referred to as Akoori – are indeed part of many an Indian’s morning meal!)

John: I like this place. It’s very roomy.

Wayne: I think the ceilings are a little low.

Mike: Well, you’re eight feet tall!

(For the record, Wayne’s height was most recently recorded at 74.5 inches.)

Appetizers are served.

THE APPETIZERS
Poori Bhaji: fried chic peas in spices served with poori bread

Onion Bhaji: thin onion slices deep fried in a chic pea flour batter

Aloor Chop: a combination of potato cakes, chic peas and onions in a tamarind sauce

Mulligatawny soup

MORE BANTER

Wayne: (Trying Mike’s Onion Bhaji) It’s tasty, but it’s not very crisp. I had initially hoped for more of a crunch.

Joe: (Eating his Aloor Chop) It kind of almost tastes like a very soft plantain.

John: (Trying Joe’s dish) I actually really like that. It’s delicious.

Mike: Mine is good, but it’s not as good as yours, Joe.

John: Gents, please, try some Poori Bhaji as well. … Bhaji. … I wonder what that means. Hmmm. I’m guessing it means fried?

(Bhaji is a general Indian term for a simple vegetable stir fry with Indian spices. Good guess, Johnny! )

Joe: In the past when I’ve had the Onion Bhaji, it’s been way crisper.

Wayne: That’s what I said.

John: What are you kiddin’ me? Look at all that crisp!

(Laughter)

Mike: It is good. Not the best one I’ve had. I think pound for pound, Joe, your appetizer is the better of the two.

John: No lemon with mine. I’m very disappointed.

Joe: John’s Poori Bhaji is awesome. I love it. That gets my biggest thumbs up of the appetizers. It reminds me of an Indian version of chili. It has that nice moistness – but chic peas instead of beans.

Wayne: While I didn’t get an appetizer, I’ve had the Banjara Baingun here before (sliced eggplant with coconut and seafood stuffing with chili sauce) and it totally rocked the house. Such an interesting combination of foods and flavors. But on another note, why aren’t these waiters coming over and filling up our water glasses?

John: Who gives a flying f*ck about water?

Wayne: Just throwing this out there, but I wonder if because we are here at an off hour – between them serving lunch and dinner – maybe things aren’t moving as fast in the kitchen, and in essence the quality of the food is suffering a bit?

John: It’s possible. We’re not here at prime time. But I don’t think that should really have an impact on the food.

Mike is served his Mulligatawny soup in a giant purple bowl – nicely complementing the color of the soup. Was this a conscious decision by the Banjara staff? Hmmmm.

Mike: This is very, very good. But it’s lava hot! I also like my Mulligatawny heavy on the lemon. Now this has a good lemon taste, but I do like it when it comes with a wedge to squeeze in there.

John: (Tries the soup) That’s really delicious. They knocked it out the park with that one.

Mike: See, it’s worth dealing with the heat.

Joe: What is this made out of?

Mike: I think chic peas and lentils, predominantly.

Wayne: (Also tries the soup) Fantastic. This is the hit in my opinion.

Wayne: Can I dip my papadum in your Mulligatawny? (Papadum, resembling a cracker or flatbread, was served as an accompaniment to our meal.)

Mike: Yes, you can dig your Papa John’s in my Mulligatawny.

Joe: That might be gay. Can I dip my Papa John’s in your rigatoni?

(Laughter)

Joe: (Sipping his Kingfisher beer) Kind of tastes like Budweiser.

Mike: It is. It’s like Indian Budweiser.

Wayne: (Tries the Kingfisher) To me it tastes better than Budweiser. It’s hoppier – and it’s got a really nice bite.

John: Tastes more like a Stella (Artois) to me.

Wayne: You think so? Well, you’re a bartender, you should know.

Joe: Every country has its own Budweiser.

Wayne: I just want to let all the people out there know that this blog was recorded on a high-quality Maxell normal bias tape. But I really hope you can hear Joe. He’s kinda mumbling over there. And look at him. He’s sittin’ way back like a grandpa outstretched on Thanksgiving!

(Laughter)

Joe: I gotta be me.

Mike: Wayne, ask the server what Indians eat for Thanksgiving.

Wayne: After we get served. I don’t want anything undesirable ending up in our plates!

John: Well, I’m ready for our entrees.

THE MAIN COURSE

Johns order: Murg Tikka Maslam a.k.a. Chicken Tikka Masala: chunks of chicken marinated in spices and yogurt, baked in a tandoor oven, and served in a masala sauce; buttered naan bread.

Mikes order: Pasanda Lamb: lamb marinated in a yogurt-based curry sauce; Kingfisher beer.

Waynes order: Bay Goon Ka Goon: roasted, peeled eggplant, pureed with onion and tomatoes, herbs and spices.

Joe's order: Khurus ke tukre (main course): skewered strips of boneless chicken marinated in herbs ands spices and grilled in a clay oven; Kingfisher beer.

EVEN MORE BANTER

Joe: (Inspecting the unnaturally red color of his Khurus ke tukre) Is this color the natural color of the food?

Mike: No. It’s food coloring to give it a more exotic look.

Joe: Well, the eye does help you take in the food a little bit. But it’s a little disappointing that they have to go through that.

John: Wayne, how is your dish?

Wayne: My Bay Goon Ka Goon is … OK. It’s very light. It almost seems like it would be the sauce over another dish. Perhaps I should have gotten something a little more solid – some kind of meat perhaps. But the taste of the entrée is actually pretty good. I’m just not gonna walk out of here feeling full. Geez, I need more rice. I gotta fill up on something! I did it again and took one for the team and got a vegetarian dish – and I’m not even vegetarian!

Mike: Most vegetarian dishes in Indian restaurants are like that – more like purees and mashes.

Joe: John, what do you think about your dish?

John: Excellent. The Murg Tikka Maslam is their signature dish here. The flavor is very sweet and savory, there’s a lot of creaminess to it, and it goes especially well with the butter naan. I could sit here all day if you just gave me a pot of just the sauce. I’d bathe in the shit!

(Laughter)

Mike: My lamb is very good. Very tender. Really enjoying the curry sauce it’s in. Lots of flavor. Very mild on spice, but not under seasoned.

Joe: I'm enjoying the hell outta my chicken. Not overly spicy or seasoned. I would say just right. My only issue is that toward the center the chicken gets a little dry.

Wayne: John, your Murg Tikka Maslam, the sauce that it’s in, to me it almost tastes like an Indian vodka sauce.

The Plotmen all nod in approval and verbally concur. Ironically, at that very moment, John drops his spoon, and it lands directly on his shirt, leaving a very noticeable stain of the aforementioned “Indian vodka sauce!”

John: I don’t know what’s wrong with me today!

(Laughter)

(John tries Mike’s lamb) Wow, the lamb is delicious. It’s a little fatty, though.

While we elected to pass on dessert, we were given complimentary mango ice cream. Banjara also offers Rasmalai, Kheer, Kulfi, and Sorbet as part of its dessert menu.

Joe: This is a nice light, refreshing touch.

Wayne: It is. But can mango ice cream not be delicious? Really, have you ever had any that wasn’t?

John: This is just a little bit better than average, I think.

Wayne: It does has a sharp mango kick, and the soft creaminess contrasts with that beautifully.

Mike: It’s a little too creamy for me right now. It’s just not going well with my meal.

John: I love creamy.

Joe: I thought this was a great meal. I would come back again. Great times.

John: You know, this might be my favorite restaurant in the area.

NEXT

A Family Plot will be performing at Mercury Lounge in NYC on July 2 at 10 p.m. This is a big one, folks!

Hope you all can make it down.

But in the meanwhile, drop us a line and let us know what you think about “A Family Blog” at afamilyplot@gmail.com.

Also, if you have any ideas on what type of cuisine YOU would like to see us cover next, give us a shout.

WilliamsBurger

2010-04-29T13:00:00.001-07:00

THE PLACE

The aptly and cleverly named WilliamsBurger is a casual eatery in, you guessed it, Williamsburg, which specializes in serving a variety of burgers. This is really the bulk of the menu here, although there are a number of side dishes available – including sweet potato fries and pierogies (the latter perhaps paying homage to the neighborhood’s many Polish residents), as well as all-beef Kosher hotdogs and chicken wings.

Bottom line: If you desire a nuts-and-bolts burger joint with laid-back and unpretentious décor (it has a dartboard, which for whatever reason gave off a “frathouse” vibe to these Plotmen!) then WilliamsBurger should suffice. Prices range from $7.50 for a “basic” cheeseburger to $13 for a sesame crusted yellow fin tuna burger. Also worth mentioning is the Asian chicken burger and California burger (served with a cage-free fried egg and Government – American – Cheese), as well as the meatless portobello burger, which should appeal to vegetarians and vegans alike. WilliamsBurger also boasts “the coldest beer in Brooklyn,” and regarding its hours of operation, according to its Website: “we close when we run out of burgers.”

That said, it’s time to get out your “virtual napkins,” slap ‘em on your lap, and enjoy your meal with us … FAMILY style!

THE FOOD

Joe’s order: Jalapeno chili and cheese burger, french fries, butterscotch shake

John’s order: Basic burger with jack cheese, sweet potato fries, diet coke

Mike’s order: The Williamsburger (barbeque sauce, jack cheese, lettuce, tomato, onion ring), French fries, Radeberger Pilsner beer

Wayne’s order: Portobello mushroom burger (meatless – with arugala, peppers, fresh mozzarella, and a balsamic glaze), sweet potato fries, Harpoon beer

To share: Pierogies (served with sour cream and caramelized onions), “Texas Pete’s” (an all-beef Kosher “doggie” with chili, yellow mustard and diced onion)

THE BANTER

Joe: I just had a big-ass bacon cheeseburger yesterday at the Vegas diner.

Wayne: Wait, you just had a burger yesterday, and you’re gonna have meat again today?

Joe: Why, is that strange? You never had a burger two days in a row?

Wayne: No, I don’t go that nuts on red meat.

Joe: Dude, I could eat red meat for breakfast, lunch and dinner.

(Joe’s shake is served)

Mike: It looks like a McDonald’s shake. You’re gonna need a spoon.

Wayne: If you were Jewish this would be a total taboo – mixing milk and meat.

Joe: A milkshake and a hamburger is all American!

(Wayne holds Joe’s shake)

Wayne: This thing is like three pounds!

John: That is delicious! (after clawing Joe’s shake and having a taste) Bono (Joe), you’re a maniac. How are you gonna eat that and eat your friggin’ burger?

Mike: Pace yourself. You gotta pace yourself. Seriously.

Wayne: I’m trying to drink it, but I can’t get anything through the straw.

Joe and Mike: Suck hard.

Joe: Don’t go so deep.

Wayne: I got a little of it.

(Pierogies and hotdog are served)

Joe: I think the pierogies could use a touch of salt.

Wayne: The onions are good.

John: Put ‘em on a burger.

Wayne: These pierogies are a little too oily for my taste. But they are good.  

Mike: The key is to enjoy all three components together – the pierogi, the onions and the sour cream. I’m gonna try the hotdog right now. (After tasting) It’s good. But it’s very regular. I expected something spicier.

Wayne: I’m not into the dog – at all.

John: With all the components in it (chili, yellow mustard and diced onion), you’d think there would be a ton of flavor in it. But there isn’t.

Joe: I just want to say right now that John used a fork to scoop some shake right out of my cup. Having this big-ass shake to kind of just snack on during the meal … is nice.

Mike: Joe likes to snack on something sweet between courses.

Wayne: Lemme get a forkful of that.

Joe: Fork my shake.

Mike: I guess I might as well too. I’ve got a fork. I should try it out.

Joe: It’s starting to melt up nice. It’s good because it hits you thick, and then it works its way back into a normal shake.

(Burgers are served)

Wayne: This portobello – this thing is fat!

Joe: I got an actual whole jalapeno with this. What am I supposed to do, just keep it in the burger like that? I thought it was gonna be infused in the burger.

Mike: You’re supposed to eat that baby! If you don’t I will!

John: I love the sweet potato fries here. Love ‘em!

Wayne: This (portobello burger) is very light. I feel kind of isolated that I didn’t get a real burger. A mushroom really doesn’t have a strong flavor, so it really blends in there. All I taste is the pepper and the arugala. There could be a sponge in here for all I know. The mushroom simply doesn’t pop.

John: When they bring the burgers to the table here, I get happy.

Mike: I definitely love the regular fries, but I know you guys like the sweet potato ones.

Joe: They are very crispy. But I’m a little underwhelmed with the flavor of my burger. You’d think with jack cheese, jalapeno – it’s kind of like the hotdog – its not popping. The meat’s good, though.

Mike: My burger is a mess just like I like it – a fountain of juice and blood that ran out and down my hand with the first bite.

Joe: (Echoing Mike’s sentiments quietly to himself) Juice and blood.

Wayne: I’m not very satisfied with mine.

(Less than five seconds later our waitress addresses the table)

Waitress: How is everything?

Wayne: Wonderful.

(Laughter)

These sweet potato fries are really a knockout. It’s their claim to fame, I think.

Mike: I don’t see how you guys add ketchup to them. For me it would be way too sweet. Overload.

John: I gotta say man, I love this place. I love the burgers here. It’s one of my favorite places to eat in this part of Brooklyn. Excellent.

Wayne: I’m not having a burger right now, but I think Dumont (Burger) puts this place to shame.

Mike: I think Dumont is a great restaurant, but I don’t think that it blows this place away.

Joe: I kind of do think it blows this place away. I only had it that one time, but I remember being kind of like – wow!

Wayne: I didn’t know a burger could taste that good (at Dumont).

Mike: (Out of nowhere) While I’m eating my burger I feel like I’m biting into the side of the neck of a baby calf – and I love it.

Joe: Who wants my jalapeno?

Mike: Of course I want your jalapeno.

Wayne: Mike knows jalapenos.

John: Yo, that’s a good nickname for Mike: Jalapeno Mike! How great is that?

(Laughter)

Mike: Yeah, that does sound funny!

John: (While making Italian hand gestures)These burgers are delicious, juicy …

Wayne: Hey bro, the readers aren’t gonna see your hand movin’.

(Laughter) You want that tomato?

John: C’mon, I’m sayin’ something here.

Mike: Eat your portobello over there.

John: The staff here and the atmosphere are excellent. You can’t go wrong here in this establishment.

Blow me.

(Laughter)

Joe: Johnny Blow!

Mike: Johnny Blow and Jalapeno Mike say they love their burgers. As I said before, I feel like I’m biting into the neck of a small animal which makes me ultimately very happy.

Joe: (in a low, creepy voice) The neck of a small animal. I would say that’s probably what it must feel like to bite a dick.

(Silence … then laughter)

Mike: The neck of a small animal? Where are we going with this? No, no, no. Because any small animal that I would want to bite the neck of is vastly bigger than any cock I’ve ever seen.

Wayne: Hey Johnny, how does that meat taste in your mouth?

John: No comment.

Mike: As for the beer, my Radeberger Pilsner is paired perfectly with my Williamsburger.

Wayne: I’m very underwhelmed. My burger tastes like a whole lot of mish-mosh. It’s not horrible. But you don’t go to a restaurant to eat something to say this isn’t horrible.

Mike: I like what you did for the team as far as trying something different (no meat), but you missed out.

Wayne: I was craving something else, and I expected to get it from a mushroom, but I didn’t.

John: Wayne’s just trying to say he wanted meat in his mouth and he never got it.

Wayne: What can I tell you?

Joe: This shake is still fuckin’ rockin’!

Mike: I liked my meal. Would definitely come back and stick with meat. I would veer away from the hotdogs. They’re nothing special. As far as the pierogies – good, but the star of the show was the sautéed onions.

Wayne: I agree with that.

Joe: I thought the pierogies were very good. Hotdog, not great, but passable. My burger was OK. Expected a lot more flavor. Needed to put salt on it to get some flavor out of it. But the meat tasted OK. And the shake – it’s a $6 shake, not a $5 shake like in Pulp Fiction – but it’s a pretty damn good butterscotch shake!

Mike: I had only one forkful of it and it was delicious.

Wayne: It’s like your appetizer and your dessert. It lasted the duration of the meal.

Mike: It’s the only thing left standing!

Wayne: Oh jeez. There’s a sautéed onion on my recorder! How did that happen?

(Check comes. It’s decided to split the check $25 each. Wayne hands Mike $20.)

Mike: Does this guy have a friend?

(Laughter)

John: This is such a nice place.

Wayne: I don’t see what knocks you out about this place so much. It’s OK.

John: What do you like when you go to a restaurant? What do you like when you go to a place? What do you want to see?

Wayne: If the food was better here I would like it more. It’s that simple. Maybe next time I’ll get the Caribbean Jerk.

(Laughter)

John: One other thing I gotta point out is, when you go to the bathroom here you feel like you’re in Florida.

(Wayne walks into the bathroom)

Wayne: Wow, I'm in Florida!

NEXT

A Family Plot will be performing at Public Assembly in Williamsburg, Brooklyn on May 27 at 10 p.m. See you there, Plotheads! But in the meanwhile, drop us a line and let us know what you think about “A Family Blog” at afamilyplot@gmail.com

L.A.Burrito

2010-03-27T13:23:00.000-07:00

Hello Plotheads, and welcome to the first installment of “A Family Blog” – a Web page dedicated to the reviewing of restaurants and bars in and around the New York Area by yours truly – members of A Family Plot.

The first question you may be thinking is, why are we doing this? Well, as individuals, we all have widely varying interests – but one of the things that we all really enjoy doing (besides making music) is sitting down to enjoy good food and drink. And we figured that since we often dine together anyway, have a lot to say about whatever it is we are indulging in, A Family Blog might be a good idea. In addition, we thought it would be fun, entertaining, and hopefully beneficial for you music fans out there who happen to be foodies as well. Our goal is to provide unbiased, unpretentious viewpoints on what we’ve experienced in a casual “hanging out with the band”-type setting. And since this is a new endeavor for us, your suggestions, feedback, etc., is encouraged.

So enjoy your meal with us … FAMILY style!

THE PLACE

LA Burrito, specializing in Mexican cuisine, is on the south side of Williamsburg, and a few short blocks from our rehearsal space. Appearing quite modest from the outside, the inside boasts a very welcome ethnic feel. With the unobtrusive sound of Mexican music in the background, looking around, you could swear that you crossed the border and were in some Mexican grandmother’s eat-in kitchen.

The menu had all the “classics,” as well as some atypical dishes, i.e., a catfish burrito, which none of us were lucky (or unlucky) enough to try. Prices were very reasonable (you could have a satisfying meal anywhere from $6 and up.), and there is no wait staff; you simply place your order, and when called, enjoy it at a table of your choice.

THE FOOD

Joe’s order: a chicken chipotle burrito, consisting of Mexican pinto beans, lettuce, and a rich chipotle salsa on a flour tortilla.

Mike’s order: a Baja Burrito, consisting of shredded chicken, a rich tomatillo salsa, pinto beans and Mexican rice.

John’s order: shredded chicken enchiladas, consisting of pinto beans, brown rice, salad with sour cream, and tomatillo sauce.

Wayne’s order: special of the day: a mole verde platter, consisting of shredded chicken, Mexican rice, refried beans, lettuce, sour cream, Monterey jack cheese, corn, garbanzo salsa, and four corn tortillas.

THE BANTER

Joe: If I wasn’t sitting here trying to review this, I’d be enjoying myself!

(Laughter)

Joe: It’s a lot of food for not too much money. The chipotle sauce is good, but not overpowering. And I do like the quaint, cozy atmosphere.(addressing Mike) Do you feel that string beans are a necessary part of a burrito?

Mike: That’s weird, having mixed vegetables in your burrito. Not a major offense, but weird. Look, I’ve got peas, too!

(Note: neither of their dishes mentioned “mixed vegetables” as an ingredient.)

Wayne: I do think corn is a nice touch.

Mike: Corn is at least native to Mexico; string beans aren’t. And the mixture of peas, carrots and string beans – the way its cut – is all too similar to a canned mixed vegetable.

John: The vegetables are too hearty; canned vegetables are like mush.

(Someone belches)

Wayne: Real class.

(Mike sings along with what sounds like adult contemporary Mexican music)

Mike: There’s no trace of the rich tomatillo salsa. And inside there’s sour cream, which I like, but a couple of vegetables that don’t belong in a burrito or any Mexican dish – carrots, peas, string beans – fundamentally that is screwy. But the pricing is fair and the food is good. They’re just light on seasoning and flavor.

John: My synopsis is: good food, inexpensive. A nice little place. The food is OK, but bland.

Wayne: I will echo John’s sentiment and say very bland. There were no flavors that really jumped out at me in any way. It was all one even culinary keel. When I first saw the greenish hue from the sauce on my plate I thought it would be bursting with spices and flavor. In the end I ended up with a full – but unsatisfied – belly.

Random female customer: Are you guys in a band? You have that band vibe!

Mike: Yeah. But everyone looks like they're in a band in this neighborhood!

Wayne reaches for some guacamole (that he did not pay for!)

John: That’s a claw if I ever saw one!

Wayne: (After tasting the guacamole) Not great, but better than good.

Joe: A little bland. No frills, but not in a good way.

Mike: It’s fair.

Wayne: I like the hot sauce they have here on the tables. It’s no too hot. It gives you the right amount of zing – not too heavy, not too sharp.

(After apparently eating too much too fast) Guys, I overdid it with the hot sauce! It went down the wrong pipe! Oohhhhh!!!!!!!!! (Gasping for air)

John: One thing I do like is the crowd that comes in here. Cool people. I really love the “Shreck” doll, too (one of the restaurant’s “decorations” on a nearby shelf).

Joe: Mexican Shreck.

John: Shrexican!

(Laughter)

John: The tomatillo sauce is yummy. And everyone finishes their food here, so that’s a good sign.

Joe: I’m not walking away from here hungry.

John: I gotta say, I’d rather eat at Taco Bell than here any day of the week.

Wayne: What?!

Mike: Really? Wow!

Wayne: Unbelievable.

Joe: And a hush has gone over the table.

Mike: I understand what you mean. But its still Mexican food, which is one of my favorite foods, so it’s hard for me to ever really say something bad.

John: If you give me a chicken quesadilla and a Chalupa Supreme over at Taco Bell I will have that (over this) any day!

Joe: Dude, I would have that over filet mignon!

FINAL WORDS

John: Go to Taco Bell!

Joe: I like it here.

Wayne: The dish was OK. And the water’s free! (giant water cooler and glasses in the back for the taking)

Mike: It’s not as black and white as thumbs up/thumbs down for me.

FINAL, FINAL WORDS

John: Bonzo (Joe's nickname), gimme more of that lube!

(Now don’t get the wrong idea, folks! L.A. Burrito also gives out complimentary condoms and lubrication packets to its customers. Perhaps another reason to – or not to – visit!

Be on the lookout for our next eating and drinking rendezvous – coming soon!

NEXT

A Family Plot will be performing at Crash Mansion in New York City on April 24 at 11 p.m. See you there, Plotheads! But in the meanwhile, drop us a line and let us know what you think about “A Family Blog” at afamilyplot@gmail.com.