Cheap Eats in La Jolla? Yes, at Alfonso's Mexican Restaurant

I've been around the San Diego block more than a few times.  I knew Hillcrest when it was a dump, before the fabulous gays took over and made it all cool and trendy.  I knew Mission Valley when there were still cows grazing in the grass.  And I knew La Jolla when as a college kid I would go there for cheap eats and entertainment.  My friends and I used to get the carne asada tacos at Alfonso's in the late '70's, then head across the street to Bratskellar's to sit around their fireplace with a Zombie (a drink, not a date), and then duck over to Chuck's Steak House for some free jazz.  Well, Brat's is now George's at the Cove and Chucks is Azul's, but thankfully Alfonso is still there.

I like it that they haven't changed it much since it opened in the late 70's.  And here's something else I like.

The chips are solid.  They're thick, they're bold, and they crunch louder than a Corn Nut.  Look, I've been to too many Mexican restaurants where the chips are light and airy.  Give me the crunch!  And the salsa, oh the salsa, my most favorite salsa in all of San Diego.  Behind it is their house margarita.  A small pitcher is $15.50 and one of the best margaritas in town.  Think you need to upgrade?  Think again.  This margarita packs a punch.  Here's the recipe:

ALFONSO'S MARGARITA (recipe courtesy of the bartender)
3 parts sweet and sour
2 parts tequila
1 part triple sec
Fresh lime juice

Try it on the rocks with salt, squeeze a bit more lime on top, enjoy.  Don't waste your money on the upgraded margaritas here.  Even the bartender said that there's no point, not when the house margarita is this good.

BTW, I was watching some dumb FoodTV show where this cooking gal is at a Mexican restaurant and mocking the people eating the baskets of chips and then coming over to their table with a know-it-all smirk and talking about calories and then saying how you should avoid the chips.  Well FoodTV, all I can say is pass them chips my way!

Ahhh, carne asada.  My first carne asada taco was here, 35 years ago, and I still believe they make the best.  Back then you could get 2 carne asada tacos, rice and beans, for $5.90.  Well, my wife says this isn't true but I'm pretty sure.  Anyway, times have changed and if I ate that much food I would be huge (or dead) so I now order a la carte and get one taco and a side of beans.... and more chips.  I love these chips, especially dipped into the beans.  Let's take a bite.

Mmmmmmm, the meat has a nice char-grilled flavor, the guacamole is fresh, the double tortilla keeps everything together, this is one great taco!

Of course, Alfonso's has other good stuff as well.  I love, and I mean love, their garlic shrimp.  They taste like little lobsters and remind me of the days when it was safe to go to Puerto Nuevo.  And they have plenty of other seafood and traditional items here, all delicious.  But get the carne asada taco.  Trust me on this one.

So how much was lunch with the best best carne asada taco, the best chips and salsa, and the best margarita in San Diego?  $30.90?  What a bargain!  Cheap eats in La Jolla is possible - if you go to Alfonso's.

MORE WALLY!

HELP THE SEALS AND KICK THE BAD GUYS OFF THE BEACH!  www.SDHomegrown.com
LOCAL WALLY'S GUIDE TO SAN DIEGO:  www.SanDiegoInsiderGuide.com
NAPA:  www.NapaTouristGuide.com
SONOMA:  www.SonomaTouristGuide.com

TACO TUESDAY: What do Bing, Bob, Desi, Lucy, and Wally have in common? Tony's Jacal!

THE PLACE:  TONY'S JACAL

621 Valley Avenue
Solana Beach, CA 92075-2428
(858) 755-2274

THE VIBE:  Old school Mexican restaurant

THE COST:  Not much more than a taco shop

LOCAL WALLY REPORT CARD:  A

Eden Gardens area in Solana Beach is best known for Fidel's, but its history began as an area to house the Mexican farm workers employed by the wealthy folks in Rancho Santa Fe.  Tony Gonzales and his family lived here, opening the restaurant right after World War II in 1946.  Hollywood soon discovered it, the place to go before the Del Mar races.  Yes, Bob Hope, Bing Crosby, Lucy and Desi, Jimmy Durante, this was their place.

The patio looks like someone's backyard.  It's friendly and inviting, the perfect spot on a sunny day.

Can you imagine running into Desi and Lucy here?  You might have back in the 50's.

The menu is large and varied, offering everything from turkey tacos (their specialty) to vegetarian items.  But let's do test #1 - the chips.

OMG, the chips were light and crispy, the salsa tangy and spicy, absolutely fantastic.  You could easily eat a giant bucket of these chips with a gallon of salsa it's that delicious.  Why yes, I would like more, thank you!

Test 2, the margarita.  I sometime get dragged into this terrible Mexican restaurant in Temecula where they have industrial sized gallon jugs of "margarita mix" in plain view at the bar.  I hate that.  A good margarita should have a certain freshness to it with a strong undercurrent of tequila, like a rip tide hiding under the waves in La Jolla.  The Cadillac Margarita at Tony's passed the margarita test, a shot of Grand Marnier on the side to toss in after a few sips.  It had the perfect kick, not sweet, not too sour, drink too many of these and it's bye-bye.  

Test 3, the food.  Here's the one item combo.  That's a turkey taco, believe it or not.  The story behind turkey is that it was easier to prepare one big turkey than a bunch of chickens, but will it pass the taste test?  Yes, with flying colors.  While not exactly the fattest taco, it was stuffed full of turkey meat and topped with Mexican cheese, really good.  The beans were authentic as well, the cabbage salad (included) has a terrific acidity to it, and the rice, which is cooked with some of the turkey juices (ie: fat) was delightfully delicious.  At $6.90, what a great deal. 

The carne asada street tacos ($8) came with a side of real guacamole, salsa fresca, each taco wrapped in two tortillas.  The meat had the perfect seasoning to it, the cilantro and onions adding a nice crunch and contrast, the guacamole the creaminess, and stuffed right to the top.  Fresh and tasty, this dish gets an A+. 

There's something so authentic about Tony's Jacal, something unique.  It feels like home, it tastes like home cooking, there's not a stitch of cheddar cheese or sour cream in sight, I think I love this place. 

Wally's on the go and watching your back!  Check out Local Wally's Guide to San Diego for more reviews!

TACO TUESDAY: Searching for Mr. Rolled Taco

THE PLACE:  Los Charros Authentic Mexican and Seafood, 915 East Valley Parkway, Escondido, (760) 746-2416

THE VIBE: Looks scary on outside but nice and inviting on the inside.

THE COST:  So cheap it's stupid!

OVERALL LOCAL WALLY RATING:  A-

My search for the ultimate Rolled Tacos took me to Escondido the other day.  I have this theory that some of the the best Mexican food is found in the worst looking restaurants so I had high expectations as I pulled up to this run down ex-Round Table Pizza joint.  

The exterior of Los Charros isn't exactly pretty but inside the restaurant is clean and the staff friendly.  You order at the counter and they bring you a basket of chips and salsa as you wait for your food.  The chips were light and fresh, the salsa a bit odd though - sort of like it had some sort of peanut undertone.  Weird, but luckily the salsa bar was well stocked.

See what I mean?  Good stuff!

These guys have a ton of seafood options like a fried whole fish, but I opted for a classic shrimp taco.  The shrimps were nice and succulent, the salsa and the sauce a perfect compliment.  And look, two tortillas so you can even split it with someone - though it's so good you'll be sorry if you do.  Say, how does this stack up to a shrimp taco from Rubio's?  Are you kidding??  There's simply no comparison, this taco is the bomb!

When you do it right there's nothing better than a carnitas taco and Los Charros hit this one out of the park.  The pork was nicely cooked, tender and crispy on the outside.  The flavors literally burst in your mouth, a perfect combination of saltiness and spices.  They don't skimp on the fillings like some and look, that's real guacamole on top!  Delicious!

Now check this one out.  It's a carne asada quesadilla.  Looks fairly pedestrian but let's see what's inside.

Damn!  And like the carnitas, perfectly cooked, perfectly seasoned, you forget that this thing is probably 2,000 calories. And now, the big test.  Rolled tacos.

And like The Empire Strikes Back where everything was going great until the end, the rolled tacos at Los Charros struck out.  The tasteless iceberg lettuce did nothing to enhance the bland filling, the whole thing was as average as El Torito.  But maybe that's because the dishes leading up to it were so good. 

So while my search for the perfect rolled tacos continues, Los Charros has set the bar pretty high for some great Mexican food in San Diego county.  No whining the next time you find yourself stuck in Escondido, just head over to Los Charros.  You'll be glad you did.

Want more San Diego stuff?  Head over to Local Wally's Guide to San Diego for more restaurant reviews, honest hotel reviews, and the complete guide of the best hings to do!