I’ve written about El Burro before but thought it was time for an update since I’ve had more than a few meals there since my first post! And they have all been TASTY! The reason why I never post pictures of the meals though is because I gobble up my food so quickly that the prospect of writing about it results in a dirty knife and fork before some decent pictures can be taken. And let’s be honest, food pictures aren’t the problem. It’s the half eaten food pictures that are revolting!
So I restrained myself just long enough to take a few snaps of my delicious meal and thought I’d share, what I believe, to be the best at El Burro. First off, booze is booze everywhere. Nothing wrong with that, just saying it is what it is. So when I go to El Burro I like to have a pineapple agua fresca. It’s a simple non-alcoholic “juice” which I like to start meals off with as it’s light, fresh and doesn’t impose on the meal.
My next new favourite is…
TAQUITOS!
These are fried wraps stuffed with lamb accompanied by a black bean and corn salsa. These are lightly fried and come with sour cream and are SO tasty! The little salad of carrot, radish, beetroot that accompanies most dishes is also a fantastic palate cleanser, really good.
And of course, even though El Burro isn’t tex mex, I can’t imagine having a Mexican dinner without a touch of chillies…
So my next favourite starter is the famed smoked poppers!
These are jalapeño poppers that are smoked, halved, stuffed with cheese. Although smoked foods aren’t my favourite these are absolutely DIVINE and are not too hot. They come with guacamole to turn the heat down if you need be 😉
Although I don’t eat seafood, another El Burro favourite of my friends is the ceviche. So I had to order a plate for my friend when she came to town because she LOVES fresh seafood and had never had it before!
I’ve learnt what this is by watching hours of the cooking channel. Ceviche is fish that is “cooked” in acid (lime or lemon juice). Although most people don’t consider anything to be cooked unless heat is applied to it, the lime juice actually changed the composition of the fish and essentially “cooks” it. My friend force me to have a bit every time and it’s really delicious even though I don’t like seafood (one bite is fine). 😉
For mains I always order the “built it yourself” chilorio pork. These are little corn wraps accompanied but asorted condiments such as guacamole, pickled onions, sour cream, tomato salsa which one then used to create one’s own wrap. The pork is shredded and has garlic and chillies. It says “hot” on the menu but for someone who doesn’t eat curry, it’s not hot at all. Apparently some people find it hot but it really isn’t in my opinion.
And for dessert…nothing! I’ve had desserts at El Burro before but after this feast I was too full!
The food at El Burro is reasonable priced (less than R50 for starters I’d say, less than R100 for most mains), fresh and something different. I still love Tex-Mex food in Cape Town but love that El Burro is doing Mexican in a unique way. It’s near the circle in Greenpoint. Make sure you book because it’s ALWAYS full. Enjoy!
