New Place!

I don't know how new.  All I know is that it was here after I got back.  It's called Villa Escondida and it's in the former Frontier Room space at 1st & Blanchard.  In case you were wondering, it's a Mexican restaurant.  I am always on the lookout for an uplifting burrito experience, so I was excited to try.  First off, nothing remains of the old Frontier Room, its former dimness and dank appeal.  In recent years, it was a barbecue joint and then it closed.  But it's been completely remodeled.  It's almost totally without character.  It's just brightly lit and kind of sterile.  But if the food is awesome, who cares about the decor?  I had the wet burrito with chicken and lots of hot sauce.  It was good; more authentic than Mama's, but I was looking for a punch that it didn't have.  Maybe I'm in the extreme minority here, but their hot sauce wasn't hot enough and the burrito itself wasn't very spicy, which is what I was really hoping for.  Oh well, like I said, it was good.  I plan to go back some other time for more stuff on the menu.  They have an interesting breakfast selection and happy hour specials, too.  So we shall see...

Once again, I'm not the most observant guy in the world and I assume that this branch of El Camion on South Lake Union (on Thomas, between 9th & Westlake) has been operating for a while.  It's just a block away from the squirrel park, but I failed to notice it.  When I found out, I was pretty elated.  The Ballard El Camion (on 54th between 14th & 15th) is superb.  I eat there a lot (more like constantly) when I record.  Even though the El Camion restaurant is just ten blocks down the street, for some reason, the truck is always superior.  I have never had anything bad from there and the service is really fast.  I can't say the same about the restaurant - on both counts.  I thought that this place would uphold the high quality of the Ballard truck.  Unfortunately, that didn't happen.  I got a chorizo burrito and took it home.  That's a 15-minute walk.  When I got home, it was cold.  The only thing that saved it was the sauces - they have the best sauces in the universe.  I'm especially partial to their habanero and chipotle.  They are very hot and flavorful.  So yeah, disappointed with the SLU truck.  OK, so I'll have to try them again and I will report back.  Even if they aren't that great, it's not like the Ballard truck is going anywhere.