Sure, sure. You probably have a favorite Mexican restaurant in your own neighborhood and don’t have too far to travel for your burritos and tacos. Besides, if you live on the east coast you are not likely to travel across the entire country for dinner, even if one of the better Mexican restaurants you’ll probably ever “chimichanga” at is in Hollywood California.
The restaurant I am talking about is El Compadre’s located at 1449 W Sunset Blvd. Los Angeles. For those more familiar with this part of Sunset Blvd, this is the Echo Park area of the city. By the way, El Compadre's has a second location also on Sunset Blvd.
On a visit to the "City of Stars," our son took Betsy and me to El Compadre’s for some “flaming margaritas” and dinner. The restaurant is well known for these (literally) fiery drinks – or should I say, drinks on fire! The margarita menu at El Compadre’s is sprawling - so many different kinds to choose from; and they are all well-mixed.
According to its very musical website (I enjoyed listening to the peppy selection playing as I browsed the menu), El Compadre Restaurant has been a Hollywood fixture since 1975 and “has been one of Southern California’s hot spots for Mexican cuisine and drinks”. Located along trendy Sunset Blvd in the City of Los Angeles, it was founded by lifelong friends.
Waiting for our drinks, we picked at the chips and salsa – picked some more - and we continued to pick until the waiter brought another helping. Sure, chips and salsa are to a Mexican restaurant what fried noodles and duck sauce are to a Chinese joint, but the chips and salsa at El Compadre are excellent and pretty highly recommended by many Los Angelinos, who know about such things. The salsa had the hint of a fruity taste mingled with its obligatory ripe tomatoes all pared to a perfect balance of liquid and solid – not watery, at all. Good salsa has to be moist and firm, not wet and runny.
The chef offers a recipe for his outstanding salsa. You can give it a try at home, if you are so inclined to do so. You will not be disappointed if you stick to the recipe and keep it firm and moist. Remember, firm and moist.
For my main course, I ordered the combination fajitas with beef, chicken, jumbo shrimp. This dish is also one of the restaurant’s signature items and spoken very highly of in many restaurant and customer reviews. It certainly lived up to its hype and its promise. It was crunchfully fresh, spicingly tasty, hottifyingly sizzling and demonstrably satisfying. Yes, it was YUMMY!
Let me just say that the portions here are immense. I probably would have needed a lawn and leaf bag to serve as my “doggie bag” had I taken any of my left-over portion home. The fajitas were so well prepared and delicious that I made a large dent in my serving, despite its battleship size.
Betsy ordered the Burrito Reanchero and Chile Relleno combination off the “Combinations Specials” menu. It was well-prepared and presented as a huge portion. She was very happy with it.
I do not recall what our son Steven ordered, but will say that El Compadre’s has an extensive dinner menu with House Specials, Chef Specials, fine seafood and steaks to choose from. This is not your typical tacos and burritos sit down "joint," though these old favorites are on the menu for all you traditionalists.
El Compadre’s is much more of an upscale gourmet Mexican establishment offering exceptional food, large portions, great service and fair pricing. And, let us not forget those superlative drinks – especially those Margaritas on fire (pictured above)!
As you dine, you are serenaded by a talented, traveling mariachi band playing traditional Mexican songs. This makes for an even more memorable dinner experience.
The desert menu is very limited here, but there is one treat worth ordering. The Bunuello Mexicano is a warm cinnamon tortilla topped with vanilla ice cream accompanied by Kalua, whipped cream and a cherry. It’s wonderful.
Another dining customer sums up El Compadre’s pretty well:
“My friends and I (4 of us) arrived on Friday night at 6pm and were seated immediately without a reservation. The service was prompt. The margaritas were good. The food was very delicious. Being from Texas and used to some good Tex-Mex food, I was pleasantly surprised by this restaurant in WeHo. There was even a "trio" playing music”.
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