I've recently had people raving to me about Rice and Beans, about how cheap and good their California-Mexican food was. Centrally located in the 2nd, there's four or five seats at the counter, and a second adjoining room with two communal tables. I guess the counter seating comes from its previous life as Rice and Fish, a sushi restaurant. I was actually impressed to see not only Cholula, but also Tapatio hot sauce bottle on the table, as well as thick, paste-like homemade salsa with lots of chilis. And the menu was really promising too. I went for four tacos - one braised short rib, one fish taco (special of the day), one carnitas with salsa verde and one chorizo (also special).
And they looked so yum - artfully arranged on a plate, on mini, freshly-made tortillas. The first sign of trouble should've been the fact that these mini-tortillas were overloaded with filling. The chorizo taco was honestly delicious. It wasn't oozing the usual orange grease, but the taste was spot-on. And I guess that's what set the bar and it went downhill from there. The short rib, although fall-apart tender, were too sweet (cinnamon?). The carnitas were kinda soggy instead of the crispy edges you'd want from them. And don't even get me started on the fish taco. Bland, bland bland - so much so that even a more-than-healthy dousing of hot sauce didn't help. I took a bite and put it down. Maybe the burritos are good, I don't know. But their beans seemed to be refried pinto beans, while I prefer black beans.
Again, might be just me talking but in general, aside from the chorizo, the hot sauces and the mini tortillas, this place is just MEH.
And they looked so yum - artfully arranged on a plate, on mini, freshly-made tortillas. The first sign of trouble should've been the fact that these mini-tortillas were overloaded with filling. The chorizo taco was honestly delicious. It wasn't oozing the usual orange grease, but the taste was spot-on. And I guess that's what set the bar and it went downhill from there. The short rib, although fall-apart tender, were too sweet (cinnamon?). The carnitas were kinda soggy instead of the crispy edges you'd want from them. And don't even get me started on the fish taco. Bland, bland bland - so much so that even a more-than-healthy dousing of hot sauce didn't help. I took a bite and put it down. Maybe the burritos are good, I don't know. But their beans seemed to be refried pinto beans, while I prefer black beans.
Again, might be just me talking but in general, aside from the chorizo, the hot sauces and the mini tortillas, this place is just MEH.
Umm, it's double-yuck. You are correct!!
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