Olhão, Portugal: No Bull, El Torito Is Not Bad, But Overpriced ... Ay Caramba!

El Torito

Avenida 5 de Outubro 156

8700-304 Olhão, Portugal

Phone: 289 704 343

GrupoSabores.pt/ElTorito

€€€€   Mexican restaurant

Not bad. I was expecting much worse because I have seen few Mexican restaurants outside the American Southwest with authentic Mexican food. This barely approximates 'authentic', but I will not judge them by rigorous US standards.

The chips and salsa €2.95 appeared without being told we would be charged for them, but they also appeared house-made and were pretty darn good. I was expecting Doritos and the over-sweet El Paso salsa you can buy in stores here, so it was a decent start.

As abundant as avocados are in the Algarve, I wanted to try their Guacamole €3.50 and it was passable with diced onions and tomatoes, but no cilantro that I could taste and not enough garlic or salt. We also ordered the Rolled Tacos €4.50, deep fried flour tortillas filled with beef and topped with a creamy sweet sauce that I could have done without ... MEH!

My wife loved her Cheese Quesadilla €6.95 because it was stuffed with melted cheese, but how can you screw up a cheese quesadilla, right? I had the Tacos Chipotle €14, quite pricey for three small tacos filled with what seemed like stewed beef, not steak as I was told, cheese, which I could not find, and chipotle sauce, accompanied by a heap of pico de gallo and a smattering of Spanish rice and a tablespoonful of refried beans.

The Margaritas €5 tasted quite good, but I could not taste any tequila or other spirits and the buzz was MIA. For another €2, I could have gotten a pitcher, so, do that, it is a much better deal for their virgin margaritas.

CombatCritic Generously Gives El Torito 5 Bombs Out Of 10 ... More Bombs Are Better!

Five Bombs Equates To:

Translation for Civilians: "Continue Mission"

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Title: Olhão, Portugal: No Bull, El Torito Is Not Bad, But Overpriced ... Ay Caramba!

Key Words: Olhão, Portugal, bull, El Torito, overpriced, taco, tacos, guacamole, burrito, CombatCritic, TravelValue, travel, value, restaurant, menu, business, review, Yelp, Zomato, TripAdvisor, Google, Facebook

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Lawrence, KS: UPDATE - El Mezcal Open Again ... Same Location, Similar Menu, Upscale Decor, But No Margarita Specials

El Mezcal

1819 W. 23rd Street
Lawrence, KS 66046
Phone number: (785) 832-8775
Website: elmezcal.com
Prices: $$$$

Old information and reviews do not apply to "new and improved(?)" El Mezcal. There is a new menu and no great margarita specials like they had before they closed ... "We're still deciding" I was told ... Well, I am still deciding whether or not I want to come back! We used to eat at El Mezcal 3-4 times a month, now we eat there 1-2 times max.

Deep fried tacos (3 - $9.99) with shredded beef new on the menu, are a welcome addition, although they are much smaller and skimpier on meat than Mi Ranchito down the street. Unlike Mi Ranchito's deep fried tacos, El Mezcal's fall apart by the time you get to taco #2 and #3 and I do not like having to eat my tacos with a knife and fork. Otherwise, the food is pretty much the same and the decor more upscale after the infamous Italian/Mexican fiasco and expensive building renovation.

Cheese Quesadillas ala Carte

Taco "Plater" (Platter)

Cheese and Onion Enchiladas ala Carte

KU students cannot afford $7+ margaritas, so they should add some margarita specials soon or we and many others will be eating at Mi Ranchito where the food is better. If El Mezcal is trying to make up losses for the expensive renovation, they are going about it the wrong way. I have heard from many friends that the lack of reasonably priced margaritas (like before) is one thing keeping them away and I am sure that is the case with KU students. Cheap, strong margaritas was one of the few things that made the "old" El Mezcal stand out from the other mediocre Mexican restaurants in Lawrence, so they are losing customers and revenue by trying to recuperate losses by charging more for drinks. They could also offer daily specials like $1 tacos (e.g. El Potro) on Monday night ... their place is packed, El Mezcal is not.

CombatCritic Gives The "New And Improved" El Mezcal 4 Bombs Out Of 10 With A 2 Bomb Deduction For Overpriced Margaritas ... More Bombs Are Better!

Four Bombs Equates To:

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Title: Lawrence, KS: UPDATE - El Mezcal Open Again ... Same Location, Similar Menu, Upscale Decor, But No Margarita Specials

Translation for Civilians: BOHICA = "Bend Over, Here It Comes Again"

Key Words: 66044, burrito, CombatCritic, eat, El Mezcal, el, enchilada, food, guacamole, Kansas, Lawrence, margarita, Mexican, mezcal, restaurant, taco, travel, TravelValue, value

My Favorite Recipes: Yum ... Healthy And Tasty Low-Fat, Low-Calorie (Vegan) Baked Tortilla Chips

Do you love chips and salsa, but hate the fat and calories that come from frying? Well, my low-fat, low-calorie baked tortilla chips are tasty, crispy, and perfect for homemade guacamole, salsa and pico de gallo dipping.

Ingredients:

24 Corn Tortillas (white or yellow corn - I prefer white)
1 Can Pam (olive oil or other monounsaturated fat spray)
1 Tbsp Sea Salt

Instructions:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit
• Cut tortillas in half, quarters, or eighths (your preference)
• Spread cut tortillas evenly on large flat baking tray or pizza sheet, making sure not to overlap tortillas
• Spray tortillas lightly with Pam or other healthy cooking spray
• Sprinkle sea salt over tortillas
• Place in oven for 25-30 minutes, turning the tray/sheet 180 degrees halfway through to ensure even browning
• Keep an eye on the chips, ensuring they are completely browned, but not burnt (chips not totally browned will be soft and chewy, not crispy)
• Remove from oven, cool for 5 minutes, and enjoy by dipping in my world famous Gnarly Guacamole recipe!

"Phonetic spelling of the acronym HUA, which stands for 'Heard Understood Acknowledged.' Originally used by the British in the late 1800's in Afghanistan. More recently adopted by the United States Army to indicate an affirmative or a pleased response." - Urban Dictionary

"The Department of Military Science and Leadership, University of Tennessee claim HOOAH 'refers to or means anything except no' ... Regardless of its meaning ... the term is an expression of high morale, confidence, motivation and spirit." - WarChronicle.com

"The U.S. Air Force stole 'HOOAH' from the Army because we were part of the Army until 1947 and rather than waste a bunch of time coming up with something new and unique, we said 'fuck it, let's go with HOOAH' ... thanks Army ... HOOAH! - CombatCritic

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Title: My Favorite Recipes: Yum ... Healthy And Tasty Low-Fat, Low-Calorie (Vegan) Baked Tortilla Chips

Key Words: CombatCritic, TravelValue, travel, value, restaurant, menu, favorite, recipe, tortilla chips, tortilla, chip, salsa, guacamole, baked, low-fat, calorie, healthy, health, low, cholesterol

CombatCritic's Favorite Recipes: "Gnarly" Guacamole

4 Ripe (dark and soft, but not too soft, to the touch) Medium  or Large Hass Avocados

1 Teaspoon Diced Garlic (or 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder)

1 Tablespoon Fresh Lime Juice

1 Teaspoon Sea Salt (to taste)

1/2 Teaspoon Ground Black Pepper
1/4 Cup Minced White Onion

1/8 Cup Fresh Chopped Cilantro (or 1 tablespoon dried cilantro)

Remove the avocados from their skin by cutting them in half, removing the seed, and scraping the contents into a large bowl with a tablespoon.  Smash the avocados with a mashed potato masher until all large chunks are well smooshed.  Add the garlic, lime juice, salt, pepper, onion, and cilantro to the bowl and stir well, ensuring all ingredients are thoroughly distributed (the lime will keep the avocado from turning black too quickly from oxidation - lemon juice can be substituted depending on your taste).

Serve with fresh baked chips (cut corn tortillas in half, distribute evenly across a baking sheet, spray with Pam or other cooking spray, coat with salt, and bake at 325 for 25 to 30 minutes - until brown and crispy) and salsa and/or pico de gallo.

HINTS TO QUICKLY RIPEN AVOCADOS: If you cannot find ripe avocados and do not want to wait until ripe, placing them in a brown paper bag at room temperature will hasten ripening in a day or two. If in a huge rush, place unripe avocados in a 200° (F) oven for 10 minutes, moving directly to the refrigerator for 10 minutes. The formerly firm avocados should then be soft and ready to mash for your guac fix.

Buon Appetito!

CombatCritic

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Title: CombatCritic's "Gnarly" Guacamole Recipe

Key Words: avocado, chips, cilantro, CombatCritic, dip, eat, food, garlic salt, guacamole, lime, Mexican, pepper, recipe, restaurant, salsa, travel, value, TravelValue, Yelp

Lawrence, Kansas: I Have To Pay For Chips And Salsa? Really?

Tortas Jalisco

534 Frontier Road

Lawrence, KS 66049

Phone: (785) 865-1515

Website: tortasjalisco.com
Prices: $$$$

We used to eat here quite frequently. Now I remember why we stopped going to Tortas Jalisco.

First, you have to pay $2.79 for chips and salsa. I have never eaten at another Mexican restaurant that makes you pay for chips and salsa.

Second, the $4 house margarita is small, maybe 12 ounces tops, with little if any tequila. A waste of $4. I got a better buzz from the ice water.

Third, the guacamole ($4.99) is very small and loaded with tomatoes and onion (filler). $2.99 maybe, $4.99 forget it.

Fourth, they have raised their prices on many dishes by a buck or cut the amount of food. For example, you now only get 4 tacos for $6.99 (instead of 5) and they eliminated carne asada (steak) as a "meat" option, the only choices now being chorizo, pork (carnitas or adobada), chicken or ground beef, all of which are much less costly than steak.

Finally, the food is mediocre by California or Texas standards, but slightly above average for Lawrence. The place is always empty, likely the result of weak, overpriced margaritas and having to pay for chips and salsa ... this is a college town folks!

CombatCritic Downgrades Tortas Jalisco To 5 Out Of 10 Bombs (Rounded Up To 3 Out Of 5 Stars) ... More Bombs Are Better!

Five Bombs Equates To:

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Title: I Have To Pay For Chips And Salsa? Really?

Key Words: Tortas Jalisco, tortas, jalisco, Mexican, food, Lawrence, KS, 6th, street, taco, guacamole, CombatCritic, TravelValue, travel, value, restaurant, menu review, Yelp, TripAdvisor, Zomato

Translation for Civilians: Charlie-Mike = "Continue Mission"

Lawrence, KS: A Few Flaws Drop Rating After Move To New Locale

El Potro
2351 W 31st St Lawrence, KS 66047‎

Phone: (785) 331-2500

Website
Prices: $$$$

Sunday is our weekly dinner out night and we were again surprised when we pulled into the parking lot to find a sea of cars and a restaurant full of people. Sunday night dinner out in Lawrence is normally so quiet you could be heard whispering three tables away, but not at El Potro. The new restaurant is bigger than the old place, but everything else seems pretty much the same with a few exceptions.

We were quickly seated with the waiter dropping by to take drink orders and the busboy dropping off chips, salsa and free chili con queso. Not only do they give you free cheese dip, it is in a decent size cup. My wife ordered orchata, a sweet rice-based drink from Mexico that tastes like liquid rice pudding with hints of cinnamon. I decided to go with the 22 ounce margarita (frozen with salt) and at $6, not a bad deal. It was fair, but with little alcohol. We also decided to try the guacamole (half order - $3.25), a good predictor of quality Mexican food. Not as good as mine or the best restaurant guac I have had, but plentiful and tasty with just a few chopped tomatoes on top to add color to the appetizer. It was a nice accompaniment to the cheese dip, chips, and salsa.

Veggie Quesadilla - $6.99

For our entrees, my wife ordered the vegetable and cheese quesadilla appetizer which came with more guacamole and pico di gallo (which they forgot). Quesadillas are pretty boring and this was no exception ... a flour tortilla, some melted cheese, and a few veggies ... at $7, it seemed a bit expensive to me.

Deep Fried Tacos - $8.49

I ordered the deep fried shredded beef tacos ($8.49 - ground beef or chicken also available) and a cheese and onion enchilada ala carte. The server brought three tacos in pre-fab shells (I hate pre-fab shells), so I asked them to bring the correct order. When they finally arrived, the tacos were crispy, the beef was well seasoned, and there was plenty of lettuce and cheese in addition to the standard rice and beans. The shells were pliable enough to add some guacamole, pico di gallo (from my wife's order - she hates tomatoes) and salsa, but the tortillas are thinner than I remember and fell apart on first bite. The enchilada came on a separate plate and was pleasing to the eye with a colorful accompaniment of sauce, cheese, lettuce and tomato. The enchilada ($2.50) was a tad small and the sauce spicy, but not overly so and the ratio of cheese to onion to sauce was good.

Cheese and Onion Enchilada Ala Carte - $2.50

They also had a guy with a guitar going from table to table singing Mexican mariachi songs. A nice touch, but he was not great and there were two small signs attached to his guitar reminding us that he works for tips. I understand that, but think it is a bit tacky to pressure customers into paying $1 or more for a single song which was all he stuck around to play. If you are going to provide music, pay the musician and if he gets a few tips, he can think of it as a bonus.

The new El Potro was not quite as good as the old one. The chips and corn tortilla taco shells are thinner than I remember, breaking easily. The margarita was not as tasty as at the old place and there was much less tequila. After drinking a 22 ounce margarita, I barely had a buzz. They got a 7 out of 10 score two years ago, but I have to drop a bomb after a less than stellar return visit.

CombatCritic Gives El Potro 6 out of 10 Bombs ... More Bombs Are Better!

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TripAdvisor - "Top Contributor" 

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Title: A Few Flaws Drop Rating After Move To New Locale

Key Words: El Potro, el, potro, colt, Mexican, Lawrence, Kansas, Iowa, taco, guacamole, enchilada, CombatCritic, TravelValue, travel, value, restaurant, menu, review, Yelp, TripAdvisor

Translation: "G2G" - Good To Go