For most Americans, the chalupa is about as Mexican as they want their food to get. But if you’re looking for the authentic stuff, sometimes you have to search out the unfamiliar joints that you may be a little timid about visiting.
We recently ventured into such a place, La Escollera on the Eastside. Though small, the red- and salmon-colored building is hard to miss; there’s a huge sign in front, on Washington Street. Indoors, you’re greeted by bright orange walls and table tops that give it that true south-of-the-border feel.
There are four full-size booths and a a handful of half-booths, along with stools at the front counter. Take a booth seat — that way you can watch the telenovellas playing on the TVs in the corners. You don’t have to speak Spanish to enjoy these. On the one we watched, a guy in a classic burglar outfit (complete with eye mask) broke into a house and stabbed someone, and a woman had her wig thrown in the toilet by another woman.
La Escollera specializes in mariscos (seafood), and the standard tacos, tortas and burritos. The waitress walked by our booth with some kind of lobster soup or stew for a customer that had a lobster antenna sticking out of the bowl. We skipped that option, and threw down a good-sized torta asada, with steak, lettuce, tomato, sour cream and cheese. Our side of rice had little veggie chunks in it, while the refritos looked bland but were more flavorful then the usual fare.
You can wash it all down with a normal bev, but we recommend a Jarritos soda, which come in unusual flavors (we slurped down pineapple). La Escollera also has the sugary Coke in the tall glass bottles and assorted beers.
There are plenty of hot sauces on the tables, but they’ll bring the special ones from the kitchen if you ask.
You say you like it hot? Eat here
MetromixOctober 14, 2009
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Asada tacos $1.75 from La Escollera, 5800 block of East Washington Street.
(Credit: Michelle Pemberton / Metromix)
