El Dorado’s 130 Armagh Street Phone 797-461 B.Y.O.

Press, 14 December 1983, Page 44

El Dorado’s 130 Armagh Street Phone 797-461 B.Y.O.

HANS PETROVIC)

Mexican food, consisting basically of corn bread, rice, beans, minced meat and hot chillis, is often considered a poor man’s food. If well prepared and presented, however, it can make a welcome change for a lunchtime snack or evening outing. It was for this reason that we ventured into El Dorado’s Mexican Cantina one lunch hour last week for a quick, light meal that should have cost as little as we were initially prepared

to spend, although we ended up ordering as much as we would normally have for an evening meal. In fact, my friend had less than an hour to spend for lunch, and I had decided to go ahead, order the food for both of us, hoping that the starters would already be on our table when she arrived. Most ethnic menus — be they Chinese or Lebanese — are all Greek to me unless they explain each dish in detail. I was pleased to see that the paper table-mat menu included a glossary telling us what tortillas, seviche, tacos, tostadas and enchiladas are. Nevertheless, I took the easy way out and chose No. 11 among the main meals, which was described as El Dorado’s Feast, consisting of two tacos, one tostada, two enchiladas (one beef, one chicken), a small serving of chilli con carne, a bowl of corn chips and side sdlcid At $l5 for that lot, I figured correctly, that it would be enough for two, and asked the obliging waitress whether she would mind laying out all these dishes on the table between us. Not to be forgotten is the gaucamole entree (seasoned avocado and corn chips for dinnir.nl which T nrdorpd for

entree. This was already on the table when my friend arrived, proved to be excellent (if you like avocado) and, at $4.00 each, sent our bill from reasonable to expensive. The main course was served with a lovely mixed salad including lettuce, tomato; carrots, beans, green capsicum and cheese, and we decided to begin with the heated enchiladas, which consisted of soft tortillas rolled around minced beef and chicken, and covered with a delightful Mexican tomato and cheese sauce. Our two tacos were folded tortillas, deep fried and then filled with ground beef and a variety of vegetable and cheese. The tostadas were much the same — flat tortillas, crispy fried and topped with a selection of fillings. The chilli con carne (minced beef, chilli and beans) proved a pleasant surprise for this was considerably hotter than it is when normally served in other New Zealand restaurants. Running well over time, we finished off with two cups of black coffee, served with vanilla cream (60 cents). Formerly known as Vibes (who have moved to Oxford Terrace), El Dorado’s has changed considerably in the last few weeks. Under the new management of Mike and Cathy Lanagan, the restaurant has lost its overcasual atmosphere and the menu has been extended. White pine tables and chairs have replaced the rough old benches, the walls

have been repainted and covered with Mexican hangings, and the friendly waitress immediately placed a large carafe of iced water on the table. (With some of the hot sauces that come with the meal, this proved welcome.) It must be pointed out also that although the atmosphere and most of the food is Mexican, other dishes are available, including large steaks, with side salad and chips, for $lO. As already mentioned, our meal proved expensive for lunch ($24.20 for two), but would have made a pleasant, very reasonablypriced evening meal.