After a beautiful drive to Cherokee NC and back and making our donation to the Cherokees (smaller than usual) at their Harrah’s Casino, we headed for our favorite Mexican restaurant in the area – Los Rancheros. I can’t remember if we've tried others, but this one has a nice atmosphere with good music, good food, and it’s just down the street from our condo and at 3pm on a winter Monday, we were the only ones there.
We started with the usual chips and salsa and a little margarita.
Bev had a build your own combo meal where you select four items from a list of 15 and she chose a burrito, chile relleno, enchilada, and refried beans – I took a photo but it was a bad one. I generally always get the normal Tex-Mex fare like Bev ordered, but since I’d been wanting to try making carnitas at home, I got them to give me an idea of what I should end up with.
Both meals were good and I enjoyed the carnitas, but I thought they needed a sauce of some sort. I shredded them a little, added to a tortilla and topped with guacamole, jalapeno, tomato, and lettuce which made them very good . I feel sure we’ll go back again next year.
NOTE: For those of you who use Blogspot but require a password to comment, I will still be reading your blog, and hope you'll continue to visit mine, but I may be commenting less as I can't read the new format most of the time, even after a several trys. For what it's worth I've been using the built-in spam guard, without the password, for over a year and no one has gotten thru yet. Click on one of these links to find out how to use it LINK1 or LINK2.
All photos can be enlarged by clicking on them.
All photos can be enlarged by clicking on them.
Have a great day and thanks for stopping by Almost Heaven South.
One year ago: Fried Taters & Onions And Stuff
Two years ago: The Diner Is Good Eats
Larry
2/13/12 meal date
2/13/12 meal date
I like what you did with the carnitas using the tortilla and toppings. I'm not sure I've ever ordered them to know what they're supposed to be like. I have ordered carnitas tacos and had a f-i-t over how good they were. And don't get me started over this new comment code thing. I think they're extremely hard to read. Annoying.
ReplyDeleteOoooh... everything looks fantastic! Wish I was closer to NC!!!
ReplyDeleteWe love Mexican food! We ate at our favorite place yesterday after church. I can't make Mexican and I don't want to try to because that is one luxury I really enjoy eating out! lol
ReplyDeleteI'm with you on the word verification! A lot of other blogs are saying the same. If we can't read it we can't comment. Those who want can use the comment moderation instead of. Some use both and that is just crazy! Sorry but it is! lol
We haven't tried this restaurant -- I'll have to keep it in mind the next time we're in Gatlinburg.
ReplyDeleteThank you for your note about word verification. I, too, find it almost impossible to decipher.
I love carnitas, but like you I have to add stuff to them. Just makes them that much better!
ReplyDeleteI am having trouble with the word verification too; can't read it and it takes too much time.
Thanks, Larry, for encouraging people to get rid of the Word Verification... I am working on that problem also with my people.
ReplyDeleteI love Mexican food --most all of it. My favorite is the Fajitas for two... You can get several kinds of meat and grilled veggies and they are wonderful.
My favorite Mexican Restaurant in the 'Burg is Jose's... They have the best salsa I have ever eaten--full of all kinds of yummy goodies.
It's sunny here today but cold and there's still a ton of snow around.
Betsy
Carnitas's are wonderful with lots of "stuff" added...avocado, jalapenos...etc.
ReplyDeleteI am in the same boat as you, I have tried to leave a comment a couple of times and I cannot make out the wiggly code. It is a frustration...I even tried with glasses! :-)
I am with you on the crazy looking words to enter after the comments. Nine times out of ten I cannot read them and give up. I don't even have a filter, and I have no problems with robot comments. Thanks for bringing up that issue.
ReplyDeleteUgh. I SOOOO hate the new format for word verification. Captcha codes are pure evil. Half the time I give up as well.
ReplyDeleteYour carnitas look great (although, I'm with you on the required sauce most of the time) and that plate of fried fish totally cracked me up. I'm glad you were able to fit in the appetizers too!
The to word verification is THE WORST! Two and three tries per blog is ridiculous.
ReplyDeleteI look forward to hearing about your carnitas when you make them.