I've been to the Don Churro Cafe twice now. The first time for lunch as a "Lunch with Like Minded People" UYE outing, and today for dinner. The first time was while I was on vacation for a week - it was a really hot day out - which always seems to sap my appetite - so I ordered some light things that I might not usually order - as a result I had something for lunch that was not really my cup of tea.
Jimena M. organized the lunch, and we were joined by James L. (who was first to arrive), and Natasha O. We were supposed to be joined by that rambunctious Irishman - Paul M. - but he stood us up with no warning. :-)
I ordered a Caesar salad and their version of a chicken soup - Caldo de Pollo - chicken broth with potatoes and vegetables. It tasted like a generic canned chicken soup broth - complete with what looked like a boiled chicken leg. Not very good.
However, my dinner outing was outstanding. Lemme tell ya about it!
After looking over the menu - and referencing the Yelp reviews for the place, Lizette A.'s review stood out - I took her recommendation and I ordered the Tacu-Tacu. It's a beef entree - a Peruvian mixture of rice and red beans served with a grilled steak on top and salsa criolla. I also added an order of their fries since so many people raved about how good they are. And a glass of water. I ordered the steak medium. I'm not sure of the exact cut of steak - but it was like a flank or hangar steak.
When the food came out - my server asked if I wanted any hot sauce. Hell yes! She brought me a souffle cup with a small quantity of a pale orange substance - some sauce they whip up. Color was gorgeous. She then asked if I wanted their hottest hot sauce. Again - hell yes! She then brought me a souffle cup of something that was a rich, brilliant orange - that just screamed in color - BEWARE!
I cut a piece of steak and tasted - very flavorful. The red beans and rice were very mild, yet tasty, and the fries - well were just french fries - but they were cooked perfectly - crisp and hot.
I then tried the hot sauces (see the attached pix). First the mild sauce - nice flavor and not overwhelming. I then smelled the second, hotter sauce. Habanero-based sauces give off a certain odor and this one was warning that it was damn hot. I dipped my steak into it and tasted away. Wow! I was perspiring. One of the hotter hot sauces I've had in a while. A home run! I am impressed by the hotness of this hot sauce - Jeff W. you need to try!
After I finished dinner, I decided to try their Churros. I've never had a Churro and until recently when a work colleague asked me if they served Churros - I had no knowledge of their existence. So after asking about them and having my server describe them to me - I placed an order for - two Churros - one filled with chocolate, one filled with caramel - ala mode - with a side of vanilla ice cream. The Churros are served with a small amount of whipped cream in either corner of the dessert plate. As I had my first taste - I was struck at how rich and yummy this was - as my eyes rolled back in my head. My server asked how I liked them. My best description is that they reminded me of hot, gooey, fresh-out-of-the-oven chocolate chip cookies - oozing with melted chocolate. And demanding an ice cold glass of milk! She laughed and asked if I wanted a glass of milk - which of course I did!
I was surprised at how much my bill was:
Tacu Tacu: $14.95
Papas Fritas: $3.75
Churros Rellenos mix: $4.50
Vanilla ice cream: $4.50
Milk: $2.00
Total: $31.19
Service was excellent - I tipped her $6.20. All in all, I would definitely eat here again! read more