So, I've been going to the Argentinian Deli, located in the same run-down, unattractive strip center off 20th Street and Federal Highway (head shops, do your own laundry, shoe repair, etc) and never tried SENOR BURRITO,which is located at the north end of the center. I thought I would one day give it a try, as it always had a bunch of cars in the lot parked in front of their entrance, so it surely had it's following.
My friend Marsha, who had a bad case of bronchitis and was in bed in her multi-million $ East Boca condo, texted me that this guy who she met on-line brought her CHICKEN SOUP from Señor Burrito, and that it was the BEST CHICKEN SOUP she EVER had. Marsha kept texting me, day after day, asking me if I tried their chicken soup yet. ["not yet, but I will" was not a sufficient answer.] She kept HOCKING me to go try their chicken soup. So frankly, to stop her texting me, Dennis and I went there on a specific mission - to try their CHICKEN SOUP. Now, the ambience of the place is sort of quasi run down, but neat and clean, booths real clean and cushions on the seats which if you are not careful you slide off (an important tip), and the bar (wine and beers only) has about 10 bar stools, and it was PACKED at 1 PM.
Warmly greeted by a hostess/owner, I figured I found a real good place. And then I looked around at the bar, and there were 5 dudes, all really built ["ah, this is my kinda place"] ALL having these HUGE BOWLS of CHICKEN SOUP. So I thought, "if these built guys are ALL having CHICKEN SOUP, it really MUST be AWESOME...and I decided that next time I went there during the day, I would sit at the bar, and maybe a built guy would sit next to me, and slurp CHICKEN SOUP and I could make small talk with him, say like "Hey, bro, this is some damn good CHICKEN SOUP, huh? What's going on, bro?] [Hey, we can all have our fantasies, right?]
So, I ordered CHICKEN SOUP, and Den ordered A Chicken Burrito [he liked it], and this HUGE BOWL OF CHICKEN SOUP ( $6.25!!) is brought to the table, steaming hot. Loaded with carrots, potatoes, finely diced onions, guacamole, cilantro, and LOTS OF WHITE MEAT CHICKEN. But there was ONE CRITICAL ELEMENT MISSING - it was TASTELESS. Was I supposed to add HOT sauce? Why? So, I ate half of it, brought the rest home, figuring I would have it the next day, and maybe it would be better. It was still tasteless.
I returned a week later at 8PM, and the place was again PACKED. Every booth taken, all seats at the bar taken [NO BUILT GUYS, though], and people waiting outside for a table. So, I figure "It's you, Max, you are missing their ESSENCE, you are being TOO CRITICAL, and then I wondered "maybe my taste buds are shot, doesn't that happen to you when you get old?"
This time I ordered CHICKEN MOLE VERDE, and the chicken was shredded, with a lot of mole sauce on top. Sorry, but it was TASTELESS.
Den ordered CHICKEN FAJITAS, and they were SIZZLING HOT, and tasty. I liked them a lot, but it wasn't my meal, but he being so kind, allowed me to switch plates.
Wait staff are attentive and responsive. Bathroom was immaculate. BEERS were real cold. Food was HOT. But, it was NOT the best Mexican food I ever tasted, as some reviewers claim, and now I know what to expect, so if I return, it will not be for the TASTE of the food, but to feed my fantasies, and to get a decent, inexpensive meal close to home. With little to no taste.
P.S. I told Marsha it was not the best CHICKEN SOUP I tasted, and she must have been delirious from her bronchitis meds, or had been away from Manhattan too long. Or both. She finally had nothing more to say.
Thanks for your patience reading this, but I had a story to tell, or at least I thought I did, and give them a fair review. read more