Animal Tijuana, is a Mexican and Japanese fine dining restaurant at the Shops at Landmark. It is…read morelocated on the upper floor in a mesmerizing dining room with eye catching and stunning, vintage chandeliers. There is soft music in the background and captivating decor, all around. The moment you walk in, there are multiple servers greeting you and escorting you to your table. You know right away that it's going to be a memorable evening. I actually did not know that there was Japanese fare here too, and I tried to concentrate on the local Mexico dishes. I am not a big eater so in order to taste a variety I tried to choose appetizers and small bites. The evening began with complimentary salsas, three of them, with chips. What is unique is that their chips are long rectangular strips of different composition. The salsas were fresh. I liked the green one the best and once I had finished these, they brought another batch of chips, but these had a mild but satisfying cheese taste. Both of the chip varieties were spectacular.
My first choice for food, was the almond crusted green beans that are drizzled with sweet and sour sauce. This clearly had a Japanese tint to it. It is a large potion I only finished half of it. My only comment on this dish is that I couldn't taste the almonds. It looked more like it was a tempura type fry. The sweet and sour sauce dominated the dish. My second selection, was the popular (according to my server), the Taco Richi (ribbeye, cheese crust, pork
cracklings, and avocado). Comes as one piece. This was superb. Finally, more Tacos, the Beef Steak Gaonera (Hand-made tortillas, guacamole and pico de gallo). Comes as two pieces. This too was equally good. I also succumbed and ordered a side order of french fries too. At the end, they surprised me with a complimentary dessert. A small potion of their cheesecake, which had four caramelized macadamia nuts on top. It was different. Overall, it was a dining experience that was unmatched and one that can give LA restaurants, serious competition. I had at least five different servers taking care of me right through the night. Needless to say, the service was outstanding.