Northern Virginia Restaurant Blog: tamale

Saturday, July 23, 2016

Puente De Oro - Salvadorian and Mexican food, Fairfax, VA

10312 Willard Way

Fairfax, VA 22030
Tel: (703) 691-3232

Puente De Oro recently moved down the street from a different Fairfax location, presenting itself as more of a family restaurant, rather than the sports bar it used to be. We've never been to the previous location of Puente De Oro, but were encouraged to visit this new location by the Yelp reviews... ok, there were only seven of them, but they were all five-stars, and it's been a while since we ventured out for Central American cuisine, so we headed out here.

As everything is relative, some of the Yelp reviews pointed to the fact that the previous restaurant in this same location was pretty bad. We've never visited the previous restaurant in this location, but can definitely see how there are at least a few aspects of the New Puente De Oro that are quite appealing.

The Pros: There is ample parking in this Safeway/CVS plaza. The restaurant is large... with two equal-size rooms separated by a clear glass wall. Television sets line the walls to keep diners updated on everything from news to sports. All-wood dining booths and long bar tables are all roomy and comfortable. Happy hour specials abound and the prices are very reasonable. Portions are large, more than enough to share or for doggie bags.

The biggest Pro is the greeting and wait Staff, which is clearly the best asset of Puente De Oro - they are all friendly with bright shining smiles, making you feel like the most wanted guest in the restaurant.

All those things are great and almost sufficient reason to dine here, if you're in the area.

The Cons: Food is "not bad," but to those of us who prefer more bolder stronger flavors, this is definitely not the place to go. Salsa that accompanies chips is EXTREMELY BLAND... Without a sizeable dose of hot sauce that is on the table, it is a warm, tasteless tomatoey mush.

Admittedly, good ceviche is difficult to find, so we had to try it here, especially since one of the Yelp reviewers recommended it. In conclusion, we'd have to say, keep moving.... nothing to see here on the ceviche front. We asked for the ceviche to be served without shrimp, and told by our waitress that this was no problem, sure enough the ceviche came out with shrimp, but it was hidden on the bottom....

Chicken tacos were the blandest thing that probably ever existed in the universe of Latin American food.....

We came here with a group of friends, so while we have photographs of various dishes, we did not taste all of them. Most of the feedback on the food was that it was good or ok, not sure if it was out of politeness or because the meat seasoning on the Mixed Grill entrees was better than on anything that we ordered....

The worst thing on our table was the Fried Yucca dessert with molasses syrup. You'd think that anything fried and served with syrup could never disappoint... yes it could! There was not a single person in our group who liked it and we ended up leaving most of it on the table....

Since Puente De Oro has no website and no menu online, we can't even tell you the names of all the dishes, but at least we can show you what the look like.

Also, Yelp lists this restaurant as serving Salvadoran and Spanish food, but their menu clearly says they serve Salvadorian and Mexican food....

It is a shame that the restaurant does not take its online absence or its consistency in marketing seriously.

Our server Ileana was very sweet, efficient and helpful in recommending various dishes. She was really the highlight of the visit here.

Even though our experience was - not bad - it is unlikely that we'd ever return.

Ample seating in bar area

Ample seating in dining area

Ceviche ($10.95) with a Happy Hour Dos Equis Beer ($1.50)

Chips and Salsa

Front Cover of Menu

Wide selection of food either a la carte or as larger entrees

Mixed Grill

Salvadorian Fish Dish recommended by the server

Charcoal Mixed Grill

Stew

Corn Tamale with Crema ($2.50)

Chicken Tacos ($8.95)

Fried Yucca Dessert

Monday, February 8, 2016

ABC Canteen - Fish & Chips, Tacos, Wings in Fairfax, VA - CLOSED

VERY SAD TO REPORT THAT THIS RESTAURANT CLOSED.

9528 Lee Highway
Fairfax, VA 22031
Tel: (703) 865-0377

When someone with 20 years of experience in the restaurant business opens a restaurant with someone whose delicious family recipes were passed down from her Mexican grandmother, only wonderful things can happen. This is the story of the Northern Virginia newcomer ABC Canteen in Fairfax.

The menu is surprisingly eclectic. It's comfort food with a Mexican flare. You can order Fish and Chips with a couple Tamales on the side or some Tacos with Cod Croquettes or for some ultimate comfort food, treat yourself to Chicken Wings and Mac and Cheese.

Why this unique selection? Wesley Chen immigrated to the U.S. at the age of 8 and fell in love with Mexican food almost immediately. He has worked his way up in several well-known restaurant chains, both casual fast-food and upscale. Along the way, he met Violeta Vergara, who not only shared his passion for Mexican food, but also wanted to share with the world her grandmother's recipes from Oaxaca. It was the perfect partnership that spun off on its own. Adding to their team one more colleague, whom they've known for over 15 years, ABC Canteen was born in early 2015.

Building off their love of comfort food, Chen and Vergara composed a menu that reflects their gastronomic passions. This is why everything they serve is... wait for it... made from scratch! Even the tartar sauce and... get this... the Chili powder! Only the desserts at ABC Canteen are commercially made, and personally selected by Chen to be placed on the menu.

You really have to love your food to invest so much effort in preparing it just right for your customers. And it shows. On a Saturday afternoon, just after the Blizzard of 2016, the parking lot in front of the restaurant was not fully plowed, but ABC Canteen had a steady stream of customers. Chen personally welcomed many of them by name, particularly those who over the last 10 months since the restaurant opened have become "regulars," whether eating in or taking out.

The fresh, flavorful food is easily a draw on its own. Every item on the menu seems to be popular. But the added bonus is Chen's engaging, though non-imposing, spirit that fills the restaurant with a welcoming cheerfulness making you feel right at home.

The cod prepared at ABC Canteen reminded us of our time in Reykjavik, Iceland some years back, where we had a chance to taste some of the world-acclaimed cod recipes of Icelandic chefs. Chen's Fish and Chips are not at all inferior to those. The main difference was that in Iceland the cod was plucked fresh from the icy waters only a few feet away. ABC Canteen's flaky cod in a crispy light batter was equally delicious. It went great with a side of their home-made tartar sauce and a full plate of crispy fries. We ordered an additional side of the golden brown hush puppies, which were nicely seasoned, just a tad sweet and overall flavorful.

Tamales and Tacos were terrific on their own, though a short trip to the Taco Bar provided options like diced radishes, onions, pico de gallo and jalapenos, and a variety of sauces.

The chicken wings come either in honey barbeque or buffalo sauce. We opted for the honey barbeque with a side of chunky blue cheese dressing.

This was the first time we ever had a Horchata, which is a cold sweet rice milk- based drink, made from scratch, of course, with a hint of cinnamon.

The Pan Tres Leches (Tres Leches Cake) was a great ending to our meal with its light fluffy texture and sweet condensed milk.

Residing in a building that was once an Arthur Treacher’s Fish and Chips, the restaurant's decor is simple, definitely not shabby and not overdone. It complements, does not distract. The dining area is open, clean and bright with floor-to-ceiling windows, overall unpretentious and appealing.

We will definitely be back, and will bring friends. Especially on Taco Tuesdays!