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275 E. Cla\ton Si. • Downlown • 7.06-519-2228
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HEAD FOR THE BORDER
JANUARY 31.2007 • FlAGPOLE.COM 11
Yo Quiero El Ranchito: The life of a food col
umnist is constant quesftng, not only to make
the word count every two weeks, but also to
discover the new, the uncharted, the adventur
ous. I wasn't positive Taqueria El Ranchito (645
Danielsville Rd., 706-559-0018) existed when I
set out for it on a Friday afternoon, clutching a
printed Google Map, and it still took a little bit
of doing to locate the place, which is just to the
right of the convenience store at the Stop and
Go, in a small strip that also contains the store
Wigs and Things. Evidence of the previous ten
ant. a pizza restaurant, remains in profusion, but
the menu board has been switched to contain ta
cos, burritos. tortas and more, and the soda case
is full of Jarritos.
Management is accepting of the gringo palate
in that they will ask you. after you order your
tacos, if you prefer flour or corn tortillas. Corn
is always more authentic, but at a lot of restau
rants, the tortillas can get dried out or are made
too thick, sucking the flavor out of the fillings
and giving one a cottonmouth; El Ranchito's
are just right, a little bit greasy, and delicious,
as is the case with their fillings. The rule here is
usually to go straight for the pork, as it's almost
guaranteed to be tastier and more tender, but
in this case, while the al pastor is wonderful.
I'd advise you to check out the beef barbacoa,
slow cooked and served in beautiful little fatty
chunks. I know, you barbecue purists are saying
to yourselves, “But barbecue isn't supposed to
be fatty.” Sometimes it is! Sometime? it's better
that way, especially when the fat is thoroughly
incorporated with the meat.
A sign in the window says the cuisine is from
Michoacan, i.e.. the province about halfway down
the southern coast of Mexico that produces a
wide variety of foodstuffs, including corn, wheat,
pork, seafood, avocados, melons, beef and rice.
Michoacan is also the home of the ponbazo (also
spelled bambazo). a mysterious item that turned
out to be, basically, a torta soaked in salsa, then
briefly grilled on both sides, making it more fill
ing, more satisfying, more flavorful, and consid
erably messier than the simple sub sandwich you
can get at most Mexican restaurants. At $5, with
your choice of meats for a filling, and requiring
a knife and fork to get through, it’s perhaps the
finest item on the menu. El Ranchito also offers
fried chicken for Si a piece that tastes vaguely
of Chinese restaurant breading and tripe dishes
on the weekends. Its hours are late, especially on
Daily Special
the weekends, and while credit cards are not an
option yet, they may be soon.
Yo Also Quiero Peru: One of the first things you
should know about Las Conchitas Caliente
(1354 Prince Ave., 706-353-2500), in the space
that used to be Cafe Cuba, in Normaltown, is
that it bears no relationship to Cali N Tito's or
any of Bruno Rubio's other, previous projects
other than a common culinary focus. Both draw
strongly on the food of Peru, but Las Conchitas
is a bit closer to that country in its menu offer
ings. There are still Colombian and Venezuelan
dishes on the menu, and some of the choices
(salchipapas, or hot dogs with French fries; lomo
sattado) will be familiar to you already, but there
is much more of a deep, abiding weirdness at Las
Conchitas. and I encourage you to be adventur
ous with your ordering.
The tamales peruanos, filled with chicken or
pork mixed with boiled eggs, olives, peanuts and
peppers incorporated into masa and topped with
the ubiquitous red onions, tomatoes, lime and ci
lantro, could almost make a lunch, consisting of
three of the four food groups, and with a surpris
ingly layered flavor; try to get all the elements
in each bite. The staff will encourage you toward
the “Special Peruvian Sandwiches.” and the com
bination of fried fish, onions, tomatoes, cheese,
jalapenos, mayo, lettuce and healthy slices of
avocado on bread that's been grilled brown on
the inside is lovely. The concha (fried corn ker
nels. which yield up a mouth-coatingly starchy,
strangely addictive interior to the teeth), which
can be ordered as a side, come with fried plan
tain chips.
Please note the small list of specials on your
table, which will be explained to you, but may
yet result in surprise. I opted for the aji de gal-
lino. interpreted as "hen,” which it was, but not
in familiar form. The dish consists of shredded
hen bathed in a yellow sauce based on bread,
evaporated milk and parmesan poured over po
tato rounds, accompanied by a mound of really
good rice and topped with half a hard-boiled
egg, some chopped pecans and one large, black
olive. Odd? Yes, but.that’s a pleasant thing, and,
in fact, the dish was deliciously weird and com
forting in its vague egginess. So, be bold, the
rewafds are worth it. Las Conchitas Caliente is
open for lunch and dinner and takes credit cards.
Hillary Brown
by Donna L. Barstow
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