El Zarape

When I moved to San Diego, I expected to find good Mexican food around every corner. This was not so, and in fact, a great deal of the Mexican restaurants have been pretty disappointing. Their food is often mediocre and overpriced to boot. Bland, tasteless sauce with overcooked and equally flavorless meats and smooshy vegetables. 

We went there on a weeknight, expecting to be disappointed yet again by poorly executed Mexican cuisine, but thinking that it was cheap, so we did not have much to lose. The place itself is small, with a fast-food type of set up. The tables are hard to grab, so if you see an empty one, sit! The customers order at the counter, and then take a number until their food is ready.

We ordered the California burrito and the enchilada platter. Both were excellent, with fresh ingredients and flavorful sauces. The salsa bar features an absolutely delicious cilantro salsa verde, not to be missed. The California burrito features beef, cheese, avocado, salsa, and oddly, French fries. The combination worked, and I would certainly order this again. The enchilada plate was standard chicken enchiladas, but the meat was tender and fresh, and the rice and beans very well seasoned. 

I was told by a local that in the case of Mexican food, one must go to the very high end places or very low end. Going to the middle of the road places results in a bad experience and poor food quality. El Zarape, located in University Heights, is probably the best Mexican food I have had since moving here. I suppose that going by the recommendation, it would rate as "lower end," and truly, the prices are great. Most of the dishes are under $8, making it easy on the wallet as well as a tasty option.