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Get Breaking News on your cellFirst bite: La Aldea in Oak Cliff
4:40 PM Wed, Aug 15, 2007 | Permalink |
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I’ll grant you that this is gazpacho weather, but at lunch last week at the new La Aldea, the caldo tlalpeño called to me. The broth of this traditional Mexican soup tasted clearly of good chicken broth, and it was infused with the unmistakable zing of chipotle. Large pieces of grilled chicken, a few stray chickpeas and plump slices of avocado wafted through the broth. This is absolutely what I’d want to eat if I came down with a summer cold. But, then, most everything a colleague and I tried last week at La Aldea (1001 W. Jefferson, on the corner of Polk St. in Oak Cliff; 214-946-8308) tasted made with care. Beef enchiladas topped with crema and white cheese were laudably simple and surprisingly light, but an order of tacos al pastor surpassed them: A bit of pineapple sharpened the flavors of the spicy, saucy shreds of pork. Alas, the corn tortillas were not homemade. Fortunately, I had already lapsed into a food coma after consuming copious quantities of queso flameado don lupe – melted cheese with sauteed mushrooms and chunks of the kielbasa-like Mexican sausage called longaniza. The room looked spare, but appealingly so. And our server was sweet. “That’s an awful lot of food you ordered,” she said worriedly as she surveyed our table. She looked even more concerned when she saw that we actually polished off most of the grub. Prices are lows: $6.50 to $8 for lunch specials, and not more than $13.50 for dinner entrees (with most options around $8 to $10). Bring your own booze: No alcohol license as yet. I’m headed for Veracruz Cafe in Bishop Arts next. Any other Mexican spots in Oak Cliff I should know about? |
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Comments
Posted by Joe Horner @ 5:51 PM Wed, Aug 15, 2007
I agree with your comments about La Aldea, it is a gem. You should also try Gonzales Cafe on Jefferson in Oak Cliff for their breakfast dishes. They have the best homemade flour tortillas and wonderful breakfast burritos. True texmex breakfasts here including some of the best menudo. Prepare to wait on the weekends.
Posted by Bill Addison @ 6:07 PM Wed, Aug 15, 2007
Great, thanks for the suggestion, Joe. Here's my next question: Who in the area serves standout homemade CORN tortillas? I crave those.
Posted by Joe Horner @ 7:21 PM Wed, Aug 15, 2007
If you want the best corn tortillas you should definitely visit La Mexicana Tortilla factory on Clarendon a few blocks West of Hampton in Oak Cliff.
There is usually a line out the door to buy fresh corn tortillas. They sell them by the kilogram. Depending on the day of the week, they have a small kitchen making delicious treats to go with the corn tortillas. The food is to go only.
Posted by Max Edison @ 12:52 PM Thu, Aug 16, 2007
La Aldea is a wonderful place. It has some of the best enchiladas I've ever put into my mouth, and I've put tons of them there over the years. It is definitely on the dinner rotation of this Left Banker.
Posted by Virginia Zurita @ 9:04 PM Fri, Aug 24, 2007
Thanks for the suggestion! I love the enchiladas de mole from Veracruz Cafe. Next stop will be La Aldea.
I agree with Joe - La Mexicana Tortilla factory has the best CORN tortillas.