One Dish Quickie at El Zarape

My one dish quickie at El Zarape was the Beef Chile Colorado with rice and beans. Although I did have chips and salsa beforehand, I don't count that as an entree, so we'll skip over that and go straight to my main dish. First, let's talk about the sides. While I tend to avoid refried beans, the addition of the cheese definitely gave it more appeal, so thumbs up! The Mexican rice was a little dry and didn't have much flavor, so thumbs down!

As for the Beef Chile Colorado itself, there were definite positives. The red chili sauce was wonderful. It had lots of flavor and just the right amount of heat. The meat was tender and moist. Overall, it would have been a real hit, except for one thing. It was just a tad salty, not so salty that it was inedible, but just enough that kept me from enjoying my eating experience wholeheartedly.

So what's the verdict? Based on just one dish, I wouldn't say that El Zarape is a place I'd go out of my way to visit, but if I were in the neighborhood, I might be willing to give it another try and this time, I'd ask for a lighter touch with the salt.

To see all the pics, go to:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/la_addict/sets/72157604628446993/

El Zarape Grill
1601 S. Mountain Avenue
Monrovia, CA 91016
626-599-8680
www.elzarapemonrovia.com