Erizo Mariscos on Ave Sonora 3880 in Zona Gastronomica
Had an appointment at 5 PM on Friday. Got there on California time but found Tijuana does not follow DLST, still 1 hour ahead, and the office was closed. Damn. All my times reported here in the Fall and Winter time should add 1 hour for normal Tijuana time.
What to do at 6 PM in La Zona Rio before heading to La Zona Norte to party with young, nubile chicas? I was 5 miles South on Agua Caliente so turned on the GPS device to find Erizo Mariscos. The GPS did not recognize the address and zip code numbers, but took me about 5 miles South on AC then turned West on Ave Sonora, past La Zona Gastronomica, and stopped me right in front of Erizo. Pretty damn impressive. I can now travel all over Mexico and never get lost hehe.
It was Friday dinner time but la Zona Gastro was deserted, restaurants empty with chairs stacked on tables. Erizo is a small, cozy, nice, clean place on a nice, clean, quiet side street, with about 15 diners, all Mexicans. The wait staff apparently sees very few gringos so did not know how to deal with them. It took 15 minutes before they brought out a kitchen helper who could speak a few words of English.
I ordered a beer and their special drink "Cuban" with a shellfish consome and the Green Mean Machine (unofficial US Army's name), Verda Cammaron, recommended by Street Gourmet LA, which is chopped shrimp marinaded in a spicy, herb vinaigrette. The food is fresh and OK, but bland and nothing special. Costed me only 180 pesos (about $10) before tip.
Erizo is a long drive from La Zona, not worth the trip. LOS Arcos is 2 short blocks East. The old menu in Las Perla had some much tastier seafood dishes, and it's right in the middle of La Zona with these pretty, flirty, sexy young girls, so what not to like? Someone just have to put out contracts on their noisy brass bands so we can enjoy the food in peace. The new menu has only half of the dishes as before. La Perla is now doing only about 20% business volume.
One of my favorite places is the hugely-popular Tacos Mariscos on OCampo near Calle 6 where they grill dozen large sea basses out front. That place makes some very tasty cocktails and ceviche with large portions and lower prices, not to mention their special whole grilled fish. Of course Las Pampas' AYCE grilled meat and seafood for $11 is a great deal.
Outside of La Zona Norte, Tijuana is pretty quiet and peaceful with a slow, relaxed pace of life, very tasty food and hot chicas Tijuana is the perfect paradise to live and hang out.
Too lazy and stubborn to change and adapt
Chicago can't even keep their bar clean and their putas smelling good. You think they can keep their food clean and fresh? A buffet is a lot of work. Perhaps a discount menu with a local restaurant would be more realistic. But the restaurant next to Chicago has gone through many operators; none could survive long.
Bar Malquerida, Golden Corral and La Caretta in the alley occasionally would have free tacos days. They would cook the meat in boiling vats of oil or flaming hot grills right on the sidewalk. If that brought in more guys, they would have done it more often.
Most guys go to la Zona bars to flirt and fuck pretty girls and to drink, not to eat. Pretty girls is the main ingredient, not food. It's sick to see girls sit around all night in bars like Chicago and the&G, doing virtually no business. Supply appears in the excess. To increase demand, bar owners should do something, improving girls' quality, reduce prices, adding services, giving out incentives, targeting more specific clienteles etc. But they are too lazy and stubborn to change and adapt.
Dozens pretty girls sitting all night in bars in Puerta Vallarta and Cabo, asking for $300 sessions, doing no business. But they won't recognize the problems, find solutions and adapt. If they would just copy a few aspects of HK's operation, they would immediately have a share of the crowded HK's market.
[QUOTE=Travv;2031455] This is the model Chicago Club should follow, IMO, make a deal with a local restaurant to run a happy hour buffet and pull in the tourists with food and dancers.[/QUOTE]
Senor Pho Vietnamese Restaurant. Approved
Have been visiting Senor Pho for their Vietnamese Iced Coffee and today for another Vietnamese Lemonade. Always good on a warm day. The Vietnamese Lemonade is like a lemonade Slurpee with lots of crushed ice with a whole lemon blended in. Well worth the 40 pesos when you are thirsty for beyond ice cold lemonade with real lemons. I've tried the Vietnamese Pho with chicken and vegetables but I prefer the fried egg sandwich with Vietnamese vegetables on a baguette. Took refuge in the restaurant to escape the painfully loud band that plays by the taco shop and discovered how good the food is there. The restaurant also has a TV that shows current movies and National Geographic while you are sipping your drinks and watching the events in the street. Recommended: Vietnamese Iced coffee and Vietnamese lemonade, along with the fried egg sandwich. Haven't tried the appetizers yet but soon.
Senor Pho, Calle Coahuila, Tijuana
Menu looks delicious with many exotic dishes:
[URL]https://www.facebook.com/senor.pho.tijuana/?ref=py_c[/URL]
Free Samples at Senor Pho for Newbie
I brought a friend over to try the food at Senor Pho yesterday afternoon and the manager gave a free fried rice bowl sample and a free iced Vietnamese coffee sample once he heard it was her first visit. Had another Vietnamese limonada and enjoyed the restaurant ambiance.