Showing posts with label chicken. Show all posts
Showing posts with label chicken. Show all posts

Tuesday, July 12, 2011

Sauca!

I have wandered over to the Sauca (@wheresauca on twitter) truck a few times when it has graced me with its presence, and have always been impressed and very full after my meals.  I love the idea using sauces to create unique flavor blends (buffalo pulled pork is one I have put together with great results), and have wanted to head over to the restaurant location.  So over the weekend, T and I ventured into Virginia and went to Sauca on Columbia Pike.



The menu is actually about the same as the truck, which was sort of disappointing since we drove all the way out there, but we were still excited to dig into some delicious Sauca creations.  We decided to get 3 "Saucas" - we went with the Mumbai Butter Chicken, Pork Banh Mi, and Polpette Marinara.

Butter Chicken

Polpette Marinara

Pork Manh Mi




Our least favorite was the Italian style dish - not because the rice balls were not delicious, but because we didn't care for the sauce (personally). Neither of us are into olives - I only like them in my martinis and usually when they are stuffed with blue cheese or pimentos (yum!).  However, if you are an olive lover I think you may want to check the Polpette Marinara out.

As for the butter chicken and the banh mi we each claimed one as "the best."  I love Indian food, I will usually eat any meat as long as it's covered in curry so the butter chicken won my heart.  Although I am a huge fan of ultra spicy foods - it's a recessive gene in some I think - my dad and I both claim our best meal ever was a spicy rice dish in Gettysburg, PA with ghost chilis that made us cry - I thought the mild spice of the butter chicken was extremely pleasant and not lacking any additional heat.  Plus, it was so large I was able to take in a half for lunch the next day at work...awesome.  T favored the pork banh mi, with it's bold flavor and fresh julianned veggies, it was a sensational mix of flavors and textures that was hard not to love. She also was able to bring it in for lunch - 2 meals for the price of one!

I think the last thing to bring up about Sauca was the great quality of the ingredients which made the whole experience really enjoyable. From the complex sauce down to the simple, fresh pita bread, each of our purchases was unique and delicious.  Eating in-house was a great experience, but I don't think you need to venture into Virginia (unless you're already there) to experience it.  Eating off the Sauca truck will give you the same flavor experience without spending the additional cash on gas.

Love, E

T's Perspective-

I'd been wanting to try Sauca for awhile now - they have 5 trucks, which means they're doing something seriously right. The restaurant, for some reason, structurally reminded me of either an old diner or a Sonic - don't take this as a bad thing please! My favorite meal hands down was the Pork Bahn Mi. I'm such a sucker for Asian flavors and this was on par - the meat was sweet and veggies super crisp. The only complaint I could come up with was that when it came to reheating the next day the bread was a little hard and there weren't enough veggies for the leftover meat, however this was after microwaving which really doesn't do anything justice. I'm definitely going to go back and try the Buffalo and Mexican flavors but as E said, I'd probably just to the truck unless I'm feeling adventurous!

PS!

Also for your lovebirds out there...you can reserve this table for a romantic evening


Monday, June 27, 2011

The Best Food Can be Hidden...in a Warehouse? - El Pollo Rico

Chicken is one of the most universal foods, every culture has a different way of cooking it and making chicken their own.  I have cooked and bought chicken prepared thousands of ways throughout my lifetime, some memorable, others not so much. Now I can say I have had my all time favorite: El Pollo Rico.  Located in a building resembling a warehouse in Arlington's Virginia Square neighborhood, El Pollo Rico is home to the best chicken I have ever had.  Cooked to perfection over an open flame on a rotisserie and covered with arguably the most delicious, albeit secret, spice blend, the chicken at El Pollo Rico is juicy and bursting with flavor.  El Pollo Rico offers just a handful of choices on its menu, but with chicken so good there really isn't any menu expansion needed.  I chose a quarter chicken with steak fries and cole slaw, T was a bit more health conscious than me and opted for the rice in place of the steak fries.  Although this wasn't my first time enjoying El Pollo Rico, it was the first time for T, who seemed pretty impressed with the succulent chicken and perfectly cooked sides.  Speaking of sides, I can't tell you how truly phenomenal they are.  Although I usually find rice pretty bland unless it is covered in some sort of sauce, the rice T got was actually a fantastic stand-alone dish.  My steak fries were perfect - slightly crispy but still soft in the middle.  The cole slaw, a dish many people steer clear of, is fresh with a perfect crunch, and I think it could turn anyone into a cole slaw fan.  Thought it couldn't get better?  Well wait until you have one of two delicious dipping sauces that come with your chicken - a spicy salsa verde and a more mayo based sauce that brings out the spice flavors even more.  It is the most perfect meal I have ever had; I don't know how to express my love for this restaurant any other way - it is just the best, bottom line.  Oh, I forgot the best part; the whole meal rings up at $5.65.  If you are looking for the best chicken in the world (don't just take if from us, Anthony Bourdain - @NoReservations - also sings El Pollo Rico's praises) look no further than El Pollo Rico.  I can say confidently that it will make you and your wallet very, very happy.

A quick note from T: Chicken can be very meh sometimes - I eat a LOT of it and tend to get bored. Never again - for real. EPR was amazing - I highly recommend!

Love, E

El Pollo Rico
932 N. Kenmore Street
Arlington, VA
 
and

El Pollo Rico
13470 Minnieville Road
Woodbridge, VA 22192
Who would think the most amazing chicken would be in here?

Cooked to perfection

T's choice - rice, slaw, best chicken ever, salsa verde, and mayo-based mystery sauce (yum!)

My dinner - I can't say no to a crispy steak fry...