Homnomnom... Is it still a quesadilla if I don't use tortillas? Is it a panini without a panini press? A weird hybrid torta of some kind? Either way, I made a hot sammy with mexi blend cheese, chili powder and spices chicken strips, onions, peppers and black beans on flatbread. Nice and spicy! Leftovers are your friend.
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I went out with a co-worker for a bit of late-night shenanigans, and we tried the Barrio Tacos in Downtown Cleveland. It's a local chain of whiskey bars, specializing in a rotation of monthly margarita specials and the BEST drunk tacos I've ever had, and for a damned good price!
One of my usual tests for a new bar is to ask the tender to surprise me. This one introduced me to a Bulletproof, a cousin to the Old Fashioned, and was a house special. The drinks were strong and wonderfully mixed. For tasties, I ordered a Filadelfia and a Spicy Sapanaro, while she ordered a Filadelfia and the Carne Trozi. The tacos were perfect balance of messy, self-indulgent pub food and masterfully crafted pieces of culinary art. Crunchy? Soft? BOTH? Perhaps you want a black bean and jack taco, or a classic one of roast beef, or another of brisket or spicy or mild or... I could go on and on. The Filadelfia in particular had this sweet sauce on top, beautiful moist pork, and a nice heat that sits on your pallette, and was wonderfully balanced. I also tried a Cafe Duro -- hard coffee -- that was basically a tequila-variant of the White Russian. And yes, it was as delicious as it sounds. You can mix and match or get three of your favorite, and I promise you, nothing you order will be a disappointment. The staff is quick, efficient, wonderfully friendly (and even at the end of the night on a weeknight the place was half-full! There was a regular remarking it was the least busy he'd ever seen the place), and better than competent. Our barman was not only a skilled mixologist, but friendly and patient with my curious questions and our indulgent experimentations. The southwest decor was all decked out for Halloween/Dia de Los Muertos, and the owner of the chain has each pub painted by the same artist, a personal friend who decorates the walls with fantastic chalky skeletons in all manner of merriment, and particularly festive this time of year. Tacos are served wrapped individually in foil to keep them hot and fresh before they get to your table, and placed in little brown paper boats for sustainable clean up. The monthly special margaritas are served in mason jars, lined in salt, and the impressive bar has a fantastic selection of spirits for anything else you might fancy, if you aren't inclined to sample one of the magnificent specials on tap at the moment -- yes, even the beers and ciders on tap are cycled! If you're ever in Cleveland, make sure you set aside a night (and morning...) aside to check out this amazing bar. Today has been a terrible day. I managed to get some of my shopping done, only to drop my very new cellphone and crack it on the tarmac (because the protective casing still hasn't arrived in the mail yet) and now my PayPal won't work... Hoi.
I'm rewarding myself with some comfort food to reward myself for not killing anyone. A brisket quesadilla, some grilled onions and chips... I'm also amused that they had tea listed as "Eastern" (green tea), "Southern" (sweet tea), and "Northern" (unsweet tea) and it gave me a giggle. I got Southern tea, for those who want to ask. It's a little on the greasy end, but since that's exactly what I wanted, absolutely no complaints. It was good to have something hot and heavy in my belly in the rain and misery before I could call a Lyft. Bloody frustrating day. So, there's this really cool spot called Steelyard Commons, and, in the most Cleveland of fashions, it's a strip mall right next to a steelworks, the sheer industrialist vibe is pervasive everywhere, from the ex-quarry it's situated in to the architecture of the mall itself -- AND IT'S A NICE ONE! Walmart, Target, Home Depot, some restaurants, fast food joints, GameStop -- lots of really useful things in one very convenient spot. Among those restaurants is a Steak 'n Shake, which I mentioned I had never been to, although my father had always spoken of very highly.
So my roomie decided to help me fix this. I ordered a Jalapeno Burger (because of course I did), and it was a pretty solid burger! The fries were nice and crispy, the aesthetic was FANTASTIC (I'm a sucker for a vintage diner, especially one with an open kitchen) and the milkshakes were well deserving of their praise. Thick, creamy, but not so thick that I feel you gotta get a spoon out to actually eat the thing, but not so thin that you can suck half of it down without thinking of it. WE CRUSHED IT. It was fucking tasty, and I definitely get the hype! The crew were awful obliging and friendly, considering I was geeking out and taking so many pictures. Like, the guy working the expo station especially was happy to answer all of my ridiculous questions and was very amused by obnoxiousness. I want to blame the sugar from the milkshakes, but really, it was the aesthetic I was geeking out about. I really like retro diners, okay? It's a weakness. You can take the cowboy cook out of the southwest, but you can't take the southwest out of the cowboy's cooking. I believe strongly in a generous, even application, be it ranch, cheese, bacon, onions or jalapenos.
Saw some fresh jalapenos on sale at Aldi's last time I went to the grocery store, and decided to grab a pack of them. I wanted to do a bacon-and-cheese thing, but I did not have... Um. Well, bacon. I know, I'm dumb. But I did manage to get some jerky to try and manage to get by with that. Some onions, garlic, cheese... Barbecue sauce. I stuffed it all in the peppers, expecting a mess, and tossed it in a toaster oven. They came out a bit al dente, so there was a good crunch, and HOLY COW were these ones spicy! A nice surprise. I had to drown them out in ranch, too, to eat it, but that's fine with me...
Future notes: Um, make sure you actually have bacon for this. Also, maybe a better quality of cheese. Monterey jack, for instance (a la pepperjack) and maybe hollow them out more? They were really thick. I would probably slow-roast them longer in the future. But ultimately, not bad! Of all of the lovely things that I've learned here in Tucson, I have to say that the food is definitely lifechanging. Quesadillas, chimichangas, nachos, the southwest spin on Mexi-cuisine... I love all of this. So my last hurrah, my swan song before I leave Arizona, was going back to Jason's Mexican Restaurant, which was a Mexican takeout spot right next to that short-lived call center job I had last year. Birthplace of Blake's Dungeon! Because magazines are weird.
Also, my favorite Sonoran Dog in town. Not too greasy, bacon-wrapped fried pepper on the side that you could torture yourself to whatever extent you prefer that day (I've noshed two dogs and two peppers on a day I hadn't eaten anything for breakfast, and I felt like a BAD ASS), and they have that sweet potato bread for the bun, which is one of my favorite things. It's also a good price (I want to say $5/dog if I remember right, writing this three years later), and was a staple, and a treat I always looked forward to when things were good. So I legitimately set aside time for myself to bus down there (clear on the other side of town from where I was staying!) just to have one last dog. Hasta luego, Tucson. it's been real. FOOD. Trying not to cry because this is the last of my tortillas. Homemade quesadillas made with buttered tortillas, shredded three-cheese blend, and diced onions. Again, a simple dish that's warm and hearty and filling and HOT, perfect for a chill spring evening. Great to have with a spot of medium salsa, simple and cheap. Makes you feel accomplished while you're actually having a glorified grilled cheese sammich for dinner. BUT SOUTHWEST.
FROM scratch, black bean chili! This shit is ON FLEEK!
...God, I hope that saying doesn't keep, it's so awful. But I did really love this experiment. I made chili with a can of chili, a can of black beans, my usual mess of spices and jam and what-the-hell else, and then popped it into a bowl, some cheese on top, and some tortilla chips. After a long day that wasn't necessarily so great, just having the spoons to cook something from scratch, fool around, and then have a hot and hearty comfort food dinner to be proud of. Plus, the beans are a nice protein boost, and it stretches one can of chili into a nice, full pot, and they're also a lot less expensive than more chili, hehehe. Also, I just really love black beans. I really, really do. I'm trying to embrace this southwest aesthetic, don't judge me. One thing I've really bought into here in the southwest, is the CUISINE. Sonoran dogs are a bit beyond me with my kitchen atm (BUT OH GOD HOW I ADORE THEM), but the simple treat of a well-toasted, crispy and gooey quesadilla in the toaster oven is just... EURGH. It's one of those little things that just make you feel all happy on the inside. I love it! It's legit one of my favorite dinners to make. AND LOOK AT THAT GORGEOUS CRUST. You know you want to steal a slice. These are made with the mexican cheese blend and a little onion, then served with salsa on the side. It's honestly a really cheap, fairly filling, and not even necessarily too bad for you meal!
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Brunch w/ BlakeHalf-boricuan, half-corn fed Indiana hick. Stir in a taste of the southwest and serve in LA, on the rocks. #BrunchWithBlake #FoodPorn #LAFoodie Archives
July 2021
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