El Pueblo: Taste of the Old World

Earth colored archways and rustic artwork give El Pueblo an authentic old-world feel.  Unfortunately, customers are greeted by a wait staff that seems less than enthusiastic to be working.  Though servers did not go out of their way to be friendly, they did provide timely service and had an impressively comprehensive understanding of their menu. 

My waitress recommended a creamy Spanish drink called "horchata".  It was an excellent suggestion.  Horchata tastes like rice milk with cinnamon and vanilla.  It has a creamy flavor without being thick or heavy.  I thoroughly enjoyed it.  Soon after I received my drink, the complimentary chips and salsa arrived.  The chips were pleasantly crisp, but both they and the salsa had very standard flavor. 

Soon the cheese and pork pupusas, tamales de pollo, and garlic scallop tapa were served.  The pupusa had good flavor and texture but the pork was nearly undetectable.  It added no flavor and minimal texture to the dish.  It was served with a side of coleslaw that had good flavor but was slightly under seasoned.  The tamale was very good.  It was soft and had a mild and sweet corn flavor.  Inside were large pieces of chicken and vegetables that complimented the outside of the tamale rather than compete with it.

My favorite appetizer was by far the garlic scallop tapa.  The scallops were ever so slightly overcooked, but were still very soft.  The brilliant yellow citrus and garlic sauce that they were served in lit my mouth with fruity flavor while diced tomatoes, cilantro, and tiny bits of pineapple continued to play with my palate.  Two accompanying pieces of parmesan crusted garlic bread paired with the scallops and sauce surprisingly well.  The garlic flavor in both the bread and the sauce established them as compatible flavors while the rich smokiness of the parmesan served as an excellent complement to the citrus notes of the sauce.

My entre course was beef chimichangas.   The plating was very standard, just as it had been for the pupusa and tamale.  The chimichanga was served with yellow rice, refried beans, and ranchero sauce.   The flavors were good but standard.  The chimichanga did have a pleasantly large amount of shredded beef, but it was hard to cut through the dry flour tortilla to get to it.  The portion size of the dish was larger than necessary.

The final course of the meal was called Xango's.  It was warm banana cheesecake wrapped in pastry dough, deep fried, and served with a scoop of creamy vanilla ice cream, all lightly dusted with cinnamon.  The cheesecake was rich and creamy, though I could not detect the banana flavor that the menu description had promised.  The pastry was wonderfully crispy and provided excellent textural contrast to the creamy elements of the dish.  Streaks of red and green fruit sauces garnished the plate with vibrant colors and the flavor of margarita.

Overall, El Pueblo was a pleasant restaurant whose menu is very hit-or-miss. 

El Pueblo Spanish
9550 Old Keene Mill Road
Burke, Virginia 22015