Friday, February 09, 2007

Gardens of Taxco @ West Hollywood


Mikey has never been a big fan of food south of the border, but for most things in life there's exceptions; that being The Gardens of Taxco. So last night I decided to take him out of the basement and head to West Hollywood for some home-style Mexican cooking.

Nestled in a sleepy corner of Boys Town, it's one of those classic spots for a romantic interlude with the lights dimmed so low you can barely see the person you came with. Though with chilled margaritas in hand and our vision blurring by the minute, Mikey and I didn't care much for making goo-goo eyes... it was all about the grub.

In lieu of an actual menu, a portly gentleman with a heavy accent and a song in his heart arrived at our table to serenade us with the specials of the day. It's a five-course meal with everything but the main dish set for you.

First came a quesadilla appetizer topped with fresh guacamole. Simple and tasty.


Next came a cup of albondigas soup. A little bit soft for my taste but the broth was nice and light. Comes in handy for those chilly LA nights.



Then came a small plate of enchilada stuffed with chicken and layered in velvety cheese sauce. Mikey was handed a crunchy taquito topped with sour cream and guacamole. By now, our stomachs were 3/4s full. But wait, there's more...

My main dish was shrimp slow-simmered in hot garlic sauce. Though it's a much tamer version of Killer Shrimp's own recipe, it packed a good punch, and if I were less civilized I'd be digging in with my fingers, licking clean every spice-soaked digit. Mikey had the chicken a la creme. "Like the chicken was borrrrn in it," the waiter said to us, rolling his tongue in a most unusual fashion.




By now, Mikey and I are hunched over in the fetal position. It's a lot of food to digest in one sitting, but that just leaves leftovers for the next day. And wait, there's one more...



At last comes dessert, sliced bananas covered in a blend of three creams. The waiter pours us a glass of sherry which you can either sip casually or douse into the cream. Either way, you're bound to start hiccuping and rubbing silly your flushed red cheeks.

Total damage = About $20 per person, not including margaritas

Gardens of Taxco
1113 N. Harper Ave.
West Hollywood, CA
(323) 654-1746


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3 comments:

BoLA said...

Beautiful photos! Making me hungry and craving some good Mexican food right about now! Will have to check this one out!!! Thanks for the heads up! :D

Anonymous said...

This is the best description I have ever heard about this place. The photos are exactly what the food looks like. I am a huge fan of this place. GREAT date place!!

Lahore said...
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