Cilantro & Jalapeno

I almost forgot I had this review to comeplete, that's how memorable this place was.  When I tried George's moussaka, we also grabbed a taco salad from Cilantro and Jalepeno and I have to say there was nothing there that really stands out in my mind that makes me want to go back and get another.

I'd say the taco salad here was okay, probably not better than La Tortilleria on Granville Island.  I'd give this place a pass the next time and save my money for George's

Delicado's - Nanaimo

I was in Nanaimo for a martial arts seminar and didn't really get to explore the town and eat out, but on the way back, managed to grab a bite at some of the local places.  Someone said they wanted Mexican and we ended up at this place that clearly catered to consumers of non-meat products.  The closest thing they had to flesh was chicken, and I was in the mood for something that went moo.  I stepped in to this tree-hugging, bunny loving outfit and found myself surrounded hippies eating Mexican Food you wouldn't even find in Texas, let alone Mexico.

My friends decided to spend some cash, but I opted for the free water and a plate of nachos for $5.  From what I had, I basically got tortilla chips from Costco or Save-On foods, and yes, you guessed it, Tex-mex cheese.  There was some sour cream and some bottled salsa.  Suffice to say, I would have been far happier saving my money for something like a burger from White Spot on the ferry.

Taco Luis

I wonder if it's the cheap and tasty food-court Mexican food or the charasmatic owner that brings people to Taco Luis.  On my lunches, I sometimes go by Lansdowne food court and I always see a line up in front of Taco Luis.  It never fails though, that this place is always busy.  Even during Nibbles and Bites (food festival at Thompson Community Centre), Taco Luis drew a crowd.

Ah, memories of my childhood came rushing back.  My parents occasionally took us to Lansdowne and it was always a treat to get a crispy beef burrito from Taco Don (not even sure if that chain is around anymore).  The recipe is a bit different (they've got a bit of cheese in the ground beef and they cap each burrito end with a Mexi-fry), but when you only dish out 3 bucks for two beef burritos, who really cares? 

Pepita's Mexican-Spanish Restaurant

If you're into authentic, a mexican friend of mine told me this is about as authentic as you can get.  Me, I'm just another ignorant foodie that's content with the food-court Mexican food (a la Taco Bell, Taco Luis, Taco Don etc). Deep fried greasy goodness for the range of about $5-10 suits me fine, quick and easy as well, authenticity be damned.  But once in a while, I do want something different, and when I'm on a health binge, I just can't handle some of of deep-fried stuff.  Pepita's will give you just that.  The atmosphere is a bit different and sometimes there's live entertainment as well.

The service at Pepita's is pretty good, the staff are pretty friendly.  The food can take a while though sometimes....I guess I've been accustomed to instant food-court Mexican food.  With the authenticity, you get food that's a bit more healthy, and a wider variety of food that hasn't seen a boiling vat of oil.  I've been there a few times and the food tasted great, but I just can't justify paying $15 for a plate of beans and rice anymore.  A lot of this stuff I can really make at home.

La Tortilleria Mexican Food

Graville Island is a cornucopia of food.  It's a foodie's paradise and there's so much to see and buy.  If you're not there for the fresh produce and infinite selection of meats, seafood, and deli items, there's the food court that's a lot better than your average shopping mall food court.  The only place I will probably never try is the Chinese food.  For Chinese food court food, I think there's no better place than the Yaohan food court.  But we'll leave that for another day.

When I'm not stuffing my face over at |Celine's Fish and Chip's or eating sauerkraut with smokies from Kaisereck's, I'll probably be scarfing down beef taco salad from La Tortilleria.  I haven't had much experience with authentic Mexican food, and I seriously doubt that taco salad is something you'll find on every street corner in Mexico, but it's good enough for my tastes. 

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Pictured here is the small size taco salad, but I usually go for the large.  It's well worth the $8.50 - it comes with loads of guacamole, and a decent amount of ground beef.  The shell is nice and crisp, but a pain in the butt to eat with a plastic fork.  You may as well grab some extra tissue and just dive in with your hands.  By the end of your meal, you should be good and full, and if you're not, there's something wrong with you.