El Cholo or El Coyote ?

El Cholo and El Coyote share quite a bit of history. Ive been eating at El Coyote for over
65 years and at El Cholo for over 50 years. Jose Reina, who became master chef at El
Cholo in 1932, trained chefs, and cooks, at both El Cholo and at El Coyote. The families
who own the restaurants are relatives.
The food is similar - but not the same.
Lately El Cholo's food seems to be suffering from loose kitchen control, menu items
don't seem consistent in terms of contents and proportion. I get the feeling there is some
tinkering depending on the overhead at the various locations. El Cholo's Western
Avenue, LA location is always the best. Blair's location in Pasadena seems to always be
the worst. Santa Monica is in-between. I haven't been to the La Habra location in several
years.
The food quality and consistency at El Coyote drifted for several years after owner
Blanch March died. Finally, it seems, family members who really care have inherited El
Coyote, and the food has been consistently improving over the last few years. If you
haven't been to El Coyote in a while I suggest you go there.

At El Cholo I would recommend the #1 Combination Plate which is cheese enchilada,

beef taco, rice & beans (the taco they serve is a rolled taco which is more like a large
taquito, if you want the lettuce, tomato, cheese with meat version of a taco request a
folded taco). Another good menu item, the Burrito Dorado (photo).
But, sometimes, lately, the Burrito Dorado is mostly rice and beans - short on meat and the sour cream and guacamole don't always get evenly distributed.
El Cholo or El Coyote? / pub. 3/22/2015 by Bill George

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El Cholo's frosty Margaritas are sweet (excessive Cointreau?), it seems the "rocks"
Margarita's and the L.A. Lemonade are a little dryer. El Cholo has some good dark
Mexican beers on draft (Dos Equis and Negra Modelo).

At El Coyote I always go for the #1 combination plate (photo above) which is: cheese
enchilada, beef taco, rice and beans. NOTE: The scallions rarely look like a regiment at
the Maginot Line, usually they are scattered asunder over the entire enchilada. ("The
Secret Menu" ask for any combination plate as a Guacamole Dinner - you get a nice side
of guacamole and your choice of soft beverage at a slight extra charge).
El Coyote wait-people can meet your desires. Tell them what meat you want in your taco
(stringy beef, ground beef, chicken, carnitas, etc.) Also, if you have a preference, specify
chunky or smooth guacamole.
El Coyote's Margaritas are not sweet. They are very much like the original margarita
created in 1941 by Hussong's Cantina (Ensenada, Mexico) bartender, Don Carlos
Orozco.

El Cholo or El Coyote? / pub. 3/22/2015 by Bill George

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