La Carreta Hispanic Grocery and Taqueria - Marietta, GA

 

A few weekends ago the Dining Companion and I had lunch at La Carreta.

I loved these lights

 

The dining space is nice. It has a rustic feel. 

I liked the distressed wood on the tables

 La Carreta lists itself as Latin American. The menu features Mexican and Colombian food. Several different things are represented on the menu. Some familiar, some not. There are the usual tacos and burritos. Then there are also three different styles of tamales available and tortas too. We decided to start with the Guacamole Fresco. It was fresh just as the name states and very tasty.

Guacamole Fresco - Guacamole made to order served with chips & salsa

 

Being as how this is primarily a Mexican restaurant you may be surprised by the fact that chips and salsa are not free. I don't think that's a huge deal, at all. But if it's what you're looking for in your Mexican dining experience be forewarned.

After looking over all the delicious sounding options I decided on the tacos al pastor.

Pastor - Pork seasoned with adobo sauce & pineapple

Wow is all I can say. Everything on the plate was delicious. Including that unassuming scoop of white rice. The pork was tender with great flavor of adobo and pineapple. There are a lot of great sounding tacos on the menu but I would be hard pressed to select something different.

The Dining Companion ordered one of the Colombian options on offer. This was a dish similar to one we had at Sacha's Cafe in Greenville, SC.

Bandeja Paisa

The most Colombian traditional meal, delicious home made rice, beans, Colombian chorizo, pork belly, steak, fried egg, avocado & arepa

There was a lot going on and all of it was good. I was lucky enough to taste some of the chicharron and beans. Both were great as were the plantains. The fried egg, which may seem unusual, is typical for this type of cuisine. I wonder if i could get a stack of arepas with cheese and a bowl of beans? I might just have to ask next time we visit.

If you're in the mood for something a little different than your typical Mexican restaurant give La Carreta a try. The food is great and the variety just can't be beat.

Happy dining!

Note: Sacha's Cafe, Greenville, SC

Carlito's Mexican Bar and Grill - Savannah, Georgia

Carlito's was another of the restaurants we visited on our recent trip to Savannah. I continue to be really happy with the location we stayed in. We were within walking distance of local attractions, restaurants and bars. Like I mentioned before, we parked the car and didn't move it all weekend. That's a big plus in my opinion and one I give high marks for when thinking about a place to stay.

On one of our many walks in the neighborhood we spotted Carlito's. The Dining Companion and I both like Mexican food so we stopped in for dinner.

You walk into a bright, colorful dining room hung with lots of cheerful artwork. And hey, check out that floor. 

 

 

We ordered drinks and looked over the menu.

Our waiter made a couple of suggestions. Based on his recommendation I ordered an off the menu vegetarian dish. The dish consisted of grilled vegetables with a very tasty sauce served in a molcajete. A molcajete is basically the mortar part of a large mortar and pestle. It's a preparation we've had before. It turned out to be a good choice and I really enjoyed it.

 The Dining Companion ordered the Carnitas.

Everything we tried was flavorful and the prices were reasonable.

Oh and one other thing. If you like your salsas hot and spicy you're in luck. I asked for something a bit hotter than the usual salsa and boy did I get it. Our waiter dropped off a bowl of some of the hottest, best tasting salsa I've had in a long time. I was so glad I asked.

There are a few more locations on my list of places to visit in Savannah. Hopefully we get back there so I can check them out.

Savannah is an old city with a young vibe. The mix of tourist, college students and residents feels vital and inviting. An old Southern charmer with a very vibrant spirit.

Happy travels!

Tito's - San Antonio, Texas

On our most recent trip to San Antonio the Dining Companion and I stopped in at Tito's Mexican Restaurant. We've walked by this place on prior visits and finally made the time to try it.


Tito's is a full service restaurant located in the historic King William neighborhood. We stopped by one morning for breakfast.

 We took a seat at the bar and looked over the menu.

Breakfast menu and a good morning margarita

I ordered the King William Favorite and the Dining Companion got a couple of breakfast tacos.

King William Favorite

Two eggs, ranchero sauce, papas con chorizo,

refried beans & a side of carne guisada

Salsa and fresh made tortillas

Breakfast tacos - (1) Machacado & (1) Barbacoa

For my money you can't beat a plate of carne guisada and fresh tortillas. The Dining Companion graciously shared his tacos with me. I'd never heard of or had machacado before. Machacado is a dried beef dish. The beef can be sauteed with eggs (machacado con huevos) or with peppers, onions and tomatoes. I can't be sure but I think the version we had was the one made with tomatoes, peppers and onions. What I do know, is that it's delicious, and I would gladly have it again.

If we get the chance to get back to Tito's we'll give it a try for happy hour and dinner. I'd love to try the fajitas.

When planning your trip to San Antonio be sure and plan to visit the King William and South Town areas for the great local bars and restaurants. A little off the beaten path but definitely worth exploring.

Note: If you're traveling with your pet Tito's outdoor dining area is pet friendly. One more reason to check them out.

Happy dining!

Pssssst...
I'm going to take a minute here to mention that we also stopped in at B&D Ice House this visit. We've been here before for BBQ but wanted to give the menu another look. This time we decided on two of their unique sandwich creations.

The "Bruno"

Southtown Slammer

 I did mention unique right? Tasty and the perfect thing with a cold beer. If you're strolling through the neighborhood and looking for lunch, definitely give these guys a try.