Mas Comida.

I am nearing the end of the "calle" on my comprehensive look at mexican food eateries in Fallbrook. I believe that I have four restaurants left and time will tell if I possess the intestinal fortitude (thank you, Helen) to finish my culinary quest. Due to some cherry picking on my part during the nascent stages of my search for the perfect burrito, I am left here at the end with a few places that are either totally outside of my knowledge base or plainly speaking, places that look funky enough to kill me. Since I approach my task with a fearsome and somewhat intrepid sense of  obligation, I will wander into those last remaining joints as a public service to you, my reader,  bearing little thought to the harm I may be committing to my body.

And so, I sample El Parque today, the funky and slightly dilapidated spot across from the entrance to Live Oak Park. Purportedly a favorite amongst our local mexican population, a couple of my gringo campañeros have eaten there without any signs of physical or bodily harm, in fact many of them really enjoy the place. Very kicked back.

There is a danger to dissing establishments in one's hometown, especially if you are a merchant. People can get surly. Objectivity must necessarily fly out the window when one is considering self preservation. You want to give people the benefit of the doubt. And so let me say it. El Parque is not that bad. I walked out of there on my own two feet, I didn't leave on a gurney.

I thought that I would have my friend Brett accompany me on this venture. We partied when he still drank and that was over 25 years ago. We wandered in and I was digging the funky retro posters and campsite ambience. The kitchen looked clean enough. There were a bunch of young construction guys there for lunch, fueling up. I headed for the jukebox and struck instant gold, The Pusher by Steppenwolf and some James Gang.

The menu is very pedestrian, the only thing that looked slightly interesting or rather different was a chimichanga, which I hear by the way is good. I asked the guy behind the counter what was good and got sort of a pained look before he gave me the mandatory everything is good shpiel. Menudo served on the weekends.

I settled on a carne asada burrito and Brett had a taco combination. Hot carrots and cokes, he diet.  I got my burrito and realized I forgot to say no onions and the thing was just peppered with them. The meat had a slightly gamey smell but not necessarily in a bad way. I ate dog accidentally once in Cozumel, I swear. Maybe it was monkey? In any case, I was sick for two weeks. This particular meat might have been a little off, but I have certainly eaten far, far worse. The musty odor could never be considered attractive but the burrito was certainly very filling. Carrots were good, and big, largest I have encountered on the whole tour.

What can I tell you about El Parque? I left under my own volition, standing up with my head held high. That in itself, is what I consider a victory at this stage of the game. Until next time.