Los Gallos Mexican Grill - Combination Dinner #29 - Beef Burrito, Chicken Enchilada, & 2 Tacos

Many times in my day I've stumbled into a Mexican restaurant, holding my stomach due to excessive hunger pangs, reeling from cravings for crispy tortillas and spicy beef, only to stumble out of said restaurant, holding my stomach due to excessive tequila intake, reeling from intense G.I. distress. Despite a generally excellent, authentic Mexican taste, many of these restaurants also seem to use authentic Mexican water, and the after-effects can be horrific enough that a return visit almost always falls into the category of "bad decision." Luckily, Greece-based Los Gallos offers a great variety of homemade Mexican eats that are not only incredibly affordable, but also aren't mixed with laxatives.

I'm not 100% sure if this place is family-owned and operated, but the atmosphere and staff are both incredibly welcoming. Service is excellent, food is served hot, and portions are far more than generous for the price. Free, fresh, hot tortilla chips and robust salsa in unlimited quantities are a plus as well. The menu reads like a Spanish encyclopedia, or maybe a thesaurus for the word "delicious," so it's not difficult to find something for everyone. The fact that Los Gallos is open until at least 10PM every weekday and until 9PM on the weekends makes it a fantastic place to avoid the dinner rush hour as well.

Morgan and I have been here a number of times already, and have both become fans of the "Combination Dinners" section of the menu. Not only does each combo dinner come with at least two items, but the price is only $8.50 for each of the 32 selections. Definite bang for your buck.

My old standby is Combination Dinner #29, which includes a beef burrito, a chicken enchilada, and 2 beef tacos. This probably sounds like a lot of food to most of you, and to be completely honest, you're absolutely right.



The plate came out hot, steam literally billowing off of the dish in visible wisps. Warm red sauce covered both the burrito and the enchilada, but didn't seem to be completely drowning the items. A thin layer of cheese had been melted on top of both items as well. I decided to give the enchilada and burrito time to cool off a little, and tackled the twin tacos first.

Each taco was stuffed full of mildly-seasoned, finely-ground beef, pieces of shredded cheese, and shredded lettuce. The beef was great, retaining moisture without coming off as too greasy or fatty - it tasted quite lean, yet didn't lack any flavor either, partially due to the chopped bits of cooked white onion mixed in with the meat. The shredded cheese added just enough saltiness to the mix to not overpower, but rather complement the subtle spices of the beef. The crispy, fresh lettuce and delicate corn tortilla added the perfect crunch and texture to each bite. Easily one of the best tacos I've had in years.

After polishing off both tacos, I used my fork to dive into the red sauce-laden burrito and enchilada. The chicken in the enchilada was moist, soft, and slightly-sweet white meat, which went nicely with the starchiness of the soft flour tortilla it was wrapped in. The tortilla shell itself was able to soak up tons of flavor from the sweet and mildly-tangy red sauce, without becoming too soggy or unpleasant in texture.

While the chicken enchilada proved to be quite good, it leaned a little more heavily on the sweet flavors of Mexican cuisine, and lacked the heartiness and savory nature of the beef burrito. The beef's saltier flavor combined with the red sauce for a perfect salty-sweet dynamic that was truly easy to inhale (and that I truly inhaled). Little, sweet pieces of sauteed white onion were an excellent addition to the beef as well, perfectly rounding out the combination's flavor. Overall, this meal was beyond any of my expectations of Mexican cuisine in Western New York.

Besides a handful of exceptions, Mexican restaurants in Rochester tend to disappoint me, generally offering food made completely out of Ex-Lax, or Taco Bell-inspired slop (although, let's be honest - for those on a budget or those who are drunk, which I am often both, Taco Bell is the food of the gods). It's great to see a restaurant like Los Gallos thriving in Rochester, and not just due to cheap prices, but because of the top-notch service, huge portions, and quality food as well. For those looking for an authentic taste of Mexican cooking, check out Los Gallos - just be sure to bring your appetite.

Score (out of 10): 9.5

Location: 2700 West Ridge Road, Rochester, NY 14626
Phone Number: (585) 227-7718
Website: http://www.losgallosmexgrill.com/

Westgate Family Restaurant - Chicken Tuscany Soup & Country Sweet Chicken Sandwich

NOTE: As with my International Buffet post way back when, I was unable to get a picture of Westgate Family Restaurant's logo, since one doesn't exist. Hopefully, you won't hold this against the typically professional (and awesome) nature of this blog. Without further ado, I present...the entry.

Morgan and I have a somewhat bizarre habit of family restaurant/diner "hunting"; I use the term "hunting" loosely, because we don't actively go out looking for family restaurants/diners to eat at, but rather randomly pick one to try as we drive around the Greater Rochester region in my air-conditioning-challenged car. While this habit is potentially gas-guzzling and wallet-obliterating, it is spontaneous, fun, and gives me some great material to work with, as we both become more enlightened in the field of Rochester-based family cuisine.

During one such voyage through Chili, on a hunt for dinner, we discovered a little place called the "Westgate Family Restaurant" in the small Shoppes at Westgate Plaza on the corner of Chili Ave. and Howard Road. The placid-looking, family-style eatery sits quietly between a gargantuan Panera Bread, and a loud, steam factory of a Chinese take-out place. Although we love both Panera Bread and Chinese food, Morgan and I zeroed in on the tranquil family restaurant, hoping to uncover a hidden oasis of comfort food.

The inside of the Westgate Family Restaurant is just as unassuming as the outside: modest decor, friendly and efficient staff, and enough of an Early Bird Special crowd to reassure anyone that this is a good place to simply relax. With an extensive diner-style menu, covering everything from breakfast to dinner, the Westgate Family Restaurant just felt - for lack of a better word - right.

I decided to start my meal off with a cup of the Chicken Tuscany Soup, which was comprised of shredded chicken, tomato, celery, lima beans, and carrots, all in a chicken stock broth. I assume it was made ahead of time, and simply ladled into a cup, then warmed up, but it still came out quick and hot, the aroma alone enough to make my mouth salivate with anticipation.



The best comparison I can make of this Chicken Tuscany Soup to any other food would be salty chili. I realize this sounds odd (and somewhat unappealing - trust me, this isn't a bad thing), but the truth is this: after simmering in a pot for God knows how long, the beans lost some of their firmness, and quickly thickened the broth into a delicious bean trace/chicken stock hybrid. The resulting dish kept the consistency of a thick soup, but had the boldness and flavor of a hearty chili. I'm not sure if this was how the soup is intended to be served, or if I simply caught a tasty fluke; regardless, my compliments to the chef.

For my main course, I ordered a Country Sweet Chicken Sandwich - two grilled pieces of white bread, framing two breaded pieces of chicken (essentially, two chicken fingers), smothered in melted cheddar cheese, and a healthy dose of Country Sweet sauce, all served with a side of ridged/wavy potato chips.



This is a sandwich I'd highly recommend to those who have an attraction to sweet and salty combos. The breaded chicken and melted cheddar cheese, not to mention the crispy, buttery bread, lend the typical salty, savory quality to this sandwich, but the Country Sweet sauce stands out in perfect contrast to the rest of the ingredients. For those who have never tried Country Sweet sauce, I apologize to you - truly, a Rochester masterpiece, Country Sweet sauce (best served with chicken...or anything for that matter) tastes a lot like the offspring of a one-night stand between a bottle of honey mustard and some sweet and sour sauce. Not quite spicy, but shouldering enough of a kick to be called "tangy," the Country Sweet sauce on my chicken wrapped up the sandwich nicely. The chicken itself offered a crunchy outside to a mouth-watering, juicy, white meat center, while the cheddar cheese was in gooey contrast to the toasted bread; this sandwich had some serious texture, in all the right ways.

For those out in the Chili area, the Country Sweet Chicken Sandwich and the Chicken Tuscany Soup alone are worth a stop out to the Westgate Family Restaurant. However, those looking for a nice, quiet place to kick back and relax, while enjoying some delicious, diner-friendly comfort food (at a modest price) need search no farther - the Westgate Family Restaurant might just be your new favorite place.

Score (out of 10): 8.5

Location: 1577 Howard Road, Rochester, NY 14624
Phone Number: (585) 426-7280
Website: N/A