La Birria Pearl Kai Opens Today (4/8)!

La Birria opens its newest location at Pearl Kai today!  

They opened up the first La Birria food truck back in Oct. 2020 with a simple concept in mind — to take one menu item — birria tacos, and excel at it.

They have since expanded to 2 brick-and-mortars, as well as franchises.

You’ll find all the usual faves at the new spot — Birria Queso Tacos, Hell Fire Tacos, and Birria Ramen.

Birria Queso Tacos

Birria Ramen

If you dare risk your tongue, buy a Mexican Roulette pack of 12 tacos, one of which is a Hell Fire Taco (I've only ever made it through 2 bites).

Mexican Roulette (11 Birria Questo + 1 Hidden Hell Fire)

Agua Fresca • Horchata • Cold Brew Horchata • Strawberry Horchata

Congrats to the La Birria Team!

La Birria - Pearl Kai

98-199 Kamehameha Hwy

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Los Chaporros Mexican Restaurant

It's been nearly 10 years since I've had Los Chaporros.  I absolutely loved it when I dined there long ago - for both the food and the service, and I was looking forward to the food when we recently did take-out.

Chips & Salsa

While you wait for your take-out order, they give you complimentary chips and salsa, and they also added some to our order to-go!

Chicken Chimichanga

I once again had the Chicken Chimichanga, and I really enjoyed it.  The shredded chicken was seasoned nicely and the chimichanga was flavorful.  I thought the beans and rice were a bit underseasoned, however. 

Everyone else in the family ordered two-item plates. 

Chicken Chimichanga and Chicken Burrito

Steak Quesadilla

Beef Tamale

Beef Enchilada

Beef Crispy Taco

Chicken Enchilada

Steak Burrito

Overall, everyone enjoyed the food!

Los Chaparros Mexican Restaurant
2140 S Beretania St

Honolulu, HI  96816
(808) 951-6399

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Visit Hilo: Luquin's 454

I finally checked out Luquin's 454.  I had visited the Pahoa location a while ago, and was eager to try out their location in Hilo, which opened up in 2023.

Complimentary Chips & Salsa

Your first basket of Chips & Salsa is complimentary.  I was a little disappointed in how they skimped on the chips (notice how much fuller the basket was in Pahoa), and they were lacking salt (thankfully there was salt on the table).  The salsa, was good, however,  It had bold flavors and spice.

Chicken Flauta

I got the Chicken Flauta.  I had the Steak Flauta the last time (since it's the closest thing to a Chimichanga), but there were too many chewy pieces, so I decided to stick with Chicken.  The flavors were great, and I was relieved that the chicken was moist (as some other places stuff their dishes with dried out, shredded chicken).  The beans and rice were also delicious!

Al Pastor Grilled Burrito

My friend had a special of the day - the Al Pastor Grilled Burrito.  He said the burrito was good, although he could've done without all the chunks of pineapple (he jokingly commented that there seemed to be more pineapple than there was meat).  He actually liked my Flauta better.

I'm glad I finally tried Luquin's in Hilo!  The Flauta was great, and the service was too!

Luquin's 454
454 Manono St

Hilo, HI 96720

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Visit Salt Lake City: Red Iguana

While in Utah, I discovered that thousands of Mexicans arrived in Utah in the early 1900s to work in the mines, which led to an abundance of great Mexican restaurants.

Red Iguana is one of them.

The first time we tried to go there, we made the mistake of going the same night as a Utah Jazz game, so it was packed.

We didn't want to wait for the 35-45 minutes we were quoted, so we returned the next day, at the recommendation of the employee, who said it shouldn't be too crowded.

We returned early afternoon, thinking it was an off-peak time, but we were wrong!  It was very crowded, but thankfully no wait.

And we were lucky to get seated, because we were told that parties larger than 5 need to make reservations, which we did not have.  Fortunately, the employee gathered seats around a little table to squeeze us in - we were grateful!

We were immediately given some Chips & Salsa that were so addicting.  The salsa was smooth with a little spice.  We loved it and got seconds (complimentary!)

Shrimp Quesadilla

The Shrimp Quesadilla was an appetizer, but it was huge, like a meal in itself!  

Beef Burrito

Enmoladas

I opted to order the Enmoladas, made with their signature mole.  Enmoladas are described on the menu as: Three corn tortillas folded into triangles, filled with refried beans, topped with mole negro, sprinkled with a queso fresco and cotija blend, then topped with pickled red onions.

It was my first time having enmoladas, and it was delicious.  There was a little sweetness from the mole, and I loved the smoky beans and pickled red onions.  

Tacos de Pollo

Red Iguana

The Red Iguana is a combo plate consisting of a cheese enchilada, a beef taco, beef flauta, chile relleno, and a beef tostada.  It also came with rice and beans on the side.  It was a huge plate and perfect if you can't decide what to order and / or want to try a bunch of popular items.   

Chili Verde Chimichanga

The food was fantastic and the service was great.  Highly recommend Red Iguana when visiting Salt Lake City!


Red Iguana
736 W North Temple St

Salt Lake City, UT 84116

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La Tonita

La Tonita is a Mexican restaurant in Wahiawa that we decided to get take-out from one day. 

Steak Burrito

Mamalon Burrito

The Mamalon Burrito was filled with steak, chicken, rice, beans, lettuce, and cheese.  It's supposed to be topped with red and green sauce, but it was not, nor was it packed separately, and again, no pico de gallo inside as stated on the menu. 

Street Tacos

Chicken Chimichanga

I had the Chimichanga.  They forgot the pico de gallo as stated on the menu (I didn't realize it until I opened the box since we did take-out), but I liked the accompanying red sauce.  The Chimichanga was fried nicely to a crisp, and I did think it was unusual it was cut into thirds (I'm guessing to fit in the box, but then why not just cut in half?).  I did think the chicken in the Chimichanga was underseasoned, but the beans and rice were tasty.

Despite the missing elements, I would still give this place another try.  I love Mexican food and I appreciated the efforts behind the dishes. 

Perhaps dining in would be better the next time! 

La Tonita
1718 Wilikina Dr

Wahiawa, HI 96786

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Visit Hilo: Coco Cantina $11 Lunch Specials

Coco Cantina is one of my fave spots in Hilo for take-out lunch, and their $11 Lunch Specials Monday-Friday 11am-3pm are a great deal!

El Azteca Burrito

Pollo Burrito

Pollo Protein Bowl

My go-to is the Pollo Protein Bowl - Mexican rice, black beans, greens, chicken, pico de gallo, guac, cheese, and salsa.  

It's so tasty and filling, and the chicken is tender and delicious.  It easily lasts me two meals.

I hope these specials never go away!

Coco Cantina

194 Kilauea Ave, #105
Hilo, HI 96778

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Jose's Mexican Cafe & Cantina

It has been years, and I mean YEARS since I have been to Jose's Mexican Cafe & Cantina in Kaimuki, and it hasn't changed much over the years.  Fun fact - Jose's is celebrating 50 years of business this year!  For a restaurant, that's quite an impressive milestone.

I met a friend here for lunch on a weekday, and we were practically the only customers. There was one other customer sitting at the bar, and that was it. I hear it gets "busier" during dinner service, which doesn't surprise me, based on the prices and speed of the kitchen.

 

Chips and salsa are complimentary!

I ordered the Burrito Del Mar - a burrito filled with snow crab, and covered with ranchera sauce, melted cheese and sour cream. Served with refried beans and Spanish rice.

There was a decent amount of crab in the burrito - I love crab! As you can see, the burrito was pretty big - I ate half and took the other half home for the next day's lunch. 

My friend ordered the Fish Tacos - he got two soft tacos filled with mahi-mahi, beans, and Spanish rice. He finished the entire plate and said it was delicious! 

There's nothing that stands out at Jose's, but if you're in the mood for Mexican food and want to come to a place with parking, lots of seating, and walkable options for dessert afterwards, then come to Jose's. 

______________________________

JOSE'S MEXICAN CAFE & CANTINA
1134 KOKO HEAD AVENUE
808-732-1833

 

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Visit California: El Merendero

In the mood for quick and casual Mexican for breakfast, we stopped at El Merendero.   

They have an extensive menu of Mexican eats - enchiladas, tortas, menudo, and more, but I simply got a breakfast burrito, stuffed with egg and chorizo. 

The burrito was a nice size, and the chorizo had a nice saltiness and heat. 

Definitely stop by El Merendero for quick, delicious, and authentic Mexican eats.  

El Merendero

1910 Fairplex Dr,

La Verne, CA 91750

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Visit Island of Hawai`i: Luquin's Cantina - Pahoa

Someone told me Luquin's Cantina in Pahoa is one of her favorite restaurants, so despite Luquin's 454 opening up in Hilo, I just had to check out the Pahoa location, where Luquin's originated (the original Pahoa restaurant was burned down in a fire, and they relocated into an old fast food spot in Pahoa). 

Complimentary Chips & Salsa

Your first basket of chips and salsa is free.  The chips were crispy with just enough salt, and the salsa had some nice heat to it!

Steak Flauta

I usually eat Chimichangas when at Mexican restaurants (I know, it's not authentically Mexican), so I got the next closest thing - a Flauta!  In an effort to try and eat more protein, I decided to get it stuffed with steak.  I wish I stuck with my usual chicken, because a lot of the pieces of beef were chewy throughout - too chewy for my preference, but overall the flavor was delicious, and I just loved how golden and crispy the flauta was.  The accompanying refried beans, Mexican rice, salsa, and guacamole made for a very filling meal.

Carnitas Enchiladas

My friend ordered the Carnitas Enchiladas, which he felt were lacking spices.  He ended up requesting more salsa to pour onto the enchiladas, and that made a lot of difference.

Service was excellent and prices were reasonable.

Despite a few misses, we were overall satisfied with our meals, and I'm eager to check out the new Luquin's in Hilo, and will be sure to order chicken next time in my Flauta!

Luquin's Cantina
151448 Kahakai Blvd

Pāhoa, HI 96778

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Visit Hilo: Coco Cantina Revisited

I was impressed with my first take-out experience at Coco Cantina in Hilo.  They had just opened in the area, and the food and service were both really great.  I recently ordered from them again, and was impressed with the great food and level of service.  

El Azteca Burrito

The El Azteca Burrito was enormous!  It was stuffed with carnitas.

Carne Asada Barrio Bowl

I ordered the Carne Asada Barrio Bowl once again.  It was so yummy and filling, with Mexican rice, black beans, pico de gallo, lettuce, guacamole, and chunks of steak.  

Chicken Tortilla Soup

The Chicken Tortilla Soup was so flavorful.  Topped with tortilla chips, cilantro, and sour cream, it was one of the best Chicken Tortilla Soups I've had anywhere - I just wish the serving was a bit bigger!

Acapulco Salad

The Acapulco Salad is served in a crisp tortilla shell if you dine in (it is packed separately to prevent sogginess if you do take-out).  The salad was full of olives, cheese, chicken, black beans, and tomatoes.

I highly recommend Coco Cantina for delicious food and friendly service!

Coco Cantina

194 Kilauea Ave, #105
Hilo, HI 96778

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Visit California: Casa Jimenez

When in California, there are many great options for Mexican food.  Googling for a nearby restaurant brought us to Casa Jimenez, where we enjoyed brunch.

Jimenez Special

The Jimenez Special consisted of carne asada, beans, and tortillas.

Huevos con Chorizo

I got the Huevos con Chorizo - chorizo and scrambled eggs. It was served with rice and beans.  It was a lot of food that made for a hearty meal.  I really liked the spicy sausage crumbled up in the eggs.

I would have eaten almost all of the breakfast plate if I didn't eat a lot of chips and salsa and pico de gallo.  Just give me some chips and salsa and I'll be happy!

My friend had a great tip - mix the pico de gallo with the salsa for the best flavors!

Never too early for a margarita!

Service was great, the food was authentic, and the prices were beyond reasonable (less than half of what you'd expect to pay in Hawai`i).  

Casa Jimenez was full of locals, so you know it's a go-to spot for residents!

Casa Jimenez
921 W Foothill Blvd

Claremont, CA 91711

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