So, I lied…I said I was back and then I never came back…but I assure you I’ve returned to forking around Detroit. This city has a special place in my heart…and the only way I can show my love is through my appetite…spoken like a true Italian!
In my months away from the blog, I kept on hearing wonderful things about El Barzon, so I decided to check out what all the hype was about. The thing that strikes me at first is location. If you weren’t familiar with the rave reviews of the restaurant or if your one of those wusses who is afraid to step foot in the Detroit (you know who you are….you suburbanites who think that every person walking in Detroit is going to rob you..trust me no one wants your Red Wings Jersey and Crocs), you wouldn’t consider going to the restaurant. I kind of like that about the place, it’s like this secret little gem. The décor reminds me that unlike many fine dining establishments, it's not important to make sure your chairs match…it’s entirely about the food.
Ahh..now the food! I checked out the menu before I went and I was so worried about not ordering the right thing. To go Mexican or to go Italian…that was the question. There is sooooo much on the menu, and it’s very difficult to narrow down what you want to try. They start you off with some chips and salsa….who doesn’t love chips and salsa? Both salsas are too die for!
When the waiter asked if we wanted any guacamole, the first thing that came to my mind is “Should that even be a question?” Probably some of the best guac I’ve had!
Then came the question of what to order. I decided to go with the Mexican for the entree, but not without a taste of some Italian to start off with. I ordered the Bis Pasta to start, which was a duo of pastas (strozzapreti norcina and cavatelli alla boscaiola). One had a creamy mushroom sauce, while the other had a traditional meat sauce. Both were very impressive. I was a fan of the mushroom sauce.
As for the entrée, I decided to go Mexican with the Enchelidas de Mole Pablano. Unfortunately I wasn't a big fan of it. I don’t blame the food, it was a situation like picking the wrong partner to dance the cha-cha. It wasn’t bad, it just wasn’t for me. I felt like I needed to have the “It’s not you, it’s me” convo with my plate. Although the sauce had a lot of depth, it was a bit too sweet for me. The meal ended with some coconut sorbet. One of the things I love about Italian fruit gelato is that it sometimes almost taste like your eating a perfect version of the fruit. The coconut sorbet was a lot like that, it tasted like I was eating a perfect coconut.
Overall, I have to say that I can see myself going back to El Barzon because even though my entrée and I weren’t meant for each other, I truly believe that there are many things on that menu that I can fall in love with. For that reason, I give El Barzon 4 forks out of 5.
