A second shot at Gran Agave

Kids know everything, right?

At the end of the school year, in Year 1 of my project, my students had frequented Gran Agave, the closest Mexican restaurant to our school, not to mention the most easy-to-access.  I had kids write about it being the "best Mexican food they had ever eaten" and how they "love Mexican food now" because of their visits there.

Not that they went to other places, though.

The first time that I went to Gran Agave, I was not impressed.  Not in the least.  I had the Mole Poblano, and after having the Mole Poblano at Las Velas, there was no comparison.  The flavor just wasn't there at Gran Agave - it wasn't gross or inedible, but it was just not as good as the dish I had at Las Velas.

Everything's relative, right?

On the very last day of school for us teachers, several of my friends from the middle school asked me to go to lunch with them - and they were going to Gran Agave.  Despite my past experience, I figured it would be worth a second chance, as in any restaurant.  Maybe I just ordered the wrong thing last time.  Maybe they had changed things.  Maybe I was just so impressed with Las Velas that nothing could come close to their food.  

Gran Agave Menu Cover

 I arrived first and got a booth for the 6 of us in the back.  While I waited, I ordered what they called on the menu the "Orange" Jarritos, a popular brand of Mexican soda.  The flavor is actually "mandarin", but I understand that the common gringo knows "orange" more commonly than "mandarin".

At the same time, people will never learn anything knew unless what they already know is challenged. 

"Orange" (Mandarin) Jarritos

This is not "orange" like Sunkist Orange - the flavor is more subtle, and not as sweet.  It is more like orange-flavored soda water, so in my opinion, the flavor is more sophisticated than that of a kid's-marketed soda.

I even held off on eating any of the complimentary chips and salsa until everyone else arrived. Willpower is a tremendous thing, when it exists.  I do like the chips and salsa, even if the salsa is very runny - it has just enough spice to satisfy without being overpowering.  The chips are crispy with a good corn flavor.

While others decided upon quesadillas (some with just meat and cheese - really?), taco salads, and tacos, I decided upon an entree to try a few things on one plate.  The menu at Gran Agave is enormous, and it's too complicated - if you want people to have options, offer a mix-and-match menu, not a huge menu with about every food combination imaginable that makes it impossible to be decisive in a timely manner.  

I finally came to the conclusion that I wanted some basic Mexican foods, so I ordered "La Favorita": One special burrito, one tostaguac (basically a tortilla covered in guacamole, lettuce, tomato, and cheese), and one chicken enchilada.  

"La Favorita": Tostaguac, Special Burrito, Chicken Enchilada

 The best part of the meal was again catching up with my middle school friends.  Even though the middle school now sits on the same campus of the high school where I teach, I still rarely see them, as our school hours are not aligned. 

My opinion on the food at Gran Agave remains at "Meh".  It's not bad.  It's not great.  I cleaned my plate, but there is something about the flavor - basically, it lacks flavor.  On the menu, it reads, "Not all Mexican food is hot.  All our dishes are meticulously prepared with authentic yet mild flavor.  For those who like it hot, we put a dish of hot sauce on the table.  Let us introduce you to real Mexican food."

Um.  Yes, most people think that Taco Bell, Chipotle, and Moe's are examples of "real" Mexican food - but, I'm sorry, David Montanez's version of Mexican food at Las Velas remains to me a better example of "real" Mexican food.  

I trust him.  He's Mexican - for real.

So kids, I understand that Gran Agave is a CLOSE example of better Mexican food, but really, downtown Pittsburgh isn't that much farther - and a good meal is never not worth traveling for.  Popularity and proximity should not be determiners of what is "good".  

When something is truly "good", it's worth the extra effort.

Gran Agave

152 East Bridge St.

Homestead, PA 15120

Web (picture of menu available): http://www.urbanspoon.com/r/23/1505587/restaurant/Pittsburgh/Waterfront/Gran-Agave-Homestead

…Las Velas con Burgh Gourmand

I know what I like.

I have been raving about Las Velas for months, since my first visit before the reopening as a guest with my brother, to my second visit for dinner with my brother, through this first quarter of the school year.  I have worn my Las Velas t-shirt to school (and had to correct many people who thought it said “Las Vegas”.  Ay de mí…)  I bought a CBS Local Offer AND a Groupon to ensure that I get back there soon (and save some money).  I even had a Twitter follower, Susan Lee, DONATE a CBS Local Offer to my classes so that one of my own students could experience this restaurant that I love so, so much.

I guess my love for Las Velas shines through with effect, because after our experience at Smoke Taqueria, Burgh Gourmand suggested that we go to Las Velas, since he had never been there, and I talked it up so much.

No hesitation here.  I accepted the invitation.

Photo courtesy of Burgh Gourmand: View of the inside of Las Velas (taken from his perspective, near the windows)

 We arrived and were seated by the windows, which reveal a gorgeous view of Market Square.  It was chilly and gray outside, with a chance of heavier rain, but regardless, people were still socializing and milling about.  The ice skating rink was in the beginning stages of being built a block away, and the barriers for it could be seen in the distance.

Our waiter asked if we wanted chips and salsa, and of course we said yes, but I made sure to add, “And guacamole, too, please!”

I love the guac.

Chips, guacamole, salsa roja

Burgh Gourmand commented on the guac as well, saying that it was “so creamy” (sometimes guacamole is a little chunky when the avocados aren’t mashed too well).  I know that it still gets my vote for “Best Guac”, despite trying it in other restaurants now, too.

Burgh had this to add later:

I did blur Burgh Gourmand's real name to protect the innocent - I promise, though, this was from him!

Although I am partial to the guac, I made sure to have my chips with some salsa, since A.) salsa is fat-free, and guacamole is not, and B.) I love the way the salsa tastes, since it is made with fresh cilantro, and C.) It is not super-chunky, but not super-runny, either.

Burgh Gourmand and I had a hard time deciding upon our main dishes – I wanted to try something off of their “Traditional Mexican” menu, since I hadn’t yet, and I keep touting authenticity.  Back when I started doing this, the owner’s wife, Ginny, replied to my email about my blog with a list of items on the menu that are authentic – and anything on that part is (in addition to others).

I decided to go with “Pollo al cilantro” – basically, you choose your meat and sauce, so I chose chicken with a cilantro sauce (I had to go cilantro!).  Burgh originally decided upon “Mar Y Tierra” (Surf ‘N Turf, to put it simply), but at the last minute changed his mind to the “Pollo en Mole Poblano”, which was my choice on my last visit.

Who doesn’t love a good mole?!

Pollo al cilantro - no leftovers this time (guess I'll have to come back for more...)

Photo courtesy of Burgh Gourmand: Pollo en mole poblano

Neither one of us regretted our choices.  Burgh’s mole exceeded his expectations – I told him that I wouldn’t steer him wrong, and I live up to my promises.  My “Pollo al Cilantro” was what I was hoping for – a delicious, but not overpowering cilantro-flavored sauce encasing shredded chicken, which served as a great filler for my handmade tortillas and veggies.  The sauce was a little salty, but not enough for me to not savor every bite of my meal.

In addition to comida muy rica, the trip to Las Velas included a spectacular view of Market Square, capped off with witnessing a torrential downpour (and pedestrians scattering to avoid it) and helicopters flying dangerously close to skyscrapers around Market Square due to the filming of the Tom Cruise film “One Shot”. 

Even better?  Great conversation with Burgh Gourmand.  It’s nice to converse with someone that A.) has common interests, B.) has intelligence, and C.) can tell you things you never knew before.  If you ever get the opportunity to dine with him – do it.

At the end of my last post about Las Velas, I said:

“I left so, so full, and so, so happy.”  - I did this time, too.

“I will be back, Las Velas.” – Obviously, I came back.  Duh.

“I will try something different next time, although I was completely smitten with the meal that I had chosen.” – Totally tried something new (although Burgh did let me sample his mole poblano!  I couldn’t resist!)

“I will bring friends.” – Done.

“I will encourage others to patronize you, even if I am not with them.” – I do through my blog, Facebook page, Twitter.  I wear my Las Velas shirt to school on Casual Friday when I can.  Not to mention my contest where a student won $30 to spend at your restaurant!

Further proof that I live up to my promises.

Las Velas

21 Market Square

Pittsburgh, PA 15222

Web: http://www.lasvelasmex.com

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/?sk=lf - !/LasVelasMex

Twitter: @lasvelas

Burgh Gourmand

Website: http://www.burghgourmand.com

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/BurghGourmand

Twitter: https://twitter.com/#!/BurghGourmand

...Las Velas

I’ve missed speaking Spanish. 

Who would’ve thought that was possible?  Unless you speak more than one language and not used one or more in awhile - then used it again - could you even understand the feeling.

Not teaching Spanish for a year wasn’t weird at the time, but it’s weird to me now.  How did I go a year not speaking Spanish, not making sugar skulls for the Day of the Dead, not explaining that “Cinco de Mayo” is NOT Mexico’s Independence Day?  How did I not teach how to conjugate verbs, not talk about cognates and using context to figure out meaning, and not yell at kids for chuckling at “funny sounding” words (like “sacapuntas”)?

Blasphemy.

I will admit that I have had to do some brushing up.  I found myself reading the Spanish on an HP toner box out loud while working at Kennywood this summer to practice my accent once again – and good thing I did.  I was rusty.  I was out of practice.  I sounded so…American. 

I went to Las Velas in Market Square (downtown) tonight with my brother.  I had been there before their recent re-opening for a pre-opening party with him a few weeks ago, since I had heard so much about it from him (he plays softball with the owner, David, and goes there for lunch often since he works in the area).  In my quest for finding authentic Hispanic restaurants in the Pittsburgh area, I thought this would be a good place to start.

I love it when I’m right.

For the pre-opening party on July 16th, we started with the homemade tortilla chips, served with salsa, guacamole, and salsa verde.  The chips were perfectly fried and warm, and the salsa had the BEST cilantro content of any salsa that I have had.  I love cilantro, and I am thoroughly disappointed that my attempt at growing it in my garden this summer failed miserably.  Salsa verde was never my favorite, but tasted much better in comparison to others that I have had.  The guacamole – O.  M.  G.  I am picky about my guac – avocados are a fickle fruit, and a bad avocado can ruin the guac.  No bad avocados here.  It was – no exaggeration – THE best guac I have EVER had.  I know I have a lot more restaurants to try out, but in my experiences so far, this is the standard.

The rest of the meal was served family-style – fajitas, with homemade tortillas, chicken, beef, pico de gallo, peppers, onions, rice, and refried beans with queso fresco, a traditional Mexican cheese.  Having been to Mexico and eaten traditional foods there, this was as close as I have come to having something “authentic” in Da ‘Burgh.

I could not wait to go back and try the traditional menu.  Of course, my brother has been there for lunch on several occasions already, but the dinner menu is a bit different from the lunch menu, so he was eager to try it for dinner.  We started with the delectable chips and salsa (he doesn’t like guac – party pooper).  I honestly think that the chips were even better this time than the first, and I can’t pinpoint why, since I thought they were amazing the first time.  

Then I got to practice my Spanish again.  Briefly.  Ahhhhh.

I ordered the “Pollo en mole poblano” – which, according to the menu, is “Deliciously slow-cooked mole rojo sauce smothered on…chicken…Served with your choice of three sides: rice, beans, lettuce/pico de gallo, guacamole, sour cream, rajas/crema, papas Laticias, or cheese.  Corn or flour tortillas.”  Yeah, choice?  No.  It came with ALL of that – the only thing that I chose was corn tortillas.  I’m not complaining one bit – it was a lot of food, though, which just means that I brought about half of it home, and I have dinner for tomorrow, too!  

I wanted to try this because I had never had mole sauce.  I know, I know – how could this BE?  I teach about it all of the time, but had never tried it myself.  Mole is actually partially made with chocolate, but doesn’t taste like what you would pour over your ice cream or put in your milk to make chocolate milk.  It is also made with peppers (in this case, poblano peppers, which are not very hot), and it has a unique taste.  See http://www.recipetips.com/glossary-term/t--35996/mole-rojo.asp for a simple explanation.

I loved it.  I’m so glad that I have leftovers.

My brother is also all about dessert, and he wanted to try the dessert at Las Velas, since it is not something that he would normally have with lunch. 

Not to mention that he misses Chi-Chi’s with a passion, and REALLY wanted fried ice cream.

So he ordered his fried ice cream, and I ordered the sopapillas (more Spanish!  Ahhhh…) – tortilla chips, covered with honey and served with ice cream and strawberry sauce.  Who could go wrong with that combination?  

I know I didn’t.

My brother tried my dessert, and when I asked to try his, he said, “It’s just ice cream.”  Riiiiiight.  Hoarder.

I left so, so full, and so, so happy.  I will be back, Las Velas.  I will try something different next time, although I was completely smitten with the meal that I had chosen.  I will bring friends.  I will encourage others to patronize you, even if I am not with them. 

Nos vemos pronto. (Ahhhhh…)

Las Velas

21 Market Square

Pittsburgh, PA 15222

Web: http://www.lasvelasmex.com

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/?sk=lf - !/LasVelasMex

Twitter: @lasvelas

Follow me on Twitter: @senoritacibulka