El Pueblo Restaurant at 6608 Folsom Blvd. is the place to be if you want delicious, authentic Mexican food, great drinks, and a good night. Under the new ownership of Raja Martin, and managed by Lucino Santoyo-no matter what you order-you can't go wrong!
Not only do Raja, Lucino, and the rest of the crew, welcome you like family-but they will also treat you like family! Only the best and freshest ingredients are used every day. The produce is delivered daily, the meats have been marinated overnight and are never frozen (for the best flavor), and the sauces and salsas are all made from scratch.
My mouth is watering just as I write this, as I am recalling the array of offered salsas (they have multiple types to choose from) and perfectly crispy, salted, warm chips to compliment. Chips and salsa often give the first impression-and we were already happy!
The food gets a 5 star rating as far as we are concerned! From Chicken Suiza Enchiladas, to Chicken Mole, to Chile Rellenos, and everything in between-it is all excellent.
The green sauce on the Chicken Suizas has so much flavor, with a beautiful texture, and just enough bite to be perfectly complimented by a glass of Chardonnay.
The Mole has such a mouth-watering and slightly smoky flavor from the ground chiles, as it was well complimented by traditional black beans and rice to the side.
And the Chile Relleno! Wow! A perfect batter that was never soggy and never greasy, but instead enhanced the creaminess of the melted cheese, wonderfully contained in the large, beautiful pepper.
And of course, let's not forget about one of the most popular dishes at any Mexican restaurant-the Fajitas! Since the meats are never frozen, the juiciness and tenderness of the meat, is unmatched. Especially the Carne Asada!
We got a sneak peek as the chef prepared an order in the kitchen. With smells of marinated, grilled steak, peppers, and onions hanging in the air we found ourselves wishing that we were on the other side of the table for this order!
But perhaps one of the most unique finds we experienced at El Pueblo, was their signature taco. I have honestly found this taco at no other restaurant, and it is definitely something to keep going back for again and again.
Served at a reasonable price, and filled with cabbage, guacamole, a generous portion of meat (chicken, carne asada, carnitas, or shrimp), and topped with a deliciously balanced aioli that is made in-house-it has all the flavor you can imagine. What makes this taco extra special though, is that once the shell is fried, a soft corn tortilla is then stuck to the outside-sealed with melted monterey jack cheese.
Even though you probably only need to have a couple to be full, I couldn't help myself from having more than I needed just because they tasted so good.
As we ate, we were entertained by live Mariachi-which I hear they have at the restaurant weekly on Thursdays and/or Fridays! I sipped my Michelada-which by the way was also freshly made-no mixes-and better than any I have ever had before. It was a perfect combination of beer, lime and spices. Although I ordered the regular size, I was wishing that I had chosen the oversized option-because it was just that good!
All in all a perfect place to be. Amazing food, at a reasonable price. Excellent hospitality. Delicious drinks, and most importantly-fun! While I was there, I was able to just sit and enjoy the experience, as my day melted away. I give El Pueblo 5 stars all the way around!
Before leaving, as if we hadn't eaten enough, we couldn't resist the deep fried ice cream. The outside coating actually stayed with the ice cream, and the ice cream itself was still a complete scoop! Not too firm, or too melted, but just right with a textured coating, chocolate sauce and whipped cream to bring everything together. So happy that we didn't resist!
We will definitely be going back to El Pueblo often. Because after only a short time spent there, we ate incredible food and drinks, and felt like family. There aren't too many places that can achieve that feel-so whatever Raja, Lucino and the team are doing, I sure am glad they are here in Folsom!