For intermission between sightseeing...

The Law of Als Averages

   Certain points of local interest for tourists are must stops. A visit to San Diego would be incomplete without feeling the breeze from our Pacific Ocean. Hearing the waves crash, wetting your feet and kicking up sand are essentials, no Part and parcel to enjoying the complete So-Cal experience is to have a bite of the local food fare from Mexico.

   For the vacationing diner, where in our community would you take them to experience an authentic selection of regional specialties, if they had but one night to spare To save time, go where you could kill two birds with one stone.

   Jewel City. La Jolla. You get the beach, shopping, and lots of dining spots all within a short walk of one another. Bullseye!

   Searching for a great margarita in that neck of the woods Yummy Diego recommends Alfonsos, a family run business in its 4th decade of operation. It has a proven track record of success. For those folks on the lookout for this dining specialty, you can look forward to skillfully prepared tacos & burritos here.

   Theres a generalized, inappropriate, yet ingrained mentality when it comes to non-fast Mexican foods at restaurants, a lowered bar of expectation in comparison to other types of hospitality fare. Any of us who frequent the drive-thru taco shops are accustomed to the following: choice of refried red beans and yellow rice--inclusive with any combo. If you were to survey the dining public at-large, asking them about their knowledge of ethnic platters from Baja, the majority of answers would resemble your average menu board at a Robertos. 

   On the law of averages, Joe Consumer is bound to find something that agrees with his salsa cravings upon paying a visit to a Cocina Latina. The hankering for this style of food over others is deliberate, when the mood hits. You WANT the rice and beans, pico de gallo, Tabasco, XX Cerveza, tortas and tostadas.

   In response to an endless voracious appetite for such choices, youre going to find satisfaction at Alfonsos. Her location RULES! Few restaurants in all of San Diego have as many visitors throughout the year. Theyre the envy of many, benefiting from serving one of the WORLDs most popular types of cuisine, just a stones throw from the postcard darling La Jolla Cove. After a rewarding day soaking up the sun rays and buying gifts for those who could not make the trip here, Alfonsos is as relaxing a place to wind down at for visitors, as any. Youll find that the menu will sufficiently hit the spot after a tiresome day of vegetation. Upon your departure back to where the only Mexican food you have handy is Taco Bell, youll look back fondly on your meal at Alfonsos. For the more discerning palates out there, there are hits and misses.

   Its beachfront property and Mexican stamp are the keys to Alphonses money-maker. So successful that quite possibly, any further increase of business could result in an implosion. Four persons in all sampled dinners to bring you this article, and results were mixedin part to what felt like a restaurant that rests on its laurels of locale & familiar Latino fajita flair.

   We experienced a passionless kitchen execution. Over the many years that this column has been written, it has been my quest to find distinguishing characteristics between restaurants, one to another. Exotic, less known meals of Hispanic heritage that could be offered as dinner specials would show a spark of creativity that was not apparent tonight.

   There wasnt a SINGLE special offered. Perhaps unoriginality is so well rewarded by your average El Pollo Loco patron that the luxury of an untested kitchen creation has been deemed expendable. How would Als MENU then rate on average, compared with other restaurants that serve the same items On their regular menu rotation, there is nary a single singular recipe at Alfonsos that cannot be recreated at virtually every Mexican eatery in town.

   Authentic rice and beans are expected with Mexican food, by consensus. Yummy Diego grants high marks here for the texture and quality of Als garnishments. I would have served BOTH these sides on small dishes apart from the main plates for a simple reason. Redundancy. Tonights quartet of dinersYummy, Arturo, Victoria, and Guillermonoted way too much similarity, one plate to another. One culprit to blame for this in particular was the use of the VERY SAME rice & beans on all four plates. Why not in the future serve the starches apart and thereafter garnish everyones plates with different vegetables It wouldve made for a better presentation.

   Endless spice combinations exist, so when different entre choices feature VERY similar tastes, wheres the inspiration In the case of what sells most at a Mexican restaurant, perhaps it would be unwise to veer too far from the customary flavors.

   Happy to report that the LG shrimp cocktail is everything youd hope for when ordering this classic starter, no flavor disappointment whatsoever. The prawns were fresh, as was the avocado therein. A hint of sweetness in the broth that had our taste buds singing!

   Alfonsos offers LIVE music on Saturdays and Sundays. Latin rhythms via cable radio are aired the other five evenings. Audio entertainment (samba, folklorico, bossa nova, merengue, salsa, mambo, tango, cumbias, etc.) related to Latin lands add a charm to this sort of meal.

   Latin spirits were done right. Yummy Diego recommends the PEACH margarita for your opening cocktail. There are decent wines available, but this sort of chow demands a Corona or tequila.

   Chips and salsa with beer are kindred spirits. They are brought to your table from the moment youre seated. Alfonsos serves thick-cut corn chips that are under-salted for my liking, easily seasoned up. Cholesterol ALERT, as the chips are loaded with saturated fats. A small guacamole was ordered, a touch creamy and enjoyed by all.

   A garlic seasoned chicken salad followed, equally well received. The bed of roughage was entirely comprised of Iceberg Lettuce, and how come A variety of mixed greens would have garnered a better review. The produce is fresh, featuring some grilled veggies atop. Breath alert: the salad features BIG chunks of onions.

   They came with a salad made up of chicken, with red beans, lettuce, tomatoes, and avocados, said Arturo, really, really good. Theres nothing I can say bad about this.

   We received a Quesadilla Mercedes, the Staffs favorite dish. Yummy Diego awards its Highest Possible Recommendation, here. Two Forks Up for Alfonsos glorified cheese melt, named after the family matriarch, topped with shrimps, bell peppers, onions and a special ranchera sauce, which does the trick. ALAKAZAM~~!

   Guillermo hoped for magic when he ordered Mahi Mahi for his main course, along with a glass of Kendall Jackson Sauvignon Blanc. PRESTO~~! Instead, what unraveled felt like the work of an illusionist with a sleight of hand.

   I did not like it, said Guillermo of his fish. It was labeled on the menu as a boneless and skinless Mahi Mahi, sauted in garlic, green onions and lemon. What they forgot to mention is that it also had, as over the others, the Mexican tomato-chile sauce that theyve been putting in every food this evening. The reason I ordered this one (there were two on the menu to choose from) was because of the impression they gave that it would simply have a little lemon, garlic and butter.

   Victoria ordered the steak and shrimp combo. Along arrived prawns that had zero bite. No trace of spice at all. The steak was a little hard, said Vickie, and I would have preferred a couple of vegetables with my main dish.

   Vickies plate, the cheese with bean on top, I put that in a tortilla with the guacamole mix. That was very, very good, said Guillermo.

   Arturo had the same carne asada as Vickie did, though a larger portion. We were generally contented with the cattle, although Alfonsos trademark marinade could feature less salt in the future.

   We entered into a spirited debate as to what items ought to be offered at ethnic restaurants, in general. Remember JP We took him to The Butcher Shop, recalled Victoria, and he wanted to order tacos. It begs the question: would it be smart business practice for a Chinese restaurant as an example to offereven in limited numbersfoods from elsewhere, like Gyros

   You dont go to an Italian restaurant and say, Give me a hamburger with French fries, said Arturo.

   Refer to one article from among the archives on the Yummy Diego website. Victoria and Yummy visited Indigo Grill not long ago, which serves this sort of ethnic food mix. The tremendous Indigo Grill uses a superabundance of Mexican spices. How come Alfonsos cannot While on one hand, certain limits are to be expected with ethnic cuisine, standard as to the foods prepared, on the other hand this does NOT have to carry over when it comes to the seasoning of these dishes. Beef, for instance. If there are a plethora of great Latino steak rubs, why not give consumers a number of options

   Mexican food is unique. It is very colorful and tasty, said Arturo. There are flavors common at many restaurants that serve this food, about the same everywhere. You wont find this combination in foods from other countries. Some might not like the idea of similar styles, yet this IS the reason why the food is so popular all over.

   Yummy ordered Puerto Nuevo (Mexican Newport community) style slipper lobster tails. The tails were nicely rendered, following a tried-and-true down south method of presentation. No complaints. These tails are sometimes known as Spanish, shovelnose, or bulldozer lobsters. Theyre ALL meat, of creamy white texture and a touch sweet.

   What I really enjoyed most tonight was the lobster along with the butter. They were a 10, said Vickie.

   The (clarified) butter (for the slipper tails) is somewhat magical, said Guillermo. Its not ordinary supermarket-style butter. Its higher quality crme.

   Also of above average quality was the deep fried ice cream. A cup of coffee requested, to enjoy with the dessert, was of poor quality. Some of the GREATEST coffee beans anywhere come from Latin America, ask Starbucks!

FINAL VERDICTS

   Im leaving this dinner feeling very lacking, Guillermo concluded. I would not have paid for this meal. I would have sent it (the fish, aka Hawaiian Dorado) back to the Chef, under a normal circumstance.

   I recommend Alfonsos. The dinner was beautiful, said Arturo.

   What can I say We had a great time, stated Victoria.

   Yum Yum enjoyed her leftovers.

   Out-of-town guests who visit Alfonsos, on their list of things to do while here, will check off having sampled authentic Mexican food. Satisfactory entre items, for the most part. Good bar pours. Prompt service. Locals will be more critical, because the San Diego restaurant scene is LOADED with outstanding indigenous cooks.

1251 Prospect La Jolla CA 92037
(858) 454-2232 www.alfonsoslajolla.signonsandiego.com