Thanks to El Pollo Loco for sponsoring today’s post and having some of the best food I’ve ever put in my mouth.
This week I went to a tasting in downtown Houston put on by El Pollo Loco. They are opening several new locations in the Houston area this year and were excited to share the news (along with some amazing food) with some local bloggers.
This was the first time I had heard of the restaurant, as the first in my area are in the process of going up right now. I’m a huge sucker for Mexican food though so I had pretty high expectations going in.
All I can say is they took my expectations as a Texas girl growing up just a few hours from the border and blew them completely out of the water. Literally some of the best food I’ve ever tasted. I’m getting ahead of myself, but Cheesecake Chimichangas. Who even knew that was a thing? But it is, and it’s like a dream come true.
I don’t ever rave about food. Ever. I’m one of those people that eats to live and that’s about it, but when I got home from the tasting I had to call a friend to tell her about it and she was shocked that I was this excited about food. Or that I had eaten until my stomach hurt. These are just not things I’m known for.
Let me tell you a bit more about the restaurant. El Pollo Loco means “the crazy chicken” and they advertise “crazy you can taste”. I definitely agree. The employees get to the restaurants hours before opening time to pre-marinate the fresh whole chickens that will go into their delicious dishes later in the day. They are then fire grilled right there on location.
Did I mention they have a drive through? It’s literally sit-down restaurant taste level at a drive-thru price value and convenience. I always feel like those lazy nights when I don’t want to cook my options are to (a) spend a fortune ordering takeout from a restaurant or (b) go through a drive through and feed my family not-so-healthy food (to put it kindly). This solves that dilemma with one crazy chicken! Healthy foods (they even have a tasty under 500 calorie menu) cheap prices (they have another $5 meal menu) and drive thru convenience (no taking my screaming toddlers inside an eating establishment. They have over 400 company owned and franchised restaurants in California, Nevada, Utah and Texas.
These Grande tacos were part of the Under 500 calorie menu and they were awesome!
Are you getting hungry yet?
Just wait until I show you the pictures of all the yummies we got to try on Thursday!
When we walked in we found lovely tasting menus at each seat. They listed appetizers of chips and various homemade salsas, five entrees and two desserts. We watched them prepare most of these in front of our eyes, just like they do on location every day. The creamy avocado salsa was definitely a favorite, but I’m also partial to guacamole and queso.
I automatically assumed we’d each be selecting an entree and dessert to try and that would be that.
Nope, not how it went down.
We all got to try all five entrees and two desserts. “Pace yourselves” we were told. But that was impossible. With each course I said “oh I’ll just have a bite of this and save room for the others…” and found myself incapable of doing so. It was just that good.
They brought out broccoli as one side dish and I figured that would be an easy one to pass on. Everyone knows about broccoli, I mean how good could it be, right? Wrong. Best broccoli I’ve ever had. Perfectly salty and soft without being overcooked. I feel so much more insecure about my own veggie-cooking skills now that I know that level of perfection is a possibility
Top left: Poblano Avocado Burrito – These are hand prepared and amazing!
Top right: bone in chicken – Their famous chicken marinated in citrus, garlic and spices plus fire grilled over an open flame for an hour! YUM.
Bottom left: Tostada – Using that deliciously marinated chicken, it’s put in a hand shaped crispy (and delicious) shell along with crisp lettuce and wonderful toppings!
Bottom right: Pollo Bowl – This is one from the $5 menu! Still big enough to be a meal, it’s made with their signature chicken, pinto beans, rice, diced onions, cilantro and pico de gallo.
After the entrees when we were overly full, they brought out dessert. Remember those Cheesecake Chimichangas I mentioned? Yep, those came out when I was filled to burst. And I still ate two of them. Churros were also on the menu and they were fantastic as well (I forgot to snap a photo of them!)
Look for an El Pollo Loco location near you here! You can also find them on Facebook and Twitter!
Houston, we have a Pollo! #houstonwehaveapollo
Sarah says
I think we need a lunch date together when they’re open!
Sarah says
AAAAAND they have such helpful gluten info online!! Love that level of attentiveness!
http://www.elpolloloco.com/our-food/no-wheat-gluten.html