I’m not sure if Mexicali Cocina Cantina counts as a secret anymore, since it can get crowded on a weeknight and they now have a Mexicali Mondays special menu. But I’m fairly certain that I’ve found a menu item that is undiscovered by most people: the braised beef melt.
Tasty braised beef melt
Stuffed with more braised beef than any one person should consume in one sitting, plus grilled peppers and onions with pepper jack cheese melted over the whole mess, this sandwich is pretty far from the expected Mexican-inspired dishes that one usually orders here.
Savory and juicy, with sweet onions and succulent beef, this sandwich was “can’t put it down” good.
I chose the tortilla soup as my side, a nod to the ethnic roots of this restaurant. Yeah, that was a bad idea.
Much too thick, the “soup” was closer to some crazy Rachel Ray “stoup” concoction than it was to any tortilla soup I’ve had anywhere–there’s more authentic soup in Boston, for goodness sake. It lacked any kind of texture, save for the crisped tortilla strips that garnished the serving.
But what it lacked in chewability it more than made up for in spice. Halfway through the cup, I gave in. My mouth was on fire, and no amount of Diet Coke could help me. Even a tortilla chip topped with sour cream and cheese (McGinnis’ chicken fajita accoutrement) could do nothing to put out the fire. Alas.
Lesson learned: braised beef = good, tortilla soup = nasty.
McGinnis and I will probably be back in another few months. I hope I remember to order the salad next time.
Mexicali Cocina Cantina
12161 Ventura Blvd
Studio City, CA 91604
(818) 985-1744
