a hidden gem

El Caserio Silver Lake

401 Silver Lake Blvd

Los Angeles, CA 90026

(213) 273-8945

www.elcaseriola.com

price: $$

verdict: tasty, try it!

nestled in the ghetto chic part of silverlake is a little gem of a restaurant called el caserio. for a while, the restaurant was well hidden before they smarted up and decided to get a flashing neon signboard to advertise that they are indeed OPEN. good. i want to eat you.

the decor is sexy and sophisticated. very unexpected especially since you are only a stone's throw away from the 101 freeway exit. for this particular dinner, my friend and i sat inside, though the outside courtyard looked really cute. dare i say even romantic? yes, bring your hot date here and i guarantee that you will score some lovin'.

we began our dinner with their frito de calamari. not the best i've tasted, but there's not much you can do to eff up fried calamari. the marinara sauce wasn't spicy enough though so i spooned in some of that spicy sauce that they serve with their bread to give it a kick. it did wonders for this appetizer. 3/4 through total consumption of this dish, the marinara sauce was about gone. i asked for more marinara and was told that there would be an extra $3 charge. what the hell?! condiments should be free flowing until the meal is done!

my entree of choice was their lengua en salsa. what an amazing tongue experience! tender tongue lathered in a sweet sauce of diced carrots and peas. way too stuffed from the calamari, i took home the leftover tongue. it tasted great the following day as well. mmm, tongue that keeps you licking and licking.

my friend got their llapingachos con fritada which was also well made. the pork had a nice crust to it which sealed in the porky juiciness. everything on that dish went well together, even down to the odd runny egg that topped it.

we did not order dessert because i almost popped my elastic waisted pants after the meal. if you're in the area, it's worth a visit.