El Zarape
Mexican Fare

I'm not usually one to follow the masses, but El Zarape's rave reviews and hyped reputation, not to mention the jaw-dropping cheap prices, fueled my curiosity to try it out.

El Zarape makes a mean chicken chimichanga. The fried, crispy outer layer encases delicious and tender shredded chicken that's seasoned very well, and the entire chimichanga is doused with fresh salsa, a rich sour cream, grated cheese, and a decent guacamole. My only gripe is the guacamole- I wish it was a chunky consistency, rather than a puree, and it's also very plain- I'd like to see it dressed up, with some cilantro and lime, perhaps?

The nachos and carne asada burrito, on the other hand, were less than appetizing. For being a bona fide Mexican restaurant, I would think it's next to impossible to get a carne asada burrito wrong, but the beef cubes and the tortilla wrap were both lackluster in flavor. And the nachos? The chips tasted like they came right out of a bag of Mission Tortilla Strips, and the cheese tasted like heated Velveeta. With the hype surrounding this restaurant, I was hoping to be blown away by the food, but where I went wrong is El Zarape's niche is in seafood. Chalk it up to a first-timer's naivete, I should have followed the locals' lead and ordered a lobster burrito or a fish taco. Next time, my friends, there's always a next time.

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