Authentic Mexican flavours in Sherwood Park strip mall
Menu hasn’t been dumbed down for Canadian palates, writes Alan Kellogg.
One of the pleasures of writing restaurant reviews for the Journal is the cheering ability to share new places of note with readers. And yes, although we don’t look for potential trouble, sometimes it helps to warn folks off dodgy establishments.
In the case of La Patrona, this impressive little Mexican eatery — which, in effect, began life as a couple’s food truck — is no surprise to many residents of Strathcona County. As a friend and colleague (who, as it happened was sort of meh on the place) correctly pointed out, making reservations here is always a wise move. This is no secret gem in Sherwood Park — the locals already know it and like it. The food truck, casa12doce, is still happening, too.
Based on lunch and dinner visits, they have every right to support this bustling ma-and-pa style operation, tucked in a rather grim strip mall. Clueless city types like me might consider firing up Google maps to get there sans teeth-gnashing. It is worth the drive.
Inside, it’s your classic Mexikitsch bistro-in-a box decor, with better than average music on the system. As you enter, you’ll find an impossibly low-priced cocktail special on a blackboard — and uniformly pleasant, welcoming staff.
It’s lively fun, but as we know by now here (or in Mexico, for that matter) fiesta-time visuals are no guarantee of a good meal. Full marks for the corrugated metal accents, which lend a nifty industrial look to the standardissue sepia Mexican Revolution prints and humble mercado pottery on the walls.
Much to its credit, La Patrona’s street food-ish menu has not been dumbed-down appreciably for gringos. Simple and ubiquitous in Mexico though they may be, sadly you don’t see dishes such as molletes, chilaquiles or huaraches often in these parts. As well, they offer a wider selection of torta and taco fillings than you usually find in Edmonton, from suadero ( brisket) to cochinita pibil to salchicha and beyond.
We started with the chalupas ($20) — respectable crisp corn tortillas topped with refritos, onions, feta (memo to La Patrona: good queso fresco is available locally), sour cream (ditto re: crema), cilantro, a nice housemade green salsa and avocado. They were delicious “little boats” (if tostada-style flat, not concave in this case), well-balanced — an auspicious beginning.
We passed around generous servings of tacos de pescado ($14), a chile relleno ($21), an al pastor torta ($17), enchiladas de pollo ($21) and a fabulous side of sautéed onions and mushrooms ($6 and well worth it!).
No complaints across the board. This all tastes a lot like Mexico.
As we all know by now, fish tacos have become rendered into near-irrelevance by their popularity. How long will it be before Arby’s or Wendy’s (or worse) begin flogging “beautiful Bajastyle tacos?” All too often, cheapazoid basa or tilapia chunks, deep-fried or mushy muck, are served up on pasty commercial flour tortillas with unspeakable, tinny salsas. For something so easily made at home, it’s astonishing
how terrible they can be, even at normally trustworthy venues. I now avoid them almost everywhere locally.
The pescado tacos at La Patrona are that happy exception and having tried them a couple of times, you reckon reliably so. For starters, they use haddock — a reasonably-priced North Atlantic fish, far superior to the above-mentioned, that freezes well and accepts breading and deep-frying with considerable grace. And as in the other dishes here, they are topped with tasty house-made products and fresh vegetables. Things always turn out better when you begin with quality ingredients and a kitchen that cares.
Served on a bed of Mexican rice with black beans and guacamole, the chile relleno was quite acceptable, achieving that lovely balance of a deep-fried poblano stuffed with cheesy goodness, with a respectable tomato sauce. The (five!) enchiladas were also a winner, roasted chicken in righteous corn tortillas slavered in a nicely-complex salsa verde, and thankfully not too heavy on the cheese and sour cream.
You don’t find tortas on many menus, likely because of a dearth of bolillos — the classic Mexican crusty bun — at local bakeries. I didn’t see a donair rotisserie in the kitchen, either, but somehow they turned out a scrumptious al pastor pork sandwich of quality, topped with beans, onions, chipotle mayo and, of course, pineapple.
We shared desserts of churros (two for $5) and a flan (a tad pricey but worth it at $9).
It was a tale of two churro orders, each served with luscious, chocolate-laced whipped cream. The first time over lunch they were absolutely perfect — crisp outside and chewy inside — the best I’ve had since we ordered a bag from a vendor in Mexico City’s Tacubaya metro station. Alas, although OK, the dinner order was a bit underdone inside, which can happen.
There are many takes on flans or creme caramels. I like mine on the dense, not-so-jiggly side and La Patrona’s were perfect, showered in a terrific caramel sauce, nicely presented with a jaunty gooseberry on the side.
Drinks-wise, we sampled a bargain cocktail of the day ($7.75!) made with (I assume) Ancho Reyes Poblano liqueur, exotic enough if a little sweet for our group. And good for La Patrona for serving Mexican wine from the Baja’s Valle de Guadalupe. Of the two Monte Xanic blends on the list, the Cab Sauv/Syrah might be your better bet at around $40, although the Merlot/Cab blend at $38 is good value.
All in all, if you’re looking for something approaching the real, unpretentious thing, take a drive out east for a taste of the south of the Rio Grande. To secure a table, give them a call in advance.