EAT: Topanga Cafe

Finally managed to eat at Topanga Cafe, a Mexican restaurant. I was mighty impressed with their chile relleno. It tasted like the ones I've had in L.A. I also tried their burrito which can be filled with your choice of beef, chicken, beans or eggplant. I asked for a mixture of beans and eggplant. The entree platter comes with rice and black beans.The burrito came topped with crema and a black olive, and it tasted all right. It had this subtle weird flavour, though, and it might have been the crema.

They serve you complementary chips and salsa. The salsa was not spicy enough, though, and the chips were saltless, but at least they were freshly made (at least it looked that way).

Overall, I would say this is the best Mexican restaurant I've tried so far in Vancouver. However, the dishes could use some more bold spices (perhaps more garlic and cumin?) Of course, it was not like the Mexican I can get in L.A. but it was nevertheless enjoyable.

What really annoyed me though was that I paid nearly twice as much as I would pay in L.A. when I eat Mexican. Most entrees at Topanga are between $9-$17. And the portions are about half of what I'm used to in L.A.

Next time I go there, I'd like to try their Huevos Rancheros which is my favorite Mexican dish to eat.

2904 W. 4th Ave. Vancouver (@ Macdonald St.)
Vancouver, BC
604-733-3713
Open Monday-Saturday.

::4 stars::