Most people love mexican food. It's simple comfort food, not the lowest in calories but absoutely delicious no matter how you feel. I personally love nachos. To me its my favorite. I love the different textures and layers of flavors. I think the main problem is, it's hard to find good nachos or even make good nachos. For one thing you have to use the thick, chips that are sold in the mexican markets. Next you have to have good homemade refried beans (not that canned crap). If you don't have good refried beans I would have to say whole black beans is the next choice. Then of course chopped onions, tomatoes, carne asada or chicken or both (I have had them with duck at this fabulous restaurant in Paso Robles called Villa Creek but we'll talk about that shortly). Last the cheese which is a questions of what should be used. At home we used the mexican cheese blend which is basically cheddar, jack and queso fresco. Nachos of course need to be baked in a 325 degree oven for about 15 minutes and then doused with salsa and guacamole.
I just got back from Cabo and stayed at the Cabo Azul which is a beautiful hotel owned by the owner of Javiers Mexican restaurant in OC. I would have to say their nachos are some of the best that I have had. I'm really not surprised considering Javiers in the OC is one of my top favorite mexican restaurants. My friend Martin that is the pilot for the owner gave me the background on have Javiers came about. Now the owner is American... with no hispanic background. He doesn't cook so the restaurants great food really didn't come from him. When he was in college (and I will continue to refer to him as he because I can't remember his name right now), he worked as a waiter at El Torito. Every time he came into work he would ask one of the cooks to prepare in something for him to eat. Every dish this chef prepared was delicious and he loved it. When he graduated from college and moved on he told this chef that some day he would make millions and come back and open a restaurant with him. Well, he made his millions off of hotels, resorts and timeshares and kept his promise. He went back to El Torito where the same chef was still working and opened up Javiers in Laguna Beach, then expanded to Irvine Spectrum, Crystal Cove, then he opened up 4 diamond resort Cabo Azul. So getting back to the nachos. I don't know how they make them at the OC restaurants but at the Cabo Azul restaurants they are loaded down. They use the thick chips, amazing refried beans, carned asade, and the cheese they use is called chihuahua cheese. This cheese is very similar to mozzarella or oaxacan cheese which is the cheese that is typically used in chile rellenos. To top it off are big dollups of sour cream, guacamole and large slices of jalapenos. On the side is their fire roasted salsa which I don't think is used in the OC restaurants. WOW they were amazing, so amazing I ordered them 2 days in the row. The food at Javiers is well done and a higher end mexican food but never to disappoint.
Other good Mexican restaurants in OC I would have to say are, Super Antojitos (for very authentic mexican food where most of the patrons are hispanic), El Cortez, Miguels and my absolute favorite Marios in Huntington Beach. Marios has great authenic food at very reasonable prices. I also have to add that if a mexican restaurant does not have good tasty refried beans then I would run. It's a basis for their cooking and if that is not done right then I doubt the rest of the menu is. All of the above restaurants have really amazing refried beans.
If you are in the Paso Robles area you have to go to Villa Creek. Villa Creek is not exactly considered a mexican restaurant, more of a spanish influenced restaurant. They make a nacho (called not nacho) topped with duck that is amazing! Their tacos are great as well as their ceviche. We didn't get a chance to eat anything other than a few small plates but I'm sure they were just as great.
There is really so much more that I can go on and on and on about but I think I will let this lie as it is.
