viehcle
Recently, in an attempt to eat various cuisines from around the world at a reasonable price, I decided to visit El Pancho as I had not had Mexican food since trying it for the first time about two years ago. Mexican cuisine is not very common in the Kansai region, so I opted for a set menu called the Pancho Set. I visited on a holiday for lunch, arriving 10 minutes before opening time. There were already two groups of customers ahead of me, and one group that arrived later had a reservation. Three more groups arrived after me, and the restaurant opened with a crowded entrance as it also served as an elevator hall. I placed my order when I was brought water, and the food arrived in about 10 minutes.
- Salad: Lettuce and carrots with tortilla chips, dressed with salsa sauce. The salsa sauce had just the right amount of spiciness, making the lettuce easy to eat.
- Quesadilla: A Mexican version of pizza with sour cream and bean paste. The sour cream was quite tangy, but it played a role in connecting the rich cheese of the quesadilla and the simple bean paste, enhancing the quesadilla.
- Main: Three tortillas, four pieces of roast chicken, guacamole, pilaf, shredded cabbage, tomatoes, two tortilla chips, and a tortilla spring roll. It was quite a generous portion. The tortillas were made of wheat flour and were light and easy to eat. The size and texture of the tortillas made it easy to sandwich the chicken, cabbage, tomatoes, and guacamole, without making a mess. The roast chicken was perfectly seasoned and cooked, making it delicious to eat on its own or as a sandwich. The pilaf, although I'm not sure what it was based on, was incredibly tasty with a large bean in it. The spring roll was also tasty and easy to eat.
Overall, the set menu was of high quality, but I ended up leaving one tortilla chip uneaten. I rarely leave food uneaten, but even as a relatively big eater, I found it challenging. If you were to eat this on a weekday, the 1100 yen Mexican set would be a good choice. The bill came to 1690 yen, which was very reasonable, but the portion size is something to be cautious of for women or those with smaller appetites. However, the food itself was delicious, even the tacos were easy to eat, which I believe is why this place has been around for so long.