Epic Portions

Author: John

  • La Fuente – Ypsilanti, MI

    In my continued effort to highlight quality Mexican restaurants that haven’t won some dumb local award and aren’t named Tios in the Ypsilanti/Ann Arbor area, I bring to you La Fuente.  This area is home to some excellent Mexican restaurants, but La Fuente will always be tops in my book.  This gem used to be down the street from my old apartment and provided my dinners 2-3 times per week.  Now, unfortunately, I only visit a few times per month.

    Everything about about this place is perfect.  From the decor, to the service, to the food.   This place is amazing.  Seriously.  I love this place.  I want to write a detailed review, but it’s hard because I would probably use the word amazing about 500 times.  I will do my best, but I can’t guarantee that you will get anything out of this besides the fact that I absolutely adore La Fuente.

    When you sit down, I guarantee you have chips and salsa in front of you within 10 seconds.  Like all great Mexican joints, there is a designated chips and salsa guy whose only job is to get you your chips and salsa in a timely manner.  It’s been the same guy for the five years I’ve been coming in.  I’m pretty sure all the guy does is hang out until he sees someone walk in, sprints to the kitchen, and sprints back with a pitcher of salsa and a basket of warm tortilla chips that taste like fresh corn taco shells that have been cut into the shape of tortilla chips.  They’re extremely crunchy and extremely good.  The salsa is a perfect blend between smooth and chunky, with chunks of onion and cilantro.  I can honestly say that La Fuente has the chips and salsa, served by the best damn chips and salsa guy in the area.

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    I could probably sit and fill myself up on chips and salsa while drinking water, but what fun is water?  La Fuente proudly serves 42 oz. margaritas.  You can get smaller sizes, but why would you?

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    La Fuente’s menu contains about 100 items, no exaggerating.  From combos, to tamales, burritos, and Mexican specialties.  It’s all there.  I’m the type of person who likes to branch out and try different things, but here I tend to stick with the Chori Pollo.  Because.. Well.. It’s one of my favorite Mexican dishes of all time.  Marinated chicken breast topped with chorizo, a slice of pineapple, and cheese..  Served with rice and beans and two freshly made tortillas.  Ohhh man.

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    I’m honestly emotional just writing this review.  Sorry I didn’t have much for you besides “This place is amazing”, and “Ohhhh Man”.  It’s just that good.  I urge you to drive many miles to try this place out.

    La Fuente
    1930 Whittaker Road
    Ypsilanti, MI 48197-9432

  • Spaghetti Squash – An Adventure

    Cooking vegan isn’t the easiest thing I’ve ever done.  In fact, it ranks right up there with flossing and unloading the dishwasher.  It just wasn’t an easy thing to start doing.  The thing that helps me is visiting farmers markets and buying fresh produce to cook with.  Ever since I noticed that much of the produce I was purchasing from grocery stores was being imported from Mexico, I have made a huge effort to buy local.  Something about buying kiwis in December just doesn’t seem right to me.

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    Stephanie and I visited the Ypsilanti Farmers’ Market at the Corner Brewery the other night, and I came across something I never had any urge whatsoever to try.  Spaghetti Squash. In fact, I had never even seen a spaghetti squash before.  I’m sure I’ve walked past them in the grocery store on my way to the meat department, but I always had other things on my mind.  Namely, pork.  I just wasn’t sure what to think.  Spaghetti squash?  What the hell is it?  Does it really shred like spaghetti noodles?  Have I ever even had squash before?  Do I like it?   Ok, enough questions..

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    I wasn’t sure what to think about eating a Rugby ball, but I had to give it a shot.  The thing was only a dollar.  How could I lose?  I worked up some courage(which was aided by a pint or two at the brewery) and began my prep.  I figured the only way to cook the thing was to bake it until it got soft.  I had to make sure didn’t my Rugby ball to explode, so I poked holes in it before cooking.  Apparently this was a good idea.  Large vegetables are known to explode in high temperatures.  Is that common knowledge?  I sure didn’t know.

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    About an hour in the oven on 350 degrees, and you get your squash looking like this.  Nice and soft.  No longer any resemblence to a ball used in any kind of a contact sport.  It looked more like Dr. Bunsen Honeydew.  Check it out.

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    I let Dr. Honeydew sit out on the counter for about 10 mins and the juices leaked all over the counter.  That was kind of gross.  Going to have to figure that one out for next time.  I cut the thing in half and what’s inside is crazy.  It’s not like you have to grab a spoon and scrape out big chunks of squash.  It just flows out in strands that look exactly like spaghetti.  To be honest I was a little creeped out.  Why was this vegetable trying to impersonate one of my favorite childhood foods?  I decided to overlook this and give it a chance.  Frankly, I was just curious at this point.

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    I threw some Bove’s Roasted Garlic Marinara on top, sautéed some broccoli in garlic, and made some gigantic homemade garlic bread, and we had ourselves a meal.  Simple, nothing special, but absolutely delicious.  This stuff is legit.  It has the same texture as spaghetti and tastes pretty similar, but has a slightly different flavor.  When I say different flavor here, I mean a delicious different flavor.  I’m getting pretty good at this whole vegan thing.  I don’t prefer it over my usual meat filled dinners, but it’s just nice to share a meal with my lady every now and then.

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    I’m trying to figure out why that garlic bread looks so big….

  • Tios. Torn Down.

    On December 8th, 2009 the City of Ann Arbor tore down Tios Mexican Cafe.

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    Unfortunately, it was just for relocation.  Damnit.  Couldn’t someone have re-routed the bulldozers to tear down their current location?  Someone get this done.  This place has disgraced good Mexican food long enough.  I will not end my tirade against Tios until they are gone forever.  Warn your friends and Ann Arbor tourists, if there is such a thing.  Do not eat at Tios.  Ever.