I had passed this place on the corner of Congress and Ben White a million times..a funny looking place with a sheep on the sign.. I never really thought it would be very good, but after giving in and eating there a few times, I have been proven wrong.. I really like this place.. its unassuming.. the waitstaff is friendly (the little hispanic man that refills your tea and salsa is hilarious), and the food is made with pride…

I’ve tried the chicken tortilla soup twice and its great.. very hearty, with rice avocado, cheese,.. its like a good home-made soup that your grandma used to make.. try it during lunch and its cheaper!

the al pastor is just ok.. I thought the pieces of pork were a little too big and tender.. I know that shouldnt be a gripe, but my favorite al pastor is a little crunchy because the meat has caramalized and been cooked properly.. this is good in a different way.. like carne guisada almost..

the tortillas are made fresh in-house.. nice.

the salsa is a little watery..but tasty nonetheless.

overall, I would definitely reccommend this place to anyone.its well above average.

El Borrego de Oro
3900 South Congress
Austin,TX 78704 [map]
(512) 383-0031

the Score:
Atmosphere: 6 (low key, no frills)
Food Quality: 8 (good)
Service: 9 (great)
Salsa:5 (meh)
Price: 7 (ok)
Total: 70%
Rating:

A first for tacotown: the audio review.. thanks to the handy ‘audio notes’ feature of my blackjack phone. I’m a gadget fiend, man..tacos and gadgets…gadgets and tacos..whats the deal with Garibaldi’s? listen to the audio clip to find out..I apologize if it my voice lacks the emotional vigor that one equates with my writing.. I was actually just dictating for a writup later.. but then i realized that I could cut a step out of the process with the magical powers of my gadget.. voila:

Audio clip: Adobe Flash Player (version 9 or above) is required to play this audio clip. Download the latest version here. You also need to have JavaScript enabled in your browser.

Garibaldi’s Mexican Food
4201 S Congress Ave # 106
Austin, TX 78745
(512) 326-9788 [map]

This is my favorite tropical salsa.. its a perfect compliment to an al pastor taco.. or try with coconut shrimp.. its got that sweet pineapple flavor followed by the signature slow burn from the grilled habby’s…a tantalizing experience for your taste buds.

What you need to get: I go to Fiesta and get a fresh Pineapple, fresh habanero peppers, cilantro, fresh serrano, and 1 can of guavas (make sure they’re in that sweet syrup!)..

Preparation: Throw pineapple slices and whole habaneros on the grill….i like to get the pineapples a little bit caramelized by a hot fire…the habby’s should be a little bit charred on the outside.. dont over-do it though.. you want some of that meat to remain.. i usually do about 4-7 habaneros, use your own discretion on that one (dont be scared!)..

The minced serrano peppers round out the heat factor since they hit you a little sooner than the habaneros.. you only need 3-4 small peppers for a medium heat. chopp up the cilantro and you are ready to get mixin.. Add all the ingredients into a blender, 2-3 of the guavas will do you good. Blend it briefly on low speed.. you dont want to make it too pasty.. Finally, add about 1/2 a cup of the syrup from the guava can to sweeten the deal. Chill and serve! Its best fresh, so make it eat it in the same day for best results..

Chappy’s Sweet Heat – Pineapple/Guava/Habanero Salsa
Ingredients:

• 1 ripe pineapple
• 5-8 fresh habanero peppers
• 3-4 fresh serrano peppers (sub fresh jalapeno if you must)
• 1 Can of Guava (in syrup, you’ll only need a small amount)
• 1 handful fresh cilantro

enjoy!
Chappy