Hola! *tips sombrero*  FELIZ CINCO DE MAYO SEMANA!!!! Happy Cinco de Mayo week! Si Si Si! Ahhhh yes this week we celebrate Mexican heritage, pride and commemorate freedom! Its also the time were P’nK gets to celebrate by eating delicious Mexican food and blogging about it by using an exciting blend of English and incorrect broken Spanish ;-) Pardon our Espanol! 

Vamos a El Torito Grill!! Located in the lovely Sherman Oaks Galleria Mall in the valley. Totally!!!…. ummm excuse me, muy bueno! Let me add quickly that the Sherman Oaks Galleria has a parking garage and El Torito Grill validates!

This noche we enjoy the recommendation of our amiga, Iesha Mayes…also known around the world as “Gene Na-Tay”. And by around the world I mean Kris, my self and a few other friends are the only ones who call her that. Anyways we met Iesha at El Torito Grill and the decor is sleek, muy romantico yet festive…Warm and cozy, just a great atmosphere!! ahhh can you smell the fajitas?!

We sat down and waited for  our championship Matador boyfriends to greet us…………….. they never showed up,(because they don’t exist) but our very pleasant waiter did. We noticed on the table a container of fresh warm tortillas, a side of 2 different salsas, and a side of honey butter. This is complimentary. Iesha suggested that we spread the salsa and honey butter on the tortillas..As much as we enjoy complimentary bread and butter and chips and salsa at other restaurants, This blew me away. These were honestly the best homemade soft flour tortillas i have yet to have…oooh Its driving me loco just thinking about it! SEE ——- > hukufhkjhgfyuuj*hungry*hljlhjfhljhluhvugftfevhcl!!!

We started off by ordering a BLACKBERRY MARGARITA 1800 silver tequila, hennessy vs, sweet & sour and fresh blackberries, tart n tasty. Iesha ordered a frozen Midori Margarita. Hola!

For our main courses we ordered Lobster Quesadilla Platter, red chile tortilla, stuffed with tender lobster, pasilla chiles, jack & cotija cheese, drizzled with chipotle-basil aioli, pineapple-mango salsa with pasilla-cilantro rice,and a side  peruvian beans and fresh avocado relish. It tasted like a lobster was having its Quinceanera in my face! Thank you Gene Na-Tay for the recommendation of this dish! Gracias!

We also decided to get all fancy and ordered Filet Mignon Enchiladas & Grilled Shrimp. A tender Filet Mignon packed enchilada with mushrooms & chipotle-mushroom sherry sauce, a mesquite-grilled shrimp & fresh vegetable skewer with black beans and pasilla-cilantro rice. This savory dish is a must try. The steak inside was fork tender and the shrimp was perfectly cooked and kicked all the way up with the smokey flavors from the grill.

Iesha ordered Shrimp Enchiladas, sautéed shrimp, roasted fresh corn, creamy roasted tomatillo sauce, jack cheese with pineapple-mango salsa, pico de gallo and tropical rice. This place is the king of perfectly cooked shrimp, and this dish was bomb. Did you know that they use reduced-fat jack cheese, olive-canola oil is used for cooking, and their beans and rice are 100% vegetarian, peruvian beans are non-fat. Whaaaaaat? ! ahhh mi healthy corazon! 

We also ordered sides of corn cake. Sweet, pillowy, i wish i could eat this everyday. If someone wants to drop off a side of that to me right now, feel free…….im serious.

For dessert we shared Berry Tostada, seasonal fresh berries, mango ice cream, chambord black raspberry liqueur and fresh whipped cream, this all sits in a crunchy sweet shell. Fresh, sweet, tart, smooth, and crunchy….a fiesta on a plate? Yep! The whipped cream was so fresh you could just eat it alone with a spoon. This dessert menu is perfecto for a sugar junkie such as myself. They also offer Mexican Flan, molten chocolate cake, homemade churros, and chocolate flan brulee’!

There are so many reasons to gather up your amigos y familia and visit the restaurant. One thing on the menu that i forgot to mention is that they have a $25 build your own 3 course meal and  they also have a fantastic happy hour with $5 drinks, and  $5-$6 food…Cant beat that.

Last but DEFINITELY not least, since this week is Cinco de Mayo celebration time, stop by for El Torito Grills daily specials this week only. 5/1-5/5/12

Tuesday- Extreme Taco Tuesday (all day, cantina only)

Wednesday- $2 domestic bottled beer (all day)

Thursday-$3 Sangria (all day)

Friday- $4 schooners & grill margaritas( original, strawberry, or mango -all day)

Cinco de Mayo- $5 cadillac margaritas, $2 tacos and taquitos and more drink specials 4pm-close (cantina only)

P’nK Comer L.A.