Gypsy Jan - 1-2-2008 at 10:22 PM
La Estancia in Rosarito is located way off Benito Juarez, the main north/south boulevard for the city, north of the old Comercial Mexicana and Calimax
markets.
Faded black writing on a white wall invites you to turn towards the beach for "Hotel El Dorado" and "La Estancia"
The restaurant is a free standing, two-story building on the left , with a rough wood exterior and several water fountains, large and small, made from
rough cut logs, old water pumps and well-weathered iron bouys.
The menu covers all the bases - land and sea (beef, lamb, rabbit, fish, shrimp, lobster, squid, etc.). After only two visits, all I can talk about is
the seafood.
First, they bring chips and salsa and a bowl of escabeche -vinegar marinated nopales, onions and jalapenos.
On the first visit, , for an appetizer, we had queso fundido (melted cheese). Today we had onion rings. The queso fundido was very good. The onion
rings were fresh and sweet, but not spectacular.
We have tried the seafood combo special with vegetables, the seafood combo in garlic sauce, the shrimp in garlic sauce and the mesquite broiled
salmon.
All entrees come with soup and salad, tortillas and baked potato. Everything was prepared with care - I ask for my fish to be cooked rare and that is
what I get. The potatoes are roasted on the charcoal fire (no foil wrap!) and are served with real butter (not margarine) and sour cream.
I should also mention that the service is outstanding, and, on a midweek afternoon, the customers are mostly locals.
On both visits, the check was less than US $35, including a couple of drinks.
Von - 1-13-2008 at 08:45 PM
Top three in Rosarito for me......Kicks but so delicioso mmmm
The Gull - 1-14-2008 at 06:28 PM
Excellent prices. I thought it to be too Gringo when it was located in the Hotel. Since they relocated, I prefer it. The steaks I have had there in
the last year were all great.
Woooosh - 1-14-2008 at 06:55 PM
I liked the old loaction better. The food is pretty much the same. It's all just OK- but I really hate the all-metal plate collection, although I'm
sure it saves on breakage. Putting a lettuce leaf and tartar sauce on top of a hot metal plate isn't even appetizing by the time you eat it. The last
meal I was sitting at the bar area- which was nice, but the lamb (which used to be a great item) wasn't good. I haven't been back since. The service
was always good there though. JMHO