OK guys, Frida is not Burrito Boyz. Nothing against Burrito Boyz of course, just trying to make a point that Frida is not a fast food Mexican joint, far from it actually. First of all, Frida is located in Forest Hill and is a more upscale Mexican restaurant. It is small; the decor is very contemporary, mellow, and relaxed yet elegant as well. I personally really like the modern feel of the red accent seating and the blue and white tiled wall.
There's Alfonso (@msgfonz) and Ed (@phoenixrageZERO) on their phones :)
I also like the black and white photographs by the entrance; it ties in really well with the black tables and chairs and the white napkins.
Secondly, besides the decor, Frida is different in that it offers more of a refined and modern take on Mexican food but still keeping it authentic. It is upscale and sophisticated unlike that of a taco parlour for sure.
Not everyone arrived yet when our server brought out the complimentary appetizers, but...but...I couldn't resist...I had to eat it! And once I began, I just couldn't stop!
Guacamole - Riped to perfection avacados, with red onions, tomatillos, cilantro and corn tortillas.
This is probably the best guacamole I've ever had to date and the presentation of it is phenomenal; the plating is gorgeous like a bouquet. The chunks of avocado and fruit, along with the minced peppers on top, the combination of all that plus hints of black pepper inside and the light oil drizzled on top was so wonderfully good and buttery =) Everybody ate so much guacamole (we secretly wanted more chips actually, we even took the chips from the salsa appetizer below). It was really that good.
Salsas with Chips - The green salsa is made from tomatillo and lime and the red salsa is sweet with roasted tomatoes and a variety of peppers. I prefer the red over the green =) Both are not spicy by the way.
My extra spicy Caesar and Alfonso's cerveza.
Here comes the food pics people, and lots of it too because of the huge group =D Just a reminder that I can only comment on what I had but hope you enjoy the "visual appeal" of the food anyway =D Actually, I do remember some people commenting on their dish so I will add those comments in too~
APPETIZERS
Tostada de salpicon - Shredded flank steak, habenaro salsa, and cotija cheese.
Lengua en Escabeche - Braised beef tongue with pickled jalapenos, carrots and onions, served with mashed beans and bread.
MAINS
Mole Poblano - Chicken served over Mexican rice with plantain "tostones", mole poblano sauce and toasted sesame seeds.
Pescado a la Veracruzana - Quickly pan fried halibut with tomatoes, capers and olives on a bed of rice and seasonal vegetables.
Ed had this and quote from him --> "Halibut was good, was cooked just right. The tomatoes, olives and capers on top added a lot of flavor to the dish".
Camarones al Guajillo - Jumbo shrimp covered with toasty garlic and guajillo pepper sauce, seared spinach and rice.
Alfonso had this and he said it was good and spicy.
Pollo Rostizado a las Hierbas - Roasted 1/2 chicken with lemon thyme and oregano marinade, served with Mexican rice and seasonal vegetables.
I remember Troy said he really liked this.
Lamb Barbacoa - Slow braised lamb and broth served with salsa roja, morita sauce, and seasonal vegetables.
I had the lamb and let's just say the picture doesn't do it justice because when it came, everybody was gawking at my plate =D The lamb was super tender with a bit of fat on the sides too which I love. I've never had lamb Mexican style before with the salsa, morita sauce and the cheese and I gotta say I really dig it~
My dish also came with this soup / broth which had some meat and rice in it. I didn't care for this too much, probably because I wasn't used to having a cup of soup as a side haha~
Tostadas de Pollo - Shredded chicken breast, cotija cheese, refrito beans, pico de gallo and house sour cream.
Diana (@pronosher) had this and she said she liked it a lot.
Carne Asada - 12 oz striploin with frijoles charros, guacamole and seasonal vegetables.
Tacos de Carne - Three grilled and diced AAA NY striploin tacos, with onions, coriander and lime.
Tacos de Barbacoa - Braised lamb Texcoco style, with coriander, onion and lime
Quesadilla de Rajas - Charred Poblano strips, Oaxaca cheese + beans
Adrienne (@PeppercornPoppy) ordered this. I had a piece too and it was really delicious with a lot of cheese melted inside =) Adrienne had to ask for sour cream as it only came with the salsa. However, she said the sour cream was a bit too thin and watery.
DESSERT
Pastel de Queso y Kahlua - Walnut and graham crust, kahlua cheesecake with berries and coulis.
Troy had this cheesecake and I remember him saying that it's the best cheesecake he has ever had (beside his own of course).
Churros Rellenos con Cajeta - Filled with goat milk caramel, blueberry coulis and berries.
This is my first time having churros and wow, I've been missing out all this time! Better late than never I guess. I love the sugar on top and the goat milk caramel inside (I initially thought it was hollow). Fried dough + goat milk caramel inside + sugar on top + blueberry coulis = best doughnut everrrr
Flan de Naranja - Traditional orange flan custard drizzled with caramel sauce.
I did not like this flan as it was too dense and gelatin-y for my taste.
Dinner at Frida was fabulous - I've only heard praises from the group about the food that night. Thanks again to Frida for accommodating us, and also to Vanessa, our server that night, she was super nice and hospitable.
I found out only after I left that the guacamole and all the salsa is also sold in packaged form from Mad Mexican! Next time I'm gonna stock up on that chunky guacamole for sure.
Going end this post with a shout out to everybody who came to the Tweetup --> Alfonso, Ed, Eunmi (@LoveandBearTrap), Adrienne, Amy (@lu_amy7), Diana, Jason (@LO_TEK), Troy, Sandon (@Sandwongsta), and Mack. Thanks for coming everybody!
