It’s Hump Day, close enough to last weekend that I’m still wistfully remembering it and close enough to next weekend that I’m already fantasizing over it.
Last weekend, after my hot and steamy 15 miles, Mr. Dish and I had another food adventure with our Best Man and his leading lady. El Vez was my pick. (It means “The Time,” in Spanish, though I’m told it’s not supposed to be translated. It’s the stage name of an Elvis-like Mexican singer!) The Stephen Starr restaurant in Center City Philadelphia is known for its funky atmosphere and its authentic and fun Mexican fare.
I heard if you finish an entire pitcher of margaritas by yourself they let you ride the ceiling motorcycle. (Wait, maybe it’s they don’t let you ride…)
From the website:
El Vez’s “Day of the Dead” motifs, kitschy Mexican accents, and homage to ’70s Latin Cha Cha sensation Charo, create the sexy, festive vibe of Mexican-American pop culture.
The atmosphere is very fun and definitely felt like a night out on the town. While they offer a variety of interesting cocktails, we started with the traditional “El Vez” margaritas.
Refreshing… and strong!
Now for the part I had been craving since I laced up my sneakers that morning… the guac.
Oooooh baby!
The guacamole menu is quite impressive. We decided on the Cesar Chavez, with tomato, basil, onion, Oaxaca cheese and pasilla-balsamic sauce. I could have eaten this stuff for dinner.
But we couldn’t just stop at guac. We all got different tacos, including Chipotle chicken, BBQ pork, and sea bass!
I was so full of guacamole I had to donate my third taco to Mr. Dish.
We also got starters, which were pretty good. Mr. Dish got a very sweet roasted corn soup. A little too sweet for my taste. But the salad I had with a lime cumin vinaigrette was awesome!
After dinner we walked around the city for a while, and finished things off with some gelato from the place across the street from El Vez. A great time was had by all, and we ended the meal the same way we always do… by plotting our next culinary adventure together and putting it on the calendar! Stay tuned!
Starr’s El Vez isn’t supposed to be translated, he has said it’s a silly joke and is just a reference to a fake Mexican Elvis.
Also, Starr doesn’t own Amada, Jose Garces does.
Right you are! I don’t know how I did that. Thank you for pointing that out… corrections have been made!