El Ranchero Restaurant

El Ranchero Restaurant
3559 Michigan St.
New Chicago, IN 46342 MAP
(219) 962-4228
Hours:
Monday-Saturday: 8:00 a.m. to 9:00 p.m.
Sunday: 8:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m.

April 29th, 2005. 1:30 p.m.

El Ranchero is not only a restaurant but also a full-blown Mexican bakery. Enter to your right and you’re faced with dozens of freshly baked breads and pastries.



But alas, we’re here for a steak burrito, so go left and grab a seat.

I had two choices for ordering my burrito: regular or deluxe. The regular contained beans, cheese, and your choice of meat while the deluxe added lettuce, tomato, sour cream, and avocado slices to the mix. I ordered the deluxe, which was $1.00 more.

Chips, salsa, and water arrived quickly, but I was struck by the nastiness of the bottles that contained the salsa, and salsa verde as well as the saltshaker. All had crusty, dried up sauce on them. Not just a little either. My water also had some floaters in it. Oh well, I was thirsty so I drank up.

The chips were average (meaning good) and the pico de gallo, salsa, and salsa verde all were at least medium in their “hotness”. Those who want a mild sauce will be disappointed.

The burrito was the largest yet, weighing in at over 20 ounces. The tortilla appeared to be grilled slightly but not to the point it was crunchy. The steak was listed as rib eye on the menu and the flavor did not disappoint. The steak was hot and juicy (leading to a small pool on the plate) and the other ingredients were all fresh and delicious as well. I encountered one small piece of gristle and a couple small pieces of fat that really did not detract from the overall experience.

I recommend El Ranchero for their flavor and outstanding value. You just might want to wipe down the salsa bottles and saltshaker before digging in.



Weight: 20.3 ounces
Length: 8.5 inches
Circumference: 9.125 inches
Price: $5.25 or 25.9¢ an ounce
Beer availability: No

Flavor: 8.5/10 sombreros
Value: 9/10 sombreros