At this El Tiempo, the permutations of the basic tortillas, cheese, meat and salsa are seemingly endless, which isn't unusual for a Tex-Mex menu, but this menu isn't solely Mexican-inspired. Laurenzo pays homage to his Italian heritage with dishes like calamari and Caesar salad, but he's also bragged on his Spanish-inspired paella, which is served as a side with many of the main dishes in lieu of the traditional Spanish rice. I ate it, but I didn't realize it was "paella" until I later read its description on the menu.
Where El Tiempo truly excels is cheese. Queso flameado is offered up six different ways, but the best iteration is the traditional choriqueso — traditional in style, that is, though not in name. It's delivered to the table on a large tray containing a sizable ramekin of cheese, a bowl of spicy crumbled chorizo, a tortilla warmer filled with four fresh tortillas and two soup spoons. Much to my surprise, the waiter proceeded to mix the queso flameado himself, adding a spoonful of chorizo at a time and stirring until the meat and cheese were one glorious, greasy unit. He then skillfully scooped out the cheese in quarters and wrapped it in the soft flour tortillas, using the two spoons as if they were oversized chopsticks. I loved the choriqueso not only for the presentation, but also because the queso and chorizo burritos were rich, fatty, spicy and mighty filling for an $11 appetizer.
The tortillas alone were rich and silky, and they're clearly made with lard, which gives a smooth texture that only pure fat can create. The simple salsa, brought to the table with chips at any self-respecting Mexican restaurant, were above average as well. I appreciated that the spicy red homemade salsa was served warm, while the mild green avocado and tomatillo-based sauce was like a cool, creamy soup meant to be slurped with corn-chip spoons. I dumped it on everything I ate.
A not-so-classic-but-still-tasty-and-interesting dish is El Tiempo's "Cañonball." Though I've heard whispers that the cannonball might be on other Tex-Mex menus in town, I hadn't before encountered one. It's half an avocado stuffed with gooey jack cheese and beef or shrimp, then breaded and fried. On the plate, it is indeed a round, cannonball-size mass of greasy, artery-clogging crust wrapped around salty, molten cheese. The cheese is so hot and melty that it can easily be stretched more than two feet in length (I measured), but even the fun of playing with my food couldn't keep me from enjoying the warm, toasty crunch of the fried crust, the smooth, gooey jack cheese or the refreshing and creamy pop of ripe green avocado.
The cañonball was served with tamales, which unfortunately were a major disappointment, as were the chicken enchiladas. Both come smothered in a ground beef chili sauce that serves only to mask the dry, crumbly, tasteless masa in the tamales and the bland, boring enchiladas. In each case, an excess of ground corn in different forms (masa and tortillas) takes away from pork and chicken that were tender and delicately spicy.
It's a shame when good Tex-Mex intentions go awry, as they clearly did with the beef fajitas. This unfortunate rendition of the classic dish was my greatest disappointment, particularly because the recipe supposedly comes straight from Mama Ninfa. The charred, meaty flavor is all there, but the spindly strips of overcooked and underseasoned beef are desiccated and difficult to chew. For the sake of propriety, I chomped on that beef until my jaw was sore, but ultimately gave up and spat it out. Maybe next time, El Tiempo. Maybe next time.
The Laurenzo family has come full circle, it seems, from Original Ninfa's on Navigation to Ninfa's restaurants as far afield as Germany, and back to the same city block where the Tex-Mex legend was born. Though the Original Ninfa's is no longer part of the Laurenzo empire, it maintains the thoughtfulness and consistency that turned the small Tex-Mex joint into a sensation. El Tiempo has the potential for such greatness. It's just not there yet, as evidenced by the subpar margaritas and leathery strips of grilled meat for the fajitas.
As a test, I visited the El Tiempo on Richmond on a Friday evening and enjoyed a genuinely good margarita. Their fajitas were pretty solid, too, and the large crowd there appeared completely satisfied with the food and drinks. This newest restaurant — the one seemingly closest to the Laurenzos' hearts — appears to be the only one truly missing the mark. It could be growing pains or a poor kitchen staff, or it could be the pressure of operating in the shadow of Mama Ninfa's behemoth of a Tex-Mex restaurant.
