Huevos Rancheros: The Alcove vs. El Huarachito

By Tien Nguyen Tue., Jan. 31 2012 at 6:00 AM

T. Nguyen

Huevos rancheros at The Alcove

Fried eggs and buttered toast is the Tim Duncan of breakfasts in that it's generally very reliable, if not a little boring. Give us fried eggs on top of fried tortillas topped with rancheros sauce and salsa on almost any morning though, and it's a whole new ballgame. Thankfully, huevos rancheros are standard fare on most breakfast menus across town; for this Food Fight, Team Alcove Cafe squares off against Team El Huarachito to see which restaurant makes the better version of this classic Mexican breakfast.

The Alcove is a sunny spot in Los Feliz with a rightfully popular patio where everyone from Kenneth the Page to hipster locals reading scripts in their pajama pants at 2 p.m. can be found enjoying the all-day breakfast menu. The café prides itself on its "commitment to the environment" and sources local, organic ingredients where possible. The Alcove's huevos rancheros has three (farm fresh) fried eggs topped with generous avocado slices. The sour cream and rancheros sauces come in their own oddly wasteful plastic containers, and sides of rosemary potatoes and black beans complete the order.

About the best thing that can be said about this plate is that the rosemary potatoes are excellent: crispy outside, fluffy inside, with just the right amount of seasoning. The eggs themselves were fine, but the tortillas were essentially flavorless tortilla chips. Both the sauce and the salsa were both watery and bland. The black beans didn't add as much as we hoped, though the sour cream did. That said, it could only do so much. This was more boring than the The Big Fundamental. For $10.95 plus tax, we expected quite a bit better.

El Huarachito is just six miles away from The Alcove in Lincoln Heights. The huevos rancheros here are served sans guacamole or sour cream (though you can request both); rather, you simply get two fried eggs atop slightly crispy tortillas with rancheros sauce, refried beans and potatoes.

T. Nguyen

Huevos rancheros at El Huarachito

El Huarchito's huevos rancheros weren't as bright and colorful as The Alcove's version. But this plate is an excellent example of why food, like books and dogs, should never be judged based on looks alone. The eggs were cooked just enough, the rancheros sauce had a little kick, the freshly made tortillas were soft and crispy. In other words, this was absolutely delicious, and very filling. And it earned extra points for its price: All this cost barely more than $5.

This Food Fight's a slam dunk. The Alcove does indeed have a pretty patio courtyard, but its huevos rancheros are not even in the same league as El Huarachito's. El Huarachito easily wins this match-up, and The Alcove leaves the court with (farm-fresh) egg on its face. Better luck next season.

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El Huarachito

3010 N. Broadway, Los Angeles, CA

Category: Music

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eggs, El Huarachito, food fight, huevos rancheros, The Alcove Cafe, Tien Nguyen

We Recommend

Foodsub

Try the Huevos Rancheros at Eclectic cafe on Lankershim in Noho, I've had both of the above and I think they blow these away...

Hotdogla

@FoodSub:twitter hopefully this reply will make it to the board. The only thing Huevos Rancheros about the HUEVOS RANCHEROS at ECLECTIC CAFE is the name. Here is how ECLECTIC CAFE describes their HUEVOS "A True Southwestern Delight! Start with Two Flour Tortillas topped with Two Eggs (any style), smothered with Ranchero Sauce and Cheese. Served with a side of Black Beans

$10.00" The first thing that disqualifies this dish is not one but TWO FLOUR TORTILLAS. The tortilla should corn not flour and also crispy.

Topped with two eggs ANY STYLE. See with HUEVO RANCHEROS you don't have a choice on how that egg is cooked beloved. It's suppose to be sunny side which mean the whites are perfectly and completely cooked so that the sun the yolks spreads over the tortilla, my mouth waters thinking about it, The RANCHERO SAUCE is a kin to pizza sauce. Huevos rancheros must have SALSA RANCHERA. SALSA not SAUCE. Sauce is for pizza.

The cheese I called the restaurant to ask what type of cheese they use and the nice man said "we use a MEXICAN BLEND" a MEXICAN BLEND? I asked what's in this Mexican cheese blend and he answered "MOZORELLA and CHEDDAR" Cheddar cheese Mexican? I didn't see that cheese until my arrival in America, who knew it was MEXICAN?

Black beans? Im speechless.

Im sure that the dish that you describe as HUEVOS RANCHEROS is tasty, however I have to disagree with you the ECLECTIC CAFE HUEVOS RANCHEROS are not huevos rancheros but it reminds me of EAT WELLs "The Big Mess"

Do you own this place?

HotDogLA

According to their menu: Huevos Rancheros: A True Southwestern Delight! Start with Two Flour Tortillas topped with Two Eggs (any style), smothered with Ranchero Sauce and Cheese. Served with a side of Black Beans

$10.00.

Foodsub perhaps what you ordered was called HUEVOS RANCHEROS but it's not HUEVOS RANCHEROS its more HUEVOS FAUXCHEROS. Here is where it goes south:1. FLOUR TORTILLA , sorry amigo the tortilla must be corn and crispy2. RANCHERO SAUCE, that usually means something a kin to PIZZA SAUCE however I've never had it here, but I know that they serve lots of pasta here.3. CHEESE. I called them just now and they said the cheese was a"MEXICAN BLEND" and I had to ask what is a MEXICAN BLEND he said CHEDDAR MOZZARELLA.

I was going to ask what is in the RANCHERO SAUCE but the MEXICAN BLEND just sent me over the edge of glory.

So there you go FOODSUB now you will have to come out and try out HUEVOS RANCHEROS not HUEVOS FAUXCHEROS. Love yah Boo.

Here is a good article on for places to try some Huevos Rancheros

http://articles.latimes.com/20...

Tekilaworm

Those must be Huevos Rancheros from Vietnam!!! Ask a Mexican about Huevos Rancheros.....

HotDogLA

I am a Huevos Rancheros SNOB and I have tried both the Alcove and El Huarachito they both look delicious however I find The Alcoves version much better. The Alcoves version you said was served with guacamole, ah no you see its served with AVOCADO which is not GUACAMOLE (thats another contest) sour cream is a "NO NO for both places, Mexican food has neither JACK CHEESE or SOUR CREAM, the "wasteful cups" of salsa could probably be skipped and poured on top I'm almost sure they will honor your "commitment to the environment". I have to disagree with you in regards to the flavor of organic produce and eggs, there is no way that a grain fed cage free egg tastes the same as an egg that was produced in a factory farm, or that a local organic avocado tastes the same as one that is purchased at the tiendita. And of course beans made with lard are always going to be more delicious, and if that lard had been from LINDY AND GRUNDY you probably would have passed out with joy at the first bite. My familia thought I was crazy to purchase my foods from local organic farmers for sometimes double the price compared to LA VALLARTA or the other tienditas but once they tasted the local farmed goodies they were convinced that LOCAL ORGANIC is better. "I eat less, because I can savor each bite" my dad told me last time I made my tamales, The cost of THE ALCOVE may seem high but when you consider the impact that $10.95 makes on our economy, your body and "Californias Gold" it does not seem like such a high price to pay.

Seeking Boffo Huevos a good Huevos Rancheros Article.http://articles.latimes.com/20...