{"id":495,"date":"2010-01-12T09:37:49","date_gmt":"2010-01-12T13:37:49","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.itsnotaboutme.tv\/news\/?p=495"},"modified":"2010-01-12T09:37:49","modified_gmt":"2010-01-12T13:37:49","slug":"restaurant-review-monte-alban","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/itsnotaboutme.tv\/news\/restaurant-review-monte-alban\/","title":{"rendered":"RESTAURANT REVIEW: MONTE ALBAN"},"content":{"rendered":"

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MONTE ALBAN<\/h1>\n

This Thursday will be January 14. So, may I be the first to wish a very Happy Birthday to\u2026ME! I guess I\u2019ll celebrate with a restaurant review. What a novel idea.<\/p>\n

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\"img_6482\"Usually after taping my show, Karen\u2019s Restaurant Revue<\/em>, in Santa Monica, some of my pals in the audience and I would go out to eat to wind-down. For a period of time, our destination of choice was George E. Wong\u2019s, a little Chinese place in a strip mall on Santa Monica Blvd., because we were cuckoo for their unique potato wontons. I\u2019ve never been back to that location since they closed.<\/p>\n

But recently, I had good reason to return: for a casual, relaxing dinner at Monte Alban, the Oaxacan restaurant that\u2019s been there for about a dozen years. I\u2019ve always assumed it was owned by some guy named Monte! Mi malo; Monte Alban is actually an ancient city (and archaeological site) in Oaxaca, (pronounced wuh-hah-kuh,) a state in the southern part of Mexico. The subject is really fascinating, so I heavily suggest you do your own research before dining at this fun eatery. It\u2019ll really add to the experience. Luckily for me, I was with two intelligent guy friends, who were all over the info.<\/p>\n

\"Monte

Monte Alban owner Ofelia Becerra (right) with teen-age daughter Jenny<\/p><\/div>\n

And guess what my favorite dish was? The molotes, which are sort-of Mexican versions of my late, lamented potato wontons! They instantly brought the location full circle for me. More on their special cuisine in a sec, but first I must tell you that Ofelia Becerra is one of the nicest, most pleasant, least-stressed restaurant owners I\u2019ve ever met! I wish she didn\u2019t work so much because she would be my new best friend. But for all of your sakes, I\u2019m glad she\u2019s at the helm.<\/p>\n

The menu here is a foodie\u2019s dream. It\u2019s giant, and inexpensive, too. There\u2019s something for all tastes, even picky mine. And the authentic, low-lit, muraled ambience is also perfect for everyone–couples, families, first dates.<\/p>\n

We were impressed with all the food. But this is the first time I don\u2019t miss doing my show anymore, because I wouldn\u2019t want to pronounce all these dishes on-air! We started with the consomm\u00e9 ranchero, a \u201cfour-alarm\u201d soup that Jeff said was \u201coff the hook!\u201d If you\u2019re a wimp like me, be sure to order it without<\/em> jalapenos. I loved it that way, and trust me, being from Brooklyn, I\u2019ve had more than my fair share of chicken soup.<\/p>\n

Lou wanted me to make sure to give \u201chonorable mention\u201d to the guacamole, and touted the white rice to be \u201camong the best\u201d he\u2019s ever had. (And he\u2019s my rice expert–how many other restaurant critics can boast that?!) He actually had finished the rice and beans before Jeff and I even knew the plate had arrived at the table! No lie. He also said the horchata, (rice beverage,) is an \u201cawesome house blend,\u201d which winds-up as a sort-of sorbet if you let it sit for awhile. And Lou knows his horchata! I don\u2019t bring him along just for his looks, don\u2019t cha know.<\/p>\n

We enjoyed all the mole sauces, which are their specialties, (along with goat tacos, but none of us were brave enough for those.) Some other favorites were the carnes monte alban, and the clayuda, which can be classified as a Mexican pizza.<\/p>\n

\"The

The shrimp volcan oaxaqueno with rice and beans<\/p><\/div>\n

But the piece de resistance (sorry to switch to French for a second there) was the volcan oaxaqueno with shrimp. You have to see it to believe it. It\u2019s broth bubbling out of a legged earthen bowl and is brimming with shrimp, cactus, salsa, avocado, \u201cand more,\u201d as the menu states. It does bring to mind a mini volcano.<\/p>\n

We finished off with what Lou deemed \u201cdamn good flan,\u201d though they serve ice cream with tequila! There\u2019s just so much three people can consume on one visit. But I know we\u2019ll be back. Maybe next time, we\u2019ll go for their breakfast, which features a cabinet of pan dulce, which is sweets all Oaxacans seem to know about. Maybe we\u2019ll even stick a candle in one and sing \u201cFeliz Cumplea\u00f1os\u201d to me! As long as no one adds, \u201cQu\u00e9 edad tienes ahora?\u201d<\/p>\n

11929 Santa Monica Blvd. West Los Angeles 310-444-7736 www.restaurantemontealban.com<\/p>\n

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MONTE ALBAN This Thursday will be January 14. So, may I be the first to wish a very Happy Birthday to\u2026ME! I guess I\u2019ll celebrate with a restaurant review. What a novel idea. Usually after taping my show, Karen\u2019s Restaurant Revue, in Santa Monica, some of my pals in the audience and I would go<\/p>\n

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