We have to be honest here – we actually went to the strip mall on Jefferson Boulevard to visit an entirely different eatery but, contrary to the hours listed online, that place was closed so we ended up at Horchata Mexican Food by accident. But what a happy accident it turned out to be.
From the outside, Horchata is an unassuming Mexican restaurant – plain and simple. The interior tells a different story though. The walls are decorated with art that creates a vibrant, traditional and altogether fun atmosphere. The staff wear beaming smiles and are immediately helpful, enhancing that warm vibe. Frankly, it’s a pleasure just to be there.
The menu, illustrated and up on the wall, is packed with the sort of classic Mexican dishes that you would expect to see, but our eyes were drawn to a white board with the day’s special scrawled on it in sharpie. The deluxe burrito (with a drink) – perfect!
The burrito was a masterpiece. First of all, we were expecting it to be a regular, sauce-less burrito in foil, easy to eat on the road while dashing from one assignment to another. In fact, it proved to be a wet burrito, smothered in a delicious, hot tomato-based gravy that has the slightest of kicks but not so much as to overpower the actual burrito. That was a solid and pleasant surprise.
The burrito itself was glorious. Packed with shredded chicken, guacamole, rice and cilantro, the ingredients all work together majestically well, and it’s quickly apparent that this is an especially good burrito.
Key is the fact that there isn’t too much rice – a common mistake. While the grain is an important element, it can feel cheap when a restaurant packs a burrito with rice and provides less of the other ingredients. That certainly wasn’t the case at Horchata.
The guac and cilantro served to enhance all of the flavors, as did that aforementioned rich sauce on the outside. But the chicken is wonderful. Shredded, moist and seasoned beautifully, the meat us full of flavor.
The meal comes with a small bag of tortilla chips, a small tub of tasty salsa, and a fountain drink. At $12, that’s a genuinely good deal and it’s great value. Of course, the specials will likely change day to day, but we doubt that the quality will waver. Horchata Mexican Food is located at 10814 Jefferson Blvd., Suite P, Culver City 90230. Call 310-204-2659.