Back when my mom used to teach Chinese School in the Kerrisdale area, we used to frequent Topanga Cafe a lot. Since I was in the area that day with friends, looking for skimboards, I suggested we get some dinner before heading home. Win win, I get to blog about it since I haven’t been in more than 2 years and they get to try one of my favorite places for mexican food!
The place is small, very small. I think they could seat max, 30 people in there. Menus are on the table, and most of them will be colored. You’ll see why later on.
The menu is easy to read, Easy to read, no frills menu. Really simple and the prices are moderate. The restaurant site also has the menu online.
I can’t remember if chips and salsa only come if you order an entree, or if it comes regardless. They may have changed, but I’m not certain about that. I do know that the chips taste like Que Pasa chips. Ya know why…? Because I’m pretty sure they own Que Pasa! This reminds me, I need to go there to eat one day…
Probably the first thing you’ll notice when you enter is the wall filled with framed menus. You see, they have crayons and plenty of menus to color on. You might think it’s for kids, but some of these drawings are really good!
It can make for some great table conversation if things are a little stale, or even some good date talk
Onto the food. Victor and Yuwing shared a Burrito & Tac0 ($20.95). Yuwings never had a Taco, well a hard shell taco, so she really wanted to try it. She sure was amusing to watch while she tried to figure out how to hold and eat the taco.
Jeff had the Beef Chimichanga ($13.45), a deep fried burrito. All the entrees come with rice, beans, and salad (a very sparse amount..disappointing) on top.
While I had the Chile Relleno. It literally means “stuff chile” and I know it’s uncommon so that’s why I ordered it. Tacos and burritos just seem too plain for me, not that there’s anything wrong with it. For what it’s worth ($13.45), I think this is something you can’t easily replicate at home and therefore must be ordered in a restaurant. I reallllllly enjoyed it!
The chile relleno, literally “stuffed chile”, is a dish of Mexican cuisine that originated in the city of Puebla, consisting of a roasted fresh poblano pepper (the poblano pepper is named after the city of Puebla), and some times substituted with non-traditional Anaheim, or pasilla or even jalapeño chili pepper stuffed with a melting cheese, such as queso Chihuahua or queso Oaxaca (traditionally), and/or picadillo meat made up of diced pork, raisins, and nuts, seasoned with canella meat, covered in an egg batter, and fried. It is often served in a tomato sauce
Victors burrito was very meaty as it was full of shredded chicken. On top was a light creamy avocado sauce. Though he expressed his dismay in it being covered in sauce, thereby preventing him from picking it up, I thought it was fine the way it was presented.
From memory, I know that the plates and portions seem smaller than before, but yet I still left feeling full. It’s not a stuffed feeling, but a rather satisfied and content feeling. Though the prices are moderate, I think they’re on par with other places like Pepitas (which I’ve been but never reviewed), Las Margaritas (which I haven’t been to) and even Don Guacamole.
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