Orsolya D.
Yelp
One of the main draws of the Los Angeles culinary scene is its identical reflection of the diversity of its residents. There is no craving or ethnic style that can't be satisfied in the City of Angels. Holding the predominant spot is, logically, Mexican food encompassing all regions of the country south of the US border. With what feels like thousands of options; Mexican food in LA can be broken down into authentic and 'Americanized' varietals. Joining the list of Mexican offerings is Anejo Cantina & Bar in the Sherman Oaks neighborhood of Los Angeles. How do es Anejo stack up?
Anejo holds real estate on Ventura Boulevard near the Kester intersection on the second floor of a small shopping plaza. Inviting patrons with its circular outdoor patio area visible from the street; Anejo can't be missed. Free underground garage parking is also available.
In terms of esthetics, Anejo is a prime choice whether on a date, a trendy group dinner or a casual family meal. Dim lighting, an airy layout, fully stocked bar and floral wall hangings ideal for those social media photos; Anejo is the conceptualization of what we are used to in Los Angeles (although, there was an odd constant turning on and off of lights while we were there). Not to mention the lovely outdoor patio area. Anejo even has live music to liven up the place on select days of the week.
Anejo's menu serves up the standard fare of Mexican appetizers, entrees, deserts and alcohol: empanadas, ceviche, tacos, fajitas, sea food, enchiladas, Chile Rellano, margaritas... you get the picture. However, it is obvious that Anejo caters to the middle-grade, average audience and is on the 'Americanized' side of things lacking any creative dishes of note. As my dining partner and I waited for our tableside chips and salsa; we each ordered a requisite Gold Margarita (peach and raspberry, respectively - $12). Both arrived sadly not hitting my months long desire for both: the salsa was too thin while my margarita didn't have a raspberry flavor and was weak in the alcohol ratio: bland. My dining partner's peach margarita was more to my liking but arrived separated as though it had been sitting out versus perfectly blended (separated to the point of stirring the straw not being a remedy). Further aggravating my dining partner was the complete absence of guacamole on the menu either a la carte with the dishes or for the chips. "NO GUACAMOLE?!" may be his new catch phrase.
For starters, we ordered the Bacon Wrapped Shrimp (shrimp wrapped in Applewood bacon w/sweet chili aioli - $13) while my dining partner chose the Sizzling Veggie Fajita for his main course (seasoned peppers and onions served with rice, refried beans, pico de gallo, combo chicken, steak and shrimp - $20 +$12 for combo). After seeing the Taco Trio delivered to neighboring diners, I chose it myself (choice of tree tacos served over spring mix with steak, carnitas, and garlic shrimp - $20).
Anejo excels in presentation as our appetizer and entrees were beautifully plated with fresh, bright ingredients in large serving sizes. But the taste? Rather disappointing. The Bacon Wrapped Shrimp was one-note in flavor with the bacon being much too crisp and overcooked for my liking and it was overly hot in temperature - to the point of it being difficult to eat. The aioli tickled my fancy, though! My taco trio was nicer on the eyes than on my belly. The Garlic Shrimp had no flavor with 'bland' obviously being the name of the game at Anejo. The carnita taco was slightly better and more braised in flavor with the steak being the best with a crema complimenting the beef. But overall, it was simply meh and I've had far superior tacos in LA. I enjoyed my dining partner's fajitas although it was equally just standard and nothing to write home about plus he was only served three tortillas which is not enough for the portion size. Anejo isn't terrible but it certainly isn't memorable, either.
Our waitress was all smiles and got the job done but not much to shine through in standout behavior.
Anejo is so mediocre that there honestly isn't much more to say in its description and I certainly don't understand the hype surrounding the restaurant that is spoken throughout the Valley. If you seek Americanized-Mexican food in an, admittedly, pleasant environment then Anejo is well-suited for your needs but if you want a more genuine Mexican meal that by all means, it can be skipped.