El Catrin
Mexican restaurant · White Center ·
Generous portions of authentic Mexican fare, flavorful tacos and sopes
Generous portions of authentic Mexican fare, flavorful tacos and sopes
"This White Center restaurant has so many great dishes that the menu fills up an entire wall-sized chalkboard. But we recommend directing your attention to the sopes section. These thick masa cakes drip with tasty chicken juice and are stacked high with beans, pickled onions, lettuce, and crema—which makes picking one of these up about as precarious as the final moments of a Jenga game." - aimee rizzo, kayla sager riley
"It’s hard to go wrong with any tacos here, but the steak is no doubt a winner. Each sturdy tortilla comes generally stuffed with all well-marinated bits of beef, rivaling the tenderness of steak at much fancier spots. There’s also just enough char mixed in to let you know it’s there without drying out the meat. And though the tacos hold up on their own, a creamy green salsa served on the side is endlessly dunkable and provides a welcome tang." - kayla sager riley, gabe guarente, aimee rizzo
"This low-key White Center restaurant has an intimidatingly long menu with protein options ranging from salmon to tripe. Don’t sweat it though — everything is great here because El Catrin does all the little things right. The tortillas are ideally pliable and lightly charred, and the salsa verde provides a bright, tangy spike of flavor. The only downside to El Catrin is you probably don’t have room for sopes, tacos, and a plate of succulent puerco en salsa verde. –Harry Cheadle" - Charlie Lahud-Zahner
"Even in a neighborhood with plenty of great Mexican food, you’d be hard-pressed to find better tacos than El Catrin's. On weekend nights, the restaurant's booths pack with loud groups sharing steamy tortillas that sop up guisados and black beans. Tiny mountains of sopes deserve their own sonnets, and just about all of the tacos on the menu are terrific—particularly the flaky fried rockfish and juicy carnitas with crispy edges. This is really a place best enjoyed with others. That way you can mix and match all of El Catrin’s excellent dishes." - kayla sager riley, gabe guarente
"Even in a neighborhood with plenty of great Mexican food, you’d be hard-pressed to find better tacos on the south end. At El Catrin, rockfish is fried but still flaky, carnitas taste juicy, and there’s a lengua taco that could host its own podcast about texture. The restaurant’s tortilla-based mastery extends to burritos and sopes, too. While we wouldn’t mind seeing a few more salsa options to go along with everything, the range and quality of the menu make this a great choice for a night out with people who are always up for another round of Modelos. The restaurant is best enjoyed with others, so you can mix and match smaller dishes. On weekend nights, El Catrin's booths along the walls are often packed with people sharing plates piled with steamy tortillas that sop up drippy guisados and soupy black beans. But weeknights here make for a quiet, pleasantly lazy dinner. There’s a beautiful ofrenda in the corner, a steady stream of Latin pop music playing, and a banquet table right in the middle that could seat a whole Little League team. Takeout’s pretty speedy, but you’re better off sitting and enjoying this food right out of the kitchen. Food Rundown Sopes This dish looks like three little mountain peaks, but instead of snow you get a generous mound of cheese, pickled onions, and crunchy lettuce on top of meat. The bottom masa base melds well with any variety, but we like the chorizo and chicken best. photo credit: Brooke Fitts Taquitos Botanos One of the few skippable appetizers at El Catrin. The shell has a satisfying crunch, but the filling could use a bit more seasoning. Tacos Get the carne asada version and anything involving pork or seafood. There’s a tasty guisado taco too, but all that sauce makes the tortilla a bit soggy. photo credit: Brooke Fitts Carnitas Plate Moist chunks of pork have enough salt, but not so much that you feel like you’re eating a bag of chips. The meat flakes off with just the lightest touch, and the edges are satisfyingly crispy. This entree with rice and beans is large. Still, you may not want to share. Burritos These weighty tortilla torpedoes have great stuff inside, including rice and beans getting along like old friends in even layers with the main fillings. Somehow the sturdy tortilla keeps it all together without making a mess, which our shirts appreciate." - Gabe Guarente
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