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Arteagas Food Center (Mexican cuisine)  $

 8
JaT Rating

933 E Duane Ave, Sunnyvale, 94085  (Directions)


408.735.7277


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Supermarket with taqueria cooking fresh tortillas for their mulitas


Reviewer: Jason
Total Reviews: 992
Reviewed: 2/6/2008
Rating: 8
My photo gallery 		We're back again at Fair Oaks Plaza taking done restaurants one at a time. I did a drive to Arteagas Food Center the other week and picked up half a pound of chicharrones and mexican ice cream (50 cents, you gotta love it). I spotted a food court and the following week I came back with Terry.

We had to order in Spanish and the menu didn't list all the items they cook. I heard people ordering tacos and burritos and what caught my eye was this guy at the counter eating the mulitas. I've never had mulitas before and had to ask the guy what the heck he was eating. It looks so good, Terry and I split 2 carne asada and 2 carnitas mulitas. A bit of warning but the mulitas take a long time to make.

For starters, they make the tortillas from scratch! The girl grab a little glob of dough, rolled it, covered it with wax paper, put it in the tortilla press, flattened it out, and tossed it on the grill. Wow. Fresh tortillas on the way. It probably took a good 15 minutes to get our food which is eternity by taqueria standards.

The first mulitas to arrive were the carne asada ones. Mulitas is like a quesadilla with the exception these are made with taco size corn tortillas. Sandwiched between the 2 corn tortillas is gooey cheese and the meat. One mulitas is roughly the size of 2 tacos and cost $2.60. The carne asada was you standard cut grilled steak. Off to the side of the counter is the toppings bar. They have all the familiar mexican toppings like salsa, guacamole, grilled peppers, onions, cilantro, etc.

The carnitas was next and normally it's my favorite meat but today it lost out to the carne asada. The pork didn't have those fine crunchy edges and leaked oil. There was plenty of meat in each bite and I thought they could've used more salt. It's a good thing I had the salsa to help out.

Best part of the meal had to be the tortillas. There's nothing like getting freshly cooked tortillas to order, it's literally night and day compared to the bag ones and worth a visit alone. Eating at the counter gives a peak at the kitchen and entertaining to watch. Only problem is counter too high, seats to low, and knees hitting the wall. Arteagas Food Center is a jatbar kind of spot. It's a unique dining experience and it's not often you run into mulitas on taqueria menus.
 


Reviewer: Terry
Total Reviews: 723
Reviewed: 2/5/2008
Rating: 8
My photo gallery 		I hadn't heard about this place, and in fact I had never seen this mystical shopping center that is composed of 85% restaurants, from nearly every cuisine. Its quite a sight to behold. Its very rundown looking but if you are unsure what kind of food you are in the mood for, just drive here and decide in the parking lot.

Worth noting is that the smell from the Pho place overpowers all of the rest, but today we were on a mission to try Arteagas. It looks like your standard mexican grocery store with a small taqueria stuffed in the corner. After seeing another patron noshing on something *very* tasty looking, we get the insider info from him. He has ordered 2 Mulitas. Well we knew what we were going with today.

I couldn't get a veggie one so settled with one steak mulita and one pork mulita. It helps to know a little spanish but you shouldn't be dissuaded -we were able to get our order across in bungled spanish and smattering of english. Mulitas are basically two thick tortillas with meat and cheese stuffed between them. And by that description they sound kind of plain like a quesadilla. In fact, they are much better. After placing your mulita order you must sit back and wait. Quite awhile. The lady behind the counter was making them from scratch. Yes.

I think we waited a good 15 minutes for our food to arrive but wow did they look GOOD. At about $2.60 each they seem cheap, but one might not be filling enough so with 2 of them you are talking burrito prices. Still, don't be dissuaded. They are GOOD. At the corner of the counter is a minimal salsa bar complete with grilled veggies. Nice setup if a bit spartan.

I tried the steak first. Very tasty, rich flavorful meat and the oh so delicious tortillas and runny cheese. Not something to eat often, but wow I am sold on these Mulitas. Next up was the pork. I was not terribly fond of this one. There was a lot of fat I had to pull out and it was just way too greasy and not crunchy enough. I would say stick with the beef- at least of the two I tried.

Place wasn't the cleanest around, but service was friendly and waits were long but to be expected for the homemade food you are getting.
 
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