Mi Ranchito Mexican Restaurant - Where have you been all my Tyler life?

Mi Ranchito Mexican Restaurant

Beef and barbacoa tacos.

Caldo de Res

This is a little place off of Front street just west of downtown Tyler.  It isn't much to look at from the street.  There are some colorful murals/drawing painted on the windows and a small parking lot out front.  On the inside, there isn't much more.  There are a 10-15 tables with a few Mexican themed decorations.  My first reaction when rolling up on the place was that it was a little "sketchy".  I was heading over to BBQ Hernandez/Taco Y Mas, but they were closed (this is the second time I have been over there and it was closed, please don't tell me they have shut down).

The spread:  The menu reminds of the little hole in the wall places back in Houston that I love.  They have several different types of soups (caldos) - beef, pork, menudo (on weekends).  They offer tortas, enchiladas, tostadas, etc.  They also offer tacos with your choice of beef, chicken, al pastor and barbacoa.  There were a few more items that I hadn't heard of before and I am looking forward to coming back and trying.

The verdict:  Ah....finally a place that knows how to cook good Mexican food on the cheap.  The flour and corn tortillas were made fresh to order.  The chips were dense and crispy with two types of sauce - red (hot) and green (not so hot) - both excellent.  I knew when the chips came out that I was in for a treat.  I had the caldo de res (beef soup) which comes with tortillas, rice, cilantro and limes.  The broth was rich and well seasoned, the beef tender and delicious.  I also tried the beef, barbacoa and al pastor tacos, and all three were excellent.  Interestingly, most places have a salty, not so great beef/fajita taco meat, but that was not the case here.  The meat was tender and had a great balanced season to it.  The barbacoa was juicy and tender.  The al pastor was also great.  Overall, this is one of the best first food impressions I have had of a place in Tyler.

Edible Tyler Roses:  5 out of 5; First impressions matter, and I love this place.

Bistrolls Contemporary Fusion - Coffee shop + sushi bar = huh?

Bistrolls Contemporary Fusion



Bistrolls is a relatively new place that opened up in the downtown square area. It is just west of Jake's at the corner of the square.  The place looks contemporary and hip from the outside and has a nice local vibe with really just a few tables.  The sushi bar is located right in front with a small kitchen in the back.  I think they also have a decent area to sit relax and have a cup of coffee in the back.  They got a mention in "Texas Monthly" for the Tyler/Longview area, so I thought I would give them a try.

The spread:  Well, I couldn't get a handle on exactly what this place was trying to be.  They are making a concerted effort to be a hip coffee shop with a nice breakfast menu and the coffee offering you would expect.  I think this is a local place, but the menu has more of a corporate feel.  For breakfast you can make a sandwich from a variety of different ingredients (for a price each).  For lunch you can order a sushi roll to your own specifications (again each thing you add is more $$).  They also offer a variety of "fusion" dishes ranging from lamb kebabs, dumplings, wraps, to tempura, etc.

The verdict:  I was greeted warmly and promptly.  I ordered a Korean BBQ baguette with grilled pork and it came with a side of carrot tempura.  The baguette was pretty good, the pork well seasoned and flavorful, however, the bread wasn't a baguette.  It was more of a ciabatta.  I was just expecting more of a banh mi (Vietnamese style) sandwich.  The star of the day was actually the tempura prepared carrots.  They were light, crispy and delicious.  I also had a sushi roll, and I had them prepare me whatever they wanted because I don't have an extensive knowledge of sushi.  I think I got a deep sea diver/scuba diver roll?  I'm not sure.  It was spicy, tasty and a good size for the price ($12 bucks), but I wasn't blow away with the flavor profile or with the quality of the fish.  The serving dishes were also all styrofoam, which seemed a little lazy to me.  Maybe they are a primarily take out place, but I like to eat on real plates when I sit down somewhere.  Another criticism is that I don't like places that have "build your own burrito/sushi roll/dish/etc", that is just a personal preference, I don't want to make a ton of dishes and experiment in a restaurant - I can do that at home.  I trust a chef's recommendation over my own.

Edible Tyler Roses: 3 out of 5; Worth a try, but not spectacular.  I'm not sure how they scored a spot in Texas Monthly.