Many chefs describe Mexican food as fresh and flavorful. It seems impossible to ruin a cuisine known for its simplicity. Yet El Canelo manages to mess up big time, making Taco Bell seem more authentic.

El Canelo, located at 2740 Erie Blvd., opens its doors seven days a week from 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. Mondays through Thursdays; 11 a.m. to 10:30 p.m. Fridays and Saturdays; and 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. on Sundays. The menu includes the standard Mexican fare of tacos, fajitas, burritos and enchiladas, and it offers a variety of meal combinations.

Flashing beer advertisements and white lights guided us into El Canelo’s parking lot last Wednesday. The tiny yellow and blue building reminded me of a Cancun cantina. For a moment, I thought I escaped to Mexico for Spring Break instead of staying in Syracuse. That was, however, until I stepped inside.

We walked into silence, except for the occasional shout from the kitchen. In most Mexican restaurants, I can’t hear myself talk, let alone hear the person across the room. The silence should have been a sign. If not that, than the crumb-covered carpet should have scared my clean-obsessed self away. Sombreros adorned the wall, complete with chipped paint. We didn’t have music to entertain us, but we did have cries from an employee’s child. Hearing ‘mommy, mommy, I wanna go home’ only added to the unprofessional atmosphere of El Canelo.

After skimming the limited options for appetizers,we decided to order guacamole ($2.90) to accompany the complementary chips and salsa — a safe bet, we thought. The tortilla chips tasted like wonton chips from a Chinese restaurant — greasy and bland. The salsa, which traditionally contains chunks of fresh tomatoes, onions and peppers, looked like the contents of a Campbell’s tomato soup can. Combine the liquid consistency with the overload of cilantro, and it felt like I was eating dirty water. The too-chunky guacamole desperately needed flavor. Basic cooking skills, like spicing and dicing, could have saved this unappetizing appetizer.

For an entree, we ordered the taquitos ($8.35), deep-fried tortillas filled with chicken or beef. As my friend bit into his cigar-shaped dinner, I could tell El Canelo fulfilled the crunch factor of taquitos. He also told me the chef was generous with the filling, tasting moist chicken with each bite. Despite this, he said the taquitos weren’t anything special. His exact words: ‘They taste just like the frozen ones from Sam’s Club.’

For a vegetarian alternative, we ordered the vegetable fajitas ($11.05). Once again, the dish lacked the simple spices that make Mexican food so amazing. Instead of the traditional flavors of chilies and oregano, there was only the taste of burnt oil and soggy vegetables. Even the onions and peppers, vegetables rich in natural flavors, tasted bland and almost watered down.

When it came time for dessert, our waitress told us the kitchen ran out of ice cream, limiting our options from six to three. We chose churros ($3.60), the only authentic Mexican option. If done properly, this fried dough covered in cinnamon sugar could have saved our horrible dining adventure. Sadly, the El Canelo chefs lack the skill of frying. Churros usually have crisp exteriors and soft, warm centers. But at El Canelo, both the outside and inside are soft and anything but warm. And due to the sparse sprinkling of cinnamon sugar, I only tasted the oil from the fryer.

The combination of unsatisfying and unseasoned food made for a dismal dining experience. Next time I’m craving a Mexican meal, I‘ll take a trip to Alto Cinco. Heck, even the Taco Bell at the Kimmel Food Court would be better than El Canelo.

lmrocket@syr.edu

Published on March 22, 2011 at 12:00 pm