Culver City Beat

For home-styled Mexican food in Culver City, El Abajeño is a decent choice.  The casual sit-down restaurant on the corner of Culver and Inglewood was overlooked by me the first couple of times I was around the area because I was lured away by Tacomiendo, but I finally turned my head the other direction and saw it one day.

The restaurant is pleasant with ample seating inside for larger parties.  You stand in a line by the counter in front of some glass cases and order from the menu written above the counter.  Most of the quicker foods like tacos, burritos, and nachos can be seen made behind the counter while you're waiting to pay.

I was starving that day, so I ordered a dinner-sized plate with medium-cooked steak, an enchilada, and a side of rice and beans.  It took them about ten minutes to make, so don't order this if you're in a rush.

When the plate came, I realized my eyes were much larger than my stomach.  The steak, although I ordered it medium, was a bit tough and had some untrimmed gristle.  It also seemed salted unevenly in some parts.  Considering El Abajeño isn't a fancy steakhouse and more of a casual family dinner restaurant, and my plate cost about $11, I let that slide.

The enchilada was under some tasty sauce and cheese.  It was a good thing they included extra chips because I didn't want any of the cheese or beans to go to waste.  The rice was flavorful like good Mexican rice should be. The side of guacamole that was included on the plate was puny and it seemed more like a chunky salsa with avocado than guacamole.

For $11, I had a filling lunch with enough leftovers for another lunch the next day.  El Abajeño isn't fine dining by all means, but it's good enough to satisfy my craving for casual Mexican food.