Babita

1823 S San Gabriel Blvd
San Gabriel, CA 91776

I'd like to thank Rick Bayless for his help in shining a light on "gourmet" Mexican food. Living in Los Angeles, we've become accustomed to the traditional roach coach, school cafeteria taquitos and burritos from the local Alberto's/Alerto's/Alejandro's Mexican fast food joints. Each of them are delicious in their own context, but all exemplify a more "cali, baja-cali" regional cuisine. Mexico is a large country with a diverse food culture. It's just sometimes difficult to realize as such in the City of Angeles.

Which brings us to Babita. A restaurant that has all the traits of a plus-plus restaurant for Iheartyummy. Located in the SGV (plus!). Recognized by many, including these guys, as one of the best Mexican restaurants in the LA area (plus!). So it was only a matter of time before we filled our bellies with what Babita had to offer.

If you live in the San Gabriel area or visit the area often, you've probably driven by this place a few dozen times and never noticed. From the indescript location and signage, it's appearance does little to call for attention. There was no parking lot to be found so street parking along the adjacent residential neighborhood is the best bet.

The interior is relatively small, with the feel and architecture of one of those eateries that was converted from an old house. The whole restaurant probably seats about 40 guests. The place feels homely and unpretentious. The front of the house is patrolled by no more than three waiters/bus boys.

We were seated immediately and greeted with glasses of water, menus and some recommendations, from which we made all our menu selections.

1. fried macho bananas, cremamex, balsamic reduction - A spruced up version of a classic. The most notible version being the one served at Versailles. This iteration was much more subtle. The sweetness of the bananas were tempered by the cremamex. The balsamic reduction required a bit of focus to notice its presence. A decent dish, but our preference is for the Cuban version.


2. Tequila-Cilantro Cured Salmon Sope. lacing of beans, chopped onion, cilantro, cream and white fish caviar - The best dish of the night. The supporting tortilla was thick and crunchy, providing a nice platform for the salmon. The tender salmon was packed with flavors from the cilantro, onions, and citrus. The slight bit of cream helped tie the dish together.

3. Shirmp Topolobompo with habaneros - HOT! I was warned that this was an extremely spicy dish. The waitress noted that the chef could prepare the dish just half or a quarter of its usual spice level. Being a fan of the spicy food, I was not going to hesitate to go "all-in" and have the dish as it was meant to be served. But being that the dish was to be shared, I opted for the "medium" spice level. This was probably a good call, as at that level, sweat was rolling down my brow. I can't imagine how the origianl version, with twice the spice, could be reasonably eaten and enjoyed. Even as a lover of spicy food, I do realize that there's some level of diminishing returns with spicy foods. The shrimp themselves were nicely prepared. They had the nice, bouncy consistency of fresh, well cooked prawns.

The high levels of capsaicin was tempered by hand pressed flour tortillas that accompanied the dish. Those tortillas were actually the best part of the entree. Thicker than their store bought counterparts, this version was served warm and a bit "fluffy". Some of the best tortillas we've ever had. Overall, this was just an "ok" dish.

A disappointing meal overall. Perhaps due to our high expectations coming in. From discussions with other that dined there, we ordered the wrong things. The service was friendly and there was enough potential to bring us back for another try. Especially since it's barely more than a stone's throw away. Fear not Babita, you have not yet been permanently removed from the Yummy List.