Following up on yesterday's column on Gay Bingo, we have an update. T read the column and wrote back: "Those sorry-assed Fruit Loops! LOL" T is not the fan of drag queens that I am. He went on, "There aren't many gay bars that offer it. It's usually the regulars that get it started and then word of mouth." Word of mouth! Aren't you a clever boots, T!
Forced Patronization of Another Mexican Restaurant
Yesterday afternoon, we were lucky enough to get the plumber to come same day to fix a leak in the kitchen sink. As this had involved removing everything under the sink, after they had fixed it and left, I proposed dinner out. I will take every chance opportunity to put my knees under a restaurant table rather than our own.
Richie said, "Las Brisas." But - what's this? The entrance to their parking lot was blocked by one of the waitresses waving her arms and yelling, "No! No! We have a private party downstairs, we are closed!" Wishing them well - "Charge'm double!" I bellowed - we pulled back into traffic and away.
Richie said, "I know" and pointed the car toward Inglewood Avenue. "It's called Leo's," he said.
Leo's Mexican Food, 16006 Inglewood Avenue leosmexicanfood.com
While it was a new Mexican restaurant to us (ever-faithful to Las Brisas,) it was by no means "new" to a lot of other people. Leo's opened in 1941 and now, four generations later, is thriving.
It's a big restaurant, laid out in a line - from left to right - dining room, bar, dining room, enclosed patio. They were doing a good business with locals; we were the only strangers in the joint. I know this because everyone but us was waving greetings, pausing at other tables to admire comely babies and so forth.
The drinks menu had a line re margaritas "Only served with dinner." In other words, ya wanna marg? Order dinner. We're not gonna be responsible for you knee walkin' outta here. I thought this was a thoughtful gesture and as we walked through their parking lot to the car, I thanked them for it.
Our traditional test of any Mexican restaurant is the salsa. My hopes for a new find diminished when I tried theirs. I think it was the cooked variety and if I had to make up the recipe I would try a roux of flour and mild ground chilies, with water added to make a sort of gravy and toss in a couple of sprigs of cilantro which must have instantly turned into weeds. A teaspoon of sugar to finish it and away to a table.
Our food was good enough, but the total lack of any kind of heat - not even a cuddly warmth - disappointed. Tex-Mex most closely describes it. We would go back; it wasn't that kind of "bad" but quite probably without a lot of enthusiasm. However, if you like mild rather than a ragin fire across your tonsils ... have we got a place for you!
Fire Hydrant
Despite the cheery reassurances of various city officials, it remains exactly as it was - shrouded in a yellow plastic hoodie. It does not block a handicapped parking space. There are none on our residential street.
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