El Cabrito – Mexican Food Par Excellence in Burien
Burien ups the Mexican food game with this hole-in-the-wall spot.
On the surface, it might not sound like a big deal to win Discover Burien’s “Best Taco” award. But, as the town has a surprisingly legit Mexican food scene, it seemed prudent to put El Cabrito in our crosshairs when they recently brought home the honor. Eater, too, took note, naming El Cabrito one of Seattle’s thirty-eight best restaurants. All they’re really missing is an Awesomeness Digest write-up, so here we are – a properly timed visit to a Mexican spot that deserves all the love it can get.
El Cabrito is located in a small space. Tiny – barely larger than a kiosk, with only two inside tables. A bar along the window adds a few more spots, and there is outdoor seating, but for many, take-out might be the more practical option. And, as El Cabrito started as a taco truck, they do have more experience in boxing up food than many. That is not a backhanded compliment – coming home with a mess of tacos is not uncommon, and I’ve certainly had my share of experiences. El Cabrito packages the food for clean serving, and I, for one, value that. Grab a seat if you can find one – dining in is always better - but take-out is a valid option.
And the food itself? Excellent. Their mole1 negro – based on an Oaxaca family recipe – is a tooth-kick-and-a-half, with a bitter dark-chocolate palate. It’s not super spicy in the Scoville sense, but there is a palpable complexity to the spice mix. Chicken mole might not sound like the most exciting of meals, but it’s a great way to get a sauce-forward experience.
Tlayuda is a dish I wasn’t familiar with, but I've since discovered its appeal. I hate to use the well-worn “Mexican pizza” comparison, but that is the best shorthand for it. A crispy corn tortilla replaces pizza dough, with a bean-spread taking the place of tomato sauce, and a generous serving of avocado for a mozzarella-like creaminess. Pour some of the accompanying hot sauce over the beef-steak topping, and you have a dish that sits at the intersection of pizza and tacos.
For something lighter, the house salad is a fresh pick, and I can see why the tacos – in this case, the rib-eye special – took home the “Best of…” prize. They’re simple, with protein-forward flavors, sparingly backed by onions, salsa, and cilantro. Why drown out the primary zing with an unnecessary stash?
Driving over to Burien might not be foremost on people's minds, but maybe it should be? They have a good food scene, and El Cabrito isn’t the only Mexican spot worth a visit. It should likely be your first stop, though, and if you only go to one place… Well, it doesn’t get much better.
Rating
So, I generally don’t score things anymore, but as this post is part of the prestigious Tortillaphilia family of websites, it just makes sense to follow its rating guide. In this case:
(Tortillaphilia’s scoring system is of the eclectic kind. One Super Mario Mushroom is the worst score, four is the best, unless the place is terrible, in which case it gets a Mario-flying-off-the-screen. And, if the place is out of this world, it gets the coveted Mario-won-the-level award. This ostensibly made sense during Tortillaphilia’s infancy, circa 2007.)
Find El Cabrito at 14631 Ambaum Blvd SW in Burien, and on Facebook.
In the spirit of Eater’s Top 38 list – which is surprisingly OK – here are a few other Mexican-adjacent spots we’ve covered that should sit high on an objective chart.
Jackalope Tex-Mex: Their brisket enchiladas are outstanding. Plus, if you’re looking for a spot that exudes Seattle’s nineties sensibilities, this might be the premier location.
Tacos La Cuadra: Likely Seattle’s best al pastor – they have multiple taco trucks, as well as their Kent brick-and-mortar location. Apparently, they recently opened a Ballard restaurant, too.
Mexican Seoul: Korean tacos served from a stationary truck in Northwest Seattle. “Al Paskor” still makes me snicker.
And, if you’ve gotten as far as Burien, you might as well continue down to Olympia. Tacos California still serves up my favorite burritos. Seriously. They rule.
I’m one of many who committed the sin of spelling it “molé,” which is a hypercorrection. And an understandable one at that – sounding out “mole” gives associations to the animal, but that is how it should be spelled. (I don’t make the rules. 🤷)