Meal Ticket has some pics of the interior of El Camino Real which is set to open next week.

Interior pics of El Camino Real! [Meal Ticket]
El Camino Real [Official Site Coming Soon] 

 

We admit we started to worry when we saw the El Camino Real ads drop off the back of City Paper. We thought, could El Camino be a credit crunch victim? So we were relieved when we saw that December 16th is the official opening for Owen Kamihira’s border bar.

The Kleinsider has the details including the Texas BBQ and Northern Mexican menus.

The Skinny on El Camino Real [The Insider]

Cactus Cantina in Manayunk has a bunch of new deals that are worth a look-see.

Sundays

• 1/2 price Sangria all day

Mondays

• $10 64oz margarita pitchers
• $3 Magic Hat #9
• $8.95Fajitas

Tuesdays

• $2 Tacos
• $5 Margaritas
• $3Hoegaarden

Wednesdays

• $12 select bottles of wine
• Entire wine list is 50% off

Cactus Cantina [Official Site]

This week, Craig LaBan’s Sunday Drink column focuses on “tequila’s wild and rustic cousin: mezcal.”.

Sip one of the rare “single village mezcals” from Del Maguey, an importer that has collected artisan, clay-pot-distilled brews from remote outposts around Oaxaca, and you’ll know why these are among the most intense and interesting spirits out there. Chichicapa ($15), my favorite, is like a fiery, fruit-tinged, liquid bacon. Some liken Minero to watermelon-flavored bubble gum.

Sample mezcal at Cantina Dos Segundos where you can get a flight of three for $20.

Drink [Philadelphia Inquirer]
Cantina Dos Segundos [Official Site]

Craig LaBan positively gushes over Distrito, Joses Garces’ fun Mexican restaurant with serious food.

Garces has always used authenticity as the springboard for his innovations. But the steady focus on tapas at his Amada and Tinto has given him the discipline and aesthetic to convey an intricate world of flavor and texture on each gorgeous small plate. Each added blade of corn shoot or roasted pumpkin seed makes a subtle flavor imprint. Every micro-garnish or temperature contrast is a deliberate balance play.

Three Bells - Excellent

Distrito [Philadelphia Inquirer]
Distrito [Official Site]

City Paper’s A.D. Amorosi interviews Jen Zavala, the chef at the soon to open El Camino Real. Zavala gets excited about Mexican tripitas and big Texas barbecue, both of which are planned for the Northern Liberties spot. Zavala also shares what it was like cooking for Ozzfest.

Steer Genius [City Paper]

Self-employed, work nights, unemployed? Cantina Dos Segundos gives you a reason to get out of the house by 11am as they’ve added brunch to every day of the week.

Dos Segundos [Official Site]
Cantina Dos Segundos [Facebook]

Don’t forget that from 2 to 6pm today Taco Bell owes you a taco.

Taco Bell: Steal A Base, Steal A Taco [MLB.com]
Taco Bell Locations [Taco Bell]

Adam Erace is being wooed by pork chop pastor at Bella Vista’s Paxia.

Paxia, latest in the camp of classed-up-but-not-watered-down Mexican spots, makes a serious case with its pork-y-piña tango: a golden pineapple doubloon flanked by two tender grilled chops smothered in a husky vermilion guajillo sauce that purrs with garlic, cinnamon, cilantro and cloves.

Paxia [Philadelphia Weekly]

Adam Erace finds some things to quibble about at Distrito but it still is very much a Jose Garces experience.

Distrito [Philadelphia Weekly]
Distrito [Official Site]