Rethinking El Coyote

LAFoodCrazy suggests that we reconsider everything we know about that old maragarita-and-bad-Mexican-food standby, El Coyote.

I say "we" in the collective sense, since I've never met anyone not turned off by El Coyote's cheese-and-refried bean heavy fare. But you go because of the potent margaritas and the festive atmosphere, right? LAFoodCrazy suggests that there's a way to actually enjoy the food at the Beverly Blvd. institution as well:

The guiding principle with working the El Coyote menu is to remember that the kitchen is very accommodating with substitutions. Use this to your advantage. The menu can be daunting, with bizarre entries like "Scratch Margaritas," (that doesn't sound appetizing at all), Enchilada Howard (we love to ask "is the Howard fresh today?"), and "Mexican Spaghetti" (it's actually fideo, a plenty "authentic" Mexican dish.) But don't be frightened. El Coyote is a Mexican restaurant, and has almost all the ingredients you'd expect in a Mexican restaurant; they're often just disguised with 1930s-friendly Americanized names. Don't see "carne asada"? It's there: it's just called "fajita steak." Machaca? It's "shredded beef." Flautas? They're "rolled tacos." The only thing you won't find buried in the menu is seafood. A bias of the owner, I'm told; I'm guessing she got some bad shellfish back in the ice-box 1930's.

So, a theoretical order from those "in the know" might go something like this: "I'd like an El Coyote Pizza with guac, a Garden Salad with ranch on the side, and a number one with a shredded beef taco -- suave, no grasa -- and a steak fajita enchilada, frijoles de la olla, and no cheese on the beans. And I'll have a scratch margarita straight up with rocks on the side."

Now that sounds like a pain-in-the-ass order, and your head is probably spinning. But the waiters and waitresses know what I mean as well as your local In 'n' Out knows what "Animal Style" means.

The site goes on to describe some of its favorite alternative El Coyote dishes. I've actually been ordering El Coyote's taco plate for years by asking for no cheese; black beans; and soft, rather than fried, taco shells. And I've felt better for doing so.