Poco's - awesome Mexican breakfast

[bbqboy]

I love their chilaquiles - right on par with what I've had in Mexico and SW Texas.  Haven't seen them anywhere else, but then I never sought them out.  The moyetes (sp?) are incredible too...soft hoagie-type roll served open face and topped with refried beans and mild chorizo. Mmmmmm

molletes. good stuff.
  http://whatscooking.us/2009/07/17/molletes-revisited/

[KCLofts]

Woo hoo! Thank you for the hints! I just googled then called the 1st place that came up & it is:

El Maguey
7831 N Oak Trfy
Kansas City, MO 64118-1426
(816) 468-0077
‎http://tinyurl.com/mf9n2o

Just did a little more digging.  The place we went was called Senor Tequila at 6502 N Oak.

[kimchi]

Just did a little more digging.  The place we went was called Senor Tequila at 6502 N Oak.

Super! Thanks.  Now I can do chilaquile taste-off. 
Seems this place also offers a 29 ounce margarita for $6.25. Too bad I loathe well tequila, which I'm sure it is.  Maybe they'll subsitute something better for an upcharge.  We'll see.

[kimchi]

The chilaquile taste-off was so disappointing & pretty much a bust.

El Maguey:
threw some chips into a takout container, drizzled a small amount of enchilada sauce, added huge globs of cheese & (I assume) microwaved for a minute or two. More like nachos. Very lazily made nachos.  Dark red enchilada sauce had little flavor.  This went into the trash rather quickly.

Senor Tequila:
1st thing I noticed was the 1/2-1 inch think layer of cheese covering the entire take out container.  When I discarded that I found some well cooked tortilla pieces, but not even close to enough sauce.  Very dry & underseasoned.  They have a huge menu so I'd go back to try other things.

Poco's:
The most flavor of them all.  Sauce was less enchilada-like, more like a great salsa that was seasoned well & had a good amount of spice (don't think it was their warm salsa though).  Actually tasty, but they made the tortillas soooooooo soggy.  It was more like a stewed soup.  Comes w/ hash browns, beans or rice & the eggs cooked to your liking (but in a separate pan, just plain, not incorporated w/ the chilaquiles at all). 

The last chilaquiles I had were at Rick Bayless' Frontera Grill in Chicago & they were amazing.  It really is a simple dish & traditionally a way to use up day old tortillas (also known as a good hangover meal).  Somewhat the same idea as enchiladas, but more rustic or casserole like.  Fried stale tortilla pieces or chips are sauteed in a red or green enchilada-like sauce, topped w/ chopped onions, a bit of cilantro, crema & usually queso fresco or cotija crumbles (all restaurants I visited used shredded yellow/white cheese).  Eggs, scrambled or fried, are optional (as is chicken sometimes) on this usual breakfast/brunch dish.  Guess I'll have to make it at home myself.  Sigh.

Would probably order Poco's once more in hopes they may be less soggy.  Will be back there to try their Spinach Enchiladas & some other items I haven't had yet.  http://pocosontheblvd.com/

*note: mexican places here really need to lighten up on the (unneccesary) iceberg lettuce. A mountain of it is not needed for every dish.

[chrizow]

i imagine you might have to venture off the gringo path to find good chilaquiles.  investigate KCK and old northeast.

[trailerkid]

The chilaquile taste-off was so disappointing & pretty much a bust.

El Maguey:
threw some chips into a takout container, drizzled a small amount of enchilada sauce, added huge globs of cheese & (I assume) microwaved for a minute or two. More like nachos. Very lazily made nachos.  Dark red enchilada sauce had little flavor.  This went into the trash rather quickly.

Senor Tequila:
1st thing I noticed was the 1/2-1 inch think layer of cheese covering the entire take out container.  When I discarded that I found some well cooked tortilla pieces, but not even close to enough sauce.  Very dry & underseasoned.  They have a huge menu so I'd go back to try other things.

Poco's:
The most flavor of them all.  Sauce was less enchilada-like, more like a great salsa that was seasoned well & had a good amount of spice (don't think it was their warm salsa though).  Actually tasty, but they made the tortillas soooooooo soggy.  It was more like a stewed soup.  Comes w/ hash browns, beans or rice & the eggs cooked to your liking (but in a separate pan, just plain, not incorporated w/ the chilaquiles at all). 

The last chilaquiles I had were at Rick Bayless' Frontera Grill in Chicago & they were amazing.  It really is a simple dish & traditionally a way to use up day old tortillas (also known as a good hangover meal).  Somewhat the same idea as enchiladas, but more rustic or casserole like.  Fried stale tortilla pieces or chips are sauteed in a red or green enchilada-like sauce, topped w/ chopped onions, a bit of cilantro, crema & usually queso fresco or cotija crumbles (all restaurants I visited used shredded yellow/white cheese).  Eggs, scrambled or fried, are optional (as is chicken sometimes) on this usual breakfast/brunch dish.  Guess I'll have to make it at home myself.  Sigh.

Would probably order Poco's once more in hopes they may be less soggy.  Will be back there to try their Spinach Enchiladas & some other items I haven't had yet.  http://pocosontheblvd.com/

*note: mexican places here really need to lighten up on the (unneccesary) iceberg lettuce. A mountain of it is not needed for every dish.

Did you really just compare these places to Frontera Grill?

[chrizow]

you mean frontera grill doesnt serve their food in styrofoam containers and have peach frozen margaritas in 40 oz. cactus-shaped glasses?

[kcjak]

you mean frontera grill doesnt serve their food in styrofoam containers and have peach frozen margaritas in 40 oz. cactus-shaped glasses?

That's too funny!!  Kimchi, keep posting about the chilaquile experiment cuz I'd like to find some options, although I reserve chilaquiles for only before noon.  Also, you may be asking for trouble if you're getting these food to go.

[kimchi]

Did you really just compare these places to Frontera Grill?

trailerkid: Uh no, just stating the fact that that is where I last had them.  Used to eat them almost weekly when I lived in the Bay Area

kcjak: I got them to go because I was running errands on Saturday around the Northland & couldn't eat 2 full servings by myself.  I sat at the bar & had a drink while waiting for each, had a handful of bites immediately after they were brought to me & then took the rest home (or to the trash).  Poco's was today.

next time I'll know to post my minute-by-minute protocol.

[chrizow]

maybe westside local should develop the KC area's finest chilaquiles!

[kimchi]

maybe westside local should develop the KC area's finest chilaquiles!

hmmm, doesn't go w/ the theme & we leave brunch to Blue Bird since that is their big thing & we respect that as neighbors. I don't have any pull there anyway, just the wife. The menu is ever-evolving, but I don't forsee chilaquiles to ever be on it.  I tried to convince Augustine at Los Alamos, but he wasn't into the idea.

Actually The 'Local does have some new-ish Sunday menu items now:

*shrimp & grits (my favorite)
*bangers & mash with local buffalo/pork brats
*meatloaf sandwich
*farmers market hash

[moderne]

Was dissappointed Sunday at Poco's with service and food.  But then found out you can get things not on menu just by asking, e.g., tamales.

[AJoD]

Nice job with the chilaquiles taste-off, sorry the results were lousy.  My mother-in-law has been really disappointed in the lack of chilaquiles here, and knowing my propensity to seek out various foodstuffs, has been prodding me to take up the cause.  My efforts have been pretty minimal, though I continue to be surprised by how often it doesn't show up, even at more traditional seeming places.  I do love me some chilaquiles.

Regarding the Frontera Grill reference, I was reminded of this old post on Chowhound: http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/114489

There is no reason you shouldn't be able to get top-notch chilaquiles from a Not Frontera.  The KC Mex scene is not Chicago's, but it's not too shabby either.

[AJoD]

The chilaquile taste-off was so disappointing & pretty much a bust.

One more to try: El Taconazo.  The verde were pretty enjoyable, haven't tried the rojo yet.

[kcjak]

Stopped by Poco's on Monday and there was a sign on the door saying their last day at the current location was Sunday, March 1. The sign said they were relocating to Linwood across from Costco - I can't remember the address (401 E Linwood?) but I pray it's not the spot connected to the smoke shop.

At any rate, I don't have much faith that this is a good move for them.

[earthling]

Odd given they had a makeover of the space from some TV show. OTOH, while they usually have large sat/sun breakfast crowds, not busy otherwise. More visibility being in Midtown. Like their chorizo and black bean breakfast tacos.

[rxlexi]

Damn, I love Poco's, and this would not seem to bode well for them. They are rarely ever busy (often only a couple tables) on the weekend nights that I typically go.

I hope they continue to offer up something a little different on the KC mexican food circuit.

[UMKCroo]

http://www.pitch.com/FastPitch/archives ... r-location

[kcjak]

I'm so bummed - Sunday morning is the only time I can get to Poco's and now that won't be an option. I wish them luck but fear this move will be one foot in the grave.

[grovester]

yeah, 3 tables?, who gets breakfast to go?