I became so obsessed with Bar Ama’s ENORMOUS menu, that I knew I had to scheme my way into trying every Tex-Mex treat that Chef Josef Centeno had cooked up at his new spot downtown.

Hmmm, how do I do it? Bribery? Blackmail?

I invited as many friends as the restaurant would let me make a reservation for (8 was the max and even that was difficult) under the guise of a fun afternoon meal downtown.

They wouldn’t suspect a thing!

“Oh, you’re thinking of the fish?” I would ask. “I heard the rabbit leg was so much better.”

Before they knew it, they’d be ordering exactly what I wanted them to.

Having loved Centeno’s two other restaurants, The Lazy Ox and Baco Mercat, I had high hopes for this joint.

Thankfully, all my conniving was not in vain.

The main point of appreciation for me is how well everything was seasoned.

Even something as bland sounding as a Jicama Salad burst with flavor and spice.

I never once wished I had snuck a bottle of Sriracha in my camera bag!

SOME STANDOUTS:

Mom’s Green Chile Enchiladas – Large portion, cheesey, ooey and gooey.

Nana’s Frito Pie – Not a single bland bite, meat/cheese in every frito crevice.

Tex-Mex Queso – I had hoped this wasn’t going to try to be fancy and it didn’t. Just pure, gluttonous molten queso.

Rabbit Leg – So tender, juicy and…uh…well, gigantic! What kind of radioactive rabbits are they breeding back there??

Puffy Tacos – A MUST order, definitely make sure everyone has their own taco to avoid any violence at the table. Not only are they aesthetically pleasing but the puffy shell compresses nicely to fit in your gaping pie hole.

Jicama Salad – Spicy and tart, I loved all the crunchy components here, especially the pomegranate seeds.

The mostly Tequila / Mezcal based cocktails were creatively simple. Everyone’s favorite was the Zapatista, can’t go wrong with any of those ingredients. Probably wouldn’t order the El Camino again. It just didn’t mesh.

All in all, I was very satisfied with my, I mean our dining experience. The food was tasty and filling and sensibly priced. After eating and drinking our guts out, the cost per person was less than $70.

Feasibly, you could come and just order a few tacos and a quick drink and spend a fraction as much.

Bun Boy just doesn’t work that way.

118 W 4th St
Los Angeles, CA 90013
(213) 687-8002
http://www.bar-ama.com/