Los Chorros Review

My long run of Asian food craving (which seems like it started nearly 3 years ago when we moved to Wheaton) is finally subsiding and now some of my attentio has turned to Mexican-Salvadorean options here.  That's not to say that I won't still be hitting up Ren's, Ruan, Nava, and my other favorites on a regular basis, but I'm starting to get more ethnic diveristy in my dining selections.  And isn't that what Wheaton's all about?

For a few weeks in a row, my craving for Hispanic food has taken us to Los Chorros (detailed menu on website!), located on Blueridge Avenue just off University.  I keep coming back because Los Chorros seems to have that magic trifecta of good food, friendly service, and a nice atmosphere.  The restaurant itself is painted in cheerful pastel colors and is very clean.  It was also larger than I was expecting; this is definitely the place if you have a big group and are worried about getting a table at some of the smaller places in Wheaton.  The various waiters we've had have spoken great English and even remembered us when we came in two weeks in a row.

We've tried a number of their meals and have been happy with just about everything.  Here's a quick rundown...first of all, I'm a fan of strawberry daiquiris, and I really like the version Los Chorros makes.  We've also  tried out a few different appetizers.  The cheese and pork pupusas we tried were both good, but maybe just a little drier and less gooey than some we've had elsewhere.  The yuca con chicharron featured crispy, fatty (in a good way) pieces of pork on top of perfectly fried yuca.  It's definitely the best version of this dish that I've had, but it was so big that it filled us up even before our entrees arrived.

We've tried a few different enchilada dishes (crab & shrimp and a combo with beef/chicken/cheese), and were happy with all of them.  Also, the refried beans that come with most of their dishes were pretty amazing.  I can't tell what they do differently with this side dish, but they have a ton of flavor.  Two meat combination platters, the especial intipuca and especial dona reina, both include a grilled piece of sausage that has lots of seasoning and is nicely charred on their grill.  I also tried the combinacion guanaca, which is a vegetarian combo dish with refried beans and rice, sliced avocado, fried egg, peppers and onions and sour cream.  The sour cream was different from the kind you would buy in the grocery store; I believe it's salvadorean crema, and it was more runny and mild tasting that what I'm used to.  It added a nice creaminess to everything in the dish, and the whole entree ended up being a pretty hearty vegetarian meal.  I also tried a taco combo that had chicken, steak, and beef tongue.  Yeah, that right, beef tongue.  It was actually really good with a steak-like consistency but more flavor.

We've always been too full to try any of their desserts, but their menu has some pretty interesting options if you can save room for them.  Overall, I highly recommend Los Chorros.  It feels a little "safer" than some of the more adventurous off-the-beaten-track food options in Wheaton, but I think it's a great option for consistently good food and friendly service.

Left side is especial dona reina (sausage and a steak topped with fried eggs), right side is the taco combo