Sol Food

El Sol de Guerrero #1 (La Tiendita)
6031 Siegen Lane
Baton Rouge, LA
(225) 293-0879
Hours: Mon-Sat. 8:30am - 8:30pm
Closed Sunday


By now, readers of EBR can probably guess I have something of a taqueria-fetish. Finding the best of taqueria food in all the new spots popping up around Baton Rouge and its environs has become something of a quest for me. The simplicity and sincerity of the food served in these joints has pretty much ruined me for the Tex-Mex that used to be Baton Rouge's only choice for south-of-the-border fare.

Scratching another name off of my hit list in this way brought me to El Sol de Guerrero- "The sun of the soldier" en Espanol- a restaurant serving authentic Mexican food attached, as so many are, to a little Mexican grocery named "La Tiendita." Most people I've spoken with refer to the restaurant as such, as well.

Whatever you might call it, there is no mistaking that this place can be counted among Baton Rouge's hidden little treasures. The restaurant is a clean, attractive space- nicer than some similar outfits that have a restaurant as more of an afterthought in comparison to their groceries. I was met by a smiling server with a fresh, hot basket of tortilla chips- something I've found oddly inconsistent in taquerias like this. These were light, crispy, perfectly salted and served with a fresh salsa mexicana. Shortly afterward, two huge squeeze bottles of salsa verde and salsa rojo arrived as well. The verde was spot-on, a tangy mix of tomatillos, garlic, roasted peppers and cilantro.
The rojo is a bigger flavor, all smoky chiles and piquant notes.

First up was an order of one of my taqueria litmus tests...Tacos Al Pastor. Marinated, grilled pork sliced off a rotisserie, shawarma-style, served in a warm corn tortilla garnished with chopped red onion, pineapple, cilantro, and a squeeze of fresh lime. Like pizza, when these are average, they're still pretty good... and when they are great, they become truly transcendental. El Sol's version are of the latter type... in fact, I think they might just take the title of Baton Rouge's best taco away from previous champ El Paste Dorado. At a smooth $1.95 a piece, these could be the single best food deal in Red Stick. You can also add rice, beans, and salad for a paltry $2.95 more for a more complete dinner.

I also sampled the Burrito Asada ($4.95)- a large flour tortilla filled with cheese, beans, rice, sour cream, guacamole, tomatoes, lettuce, and carne asada (marinated, grilled skirt steak.) This was an all-around winner... served piping hot, it was a stick-to-your-ribs satisfying offering. The meat was flavorful and well seasoned, and when forkfuls of this burrito were doused with the aformentioned salsas, taste went to the next level- not enough to beat defending champ Juanita's Supermercado y Taqueria's sublime burritos, but certainly very, very good in its own right.

Lastly, we made a run at the Enchiladas Verdes de Pollo ($7.95), shredded chicken stuffed and rolled in corn tortillas topped with a tangy tomatillo sauce and a sprinkling of crumbled queso blanco. These were served with the requisite rice and beans side, both of which were good if not remarkable. The enchiladas were plenty tasty, a simple preparation in a peasant style which made for a delicious, filling lunch if a bit low on the "wow" factor.

I came away suitably impressed from this visit, one made all the much gladder when I realized how close El Sol is to the Eat Baton Rouge! world headquarters. I've already planned a return mission to eat more of those tacos, as well as some of the daily specials and seafood offerings. Buen Provecho, indeed.

One last tip- skip the soft drinks, even the tempting Mexican Coca-Colas, in favor of El Sol's thirst-quenching aguas frescas (tamarindo is my fave) or horchatas. You'll tell me muchas gracias later.

Here we grow again...

Hello again, EBR-ites. Just wanted to let you know that beginning soon, reviews by yours truly will be begin appearing at the newly-launched redsticklive.com. Check it out! Big thanks to Jeremy Harper for seeking me out and presenting me with this opportunity. Be sure to check out redsticklive.com's awesome features like Baton Rouge photo galleries, arts, music, and community postings, and even a place where you can contribute! Tres' cool.

A reminder- if you are the kind of person who likes to combine his passions (like food and LSU sports, for example) you can also catch the latest from Eat Baton Rouge! on the Food & Drink Blogs section of tigerdroppings.com. Mangia!

COOLinary Cranks Up In The Crescent City!

Get ready to savor the summer! COOLinary 2009 kicks off August 1st!


It's the most delicious time of year again! COOLinary 2009 will take place this August & September in restaurants all throughout the city. Enjoy a delicious New Orleans meal for less...Lunches are priced at $20 or less and dinner at $34 or less. Restaurants are signing up everyday so keep checking the COOLinary website for menus, specials and more!
http://www.neworleanscvb.com/restaurants/calendar/index.cfm/sectionID/1/subsectionID/11/

Benefit For Ritz Chef Matt Murphy June 14, $65

Thanks to Tom Fitzmorris for getting this out there:


Matt Murphy--the extraordinarily likeable, Irish-born chef of the Ritz-Carlton Hotel--is clinging to life at Ochsner Hospital right now. An invasive streptococcus infection has led to DIC--a condition in which blood clots form and interrupt normal blood flow throughout the body, causing organs to shut down.

He is in intensive care, and in need of blood donations. Go to Ochsner's Blood Bank at its Jefferson Highway facility if you can help.

What makes this particularly worthy of your generosity is that Matt and his wife are the parents of eighteen-month-old quadruplets. And they have another child on the way. This raises the spectre of a family financial crisis. A fund to help Matt's family has been established at Capital One Bank. It's called the Matthew J. Murphy Donation Account, #2077720319. Donations will be accepted at any Capital One branch.

As they always do, the chefs of the city have rallied around this worthy cause. There will be a fundraising benefit at the Ritz-Carlton on Sunday, June 14, 4-8 p.m. It is underpriced at $65; I recommend you give $100. Call 504-670-2828 to nail down tickets. Here's a partial list (more are signing on daily) of the chefs who'll be there serving food:

* Scott Boswell (Stella!)
* Justin Devillier (La Petit Grocery)
* Tenney Flynn (GW Fins)
* Donald Link (Herbsaint and Cochon)
* John Folse
* Bob Iacovone (Cuvee)
* Brian Landry (Galatoire's)
* Duke LoCicero (Cafe Giovanni)
* Jean Luc Albin (Maurice's French Pastries)
* Gus Martin (Muriel's)
* Mark Quitney (New Orleans Marriott)
* Greg Reggio (Zea)
* Jacques Saleun (Chateau du Lac)
* Susan Spicer (Bayona)
* Chuck Subra (La Cote Brasserie)
* Kevin Vizard (Vizard's)