UYE: Banquete De Barbacoa @ El Borrego

What an incredible event! Omar S. managed to even outdo his previous legendary UYE at La Miche Kabobgee by arranging for a Mexican feast at El Borrego.
My wife and I had the opportunity to share a table with the luminous Marlene J. and her +1 Greg B. Good company makes good food even better.
Due to timing, this was my Birthday Dinner, and I’ve had a lot of meals on my birthday, but none as good as this.
Mother-​and-​daughter ownership team of Rodnia and Rosario were hospitable hosts, eager to share what seemed like an endless amount of delicious dishes with a hungry Unilocal crowd.
We were served a myriad of reliable Mexican staples that included Squash Blossom Quesadillas, Pork Pozole, Cochinita Pibil, and a rich homestyle Flan. The highlight of the evening, however, was the Lamb Mixiote. El Borrego’s Lamb Mixiote is a braised-​meat lover’s dream of soft, melty lamb swimming in lamb juices, broken-​down collagen, and lip-​smacking seasoning. Having been back to El Borrego for the Lamb Mixiote, I think I may have discovered a new favorite thing. Thanks Omar!

Almost 6 p.m., and El Cajon Boulevard lay stifled by September’s heat. An hour earlier, the air conditioner inside City Heights’ El Borrego Restaurant had quit, no longer willing to process the dense, moist air flowing from the kitchen. I walked in from the street, inhaled, and thought, «We may have casualties.»
But owners Rodnia Attiq and Rosario Sotelo (Rodnia’s mom) prepared for our party with undaunted focus and intrepid resolve. No AC? Haul out a portable AC unit, crank open the windows and doors, make sure the beer and aguas frescas are cold, and then return to the tiny kitchen, where a half-​dozen cocineras each occupied as little space as possible while they finished and assembled our banquet of regional Mexican delicacies.
Meanwhile, I bumbled in the dining room, arranging Unilocal swag on tables as folks began arriving. By the time service began, we’d seated 25 guests, despite the competition of a Unilocal Elite Event scheduled for that same evening, just three miles away. Such was the appeal of a three-​course, thirteen-​dish meal, priced at $ 30, tax and tip included. One person opted for the vegan/​vegetarian menu; otherwise, here’s what we had for dinner:
First Course
— Mini Squash Blossom Quesadilla
— Mini Rolled Lamb Taquito, covered with Mexican Crema and real Cotija cheese
— Huitlacoche, corn smut cooked with herbs and corn, served with Cheese Quesadillas (served Family Style)
— Cochinita Pibil, marinated pork in annato seeds and citrus juice, wrapped in banana leaf, served with Cheese Quesadillas (served Family Style)
— Guacamole with Nopal, made with avocado, nopales (prickly pear cactus pads), cilantro, onion and freshly squeezed lemon juice (served Family Style)
Second Course
— Green Pork Pozole, made from a family recipe of pumpkin seeds, pipian mole (which includes herbs and spices like epazote and tomatillo) and hominy, and garnished with chicharron, avocado, radish, cabbage, oregano and piquin
— Chicken Enchilada, served with home-​made mole sauce and a side of rice
— Lamb Mixiote, marinated 24 hours, then wrapped in a maguey leaf and slow-​cooked for 5 hours more (served Family Style)
— Hand-​made Corn Tortillas
— Chips, Salsa, House-​made Pickled Onions, Cilantro and Limes
Dessert
— Abuela’s Arroz Con Leche, rice pudding from a family recipe, made with rice, sweet milk and touch of citrus peel (served Family Style)
— Flan (served Family Style)
House-​made Aguas Frescas (refills provided)
— Jamaica, made from hibiscus flowers
— Tamarindo, made from tamarind pods
And as we were served those beautifully prepared and arranged plates of delicious food, each was described for our group by one of the owners. This attention to service and the ladies’ willingness to help us understand what we were eating (and, in some cases, why it is prepared as it is) made the meal interesting, and that much more enticing.
This being a gathering of Unilocalers, there were, of course, door prizes. The luckiest among our group were Kelly G., who took home a gift basket that included a bottle of tequila and a number of items intended to help her drink it; and Adam S., who won a return dinner for two, compliments of the restaurant’s owners.
Also joining us, many with «plus ones,» were:
Cathleen F.
Courtney H.
Isabella B.
Jay K.
Jeb H.
Jocy C.
Joseph Y.
Lawrence C.
Lyndsi W.
Marlene J.
Mathew L.
Tony C.
With no slight intended to all the great folks in attendance that night, my favorite guest was Lyndsi W., who arrived early and helped with all of the work I couldn’t get to, then greeted and checked people in. She also served as Event photographer, later adding her photos to our Flickr gallery of photos of the festivities. Lyndsi, you complete me.
I’m also grateful to:
— Rosario and Rodnia, and their staff, for making us welcome and well-​fed;
— Brad B., for contributing an array of Unilocal swag;
— Trish S., for stocking us up with Unilocal nametags;
— Everyone who endured traffic, heat and crappy parking to join the party.
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FLICKR Gallery of Photos for UYE: Banquete De Barbacoa @ El Borrego:
El Borrego Restaurant:

I am most embarrassed that it has been more than two months since I had the honor of dining at this fine restaurant, as part of Omar S.‘s UYE, before I am preparing this review.
However, the time delay does not take away the fantastic dining experience, and pleasant comradery that I enjoyed that evening!
My first salute is to Omar, for organizing this event, and so carefully and thoughtfully considered us fellow Unilocalers in the implementation of a well-​orchestrated evening.
Secondly, and really more importantly, my hat is off to Rodnia & her daughter Rosario, owner and co-​chef respectively of this Mexican fusion restaurant. Technically, their cuisine is Acapulco, but hey have adapted some of their recipes to modern tastes and have created an upscale dining experience, at south of the border prices.
Our feast of the evening was:
1^st Course: Squash blossom quesadilla
Mini Rolled Lamb Taquito
Huitlacoche, a mushroom/​corn soup
Cochinita Pibil, marinated pork (this is a traditional Mexican slow-​roasted pork
dish from the Yucatán Península of Mayan origin).
2^nd (Main) Course:
Green Pork Pozole, a thick, hearty soup made from pumpkin seed, mole, and
hominy
Chicken Enchilada, with mole sauce
Lamb Mixiote, the house specialty (this is marinated for 24 hours, wrapped in
a maguey leaf, and slow-​cooked for 5+ hours (mixiote is a traditional pit–
barbecued meat dish in central Mexico; especially in the Basin of Mexico).
Dessert was a combination of Abuela’s Arroz con Leche, another family recipe (Abuela is «one’s grandmother»), and Flan.
This was a feast, and really sets the standard for traditional, authentic, classic southern Mexican cuisine.
I truly enjoyed every dish. So much so, that I intend to return and enjoy a few of these favorites, while trying other items of their culinary talent.
Again, a big THANK YOU to Omar, Rodnia & Rosario, for a most memorable evening!!! Muchas gracias!

My work day was exhausting and didn’t seem as though my evening would get any better. Trying to keep sane with the high temperatures and heavy rush hour traffic, I headed over to pick up my Plus 1, Greg B. As a result of catching every stoplight along the way to the restaurant and having a heck a time finding parking, we arrived at the event fifteen minutes late.
Aaah, finally some hope for a better day! Immediately upon entering the terra cotta colored building, I saw the friendly face of Omar S., who greeted us at the door. Finally, I was amongst my Unilocal peeps to lift up my spirits.
We were seated at a table decorated with a glass jar of daisies and Unilocal swag, where we were later joined by fellow Unilocaler, Jay K., and his glowing pregnant wife, Laurel K., whom we had just met that night.
Before the food was served, Omar introduced Rosaria and her daughter Rodnia, who took over and gave a brief history of El Borrego. «El Borrego», translated in English is «The Lamb», which is the restaurant’s specialty. They started the restaurant about 10 years ago, with a desire to marry together their love of cooking and flavor influences indigenous of various regions of Mexico to share with the public. Please forgive me, if I misheard, but I believe Rodnia said their dishes are made ‘Hidalgo’ style. With a sparkle in her eye, Rodnia concluded that all of their food was made from scratch and a whole lotta love. Good people, for sure.
As the first course was being served, Greg, Jay, and Laurel exchanged stories about their East Coast upbringing and how there weren’t many memorable Mexican restaurants there, as compared to San Diego. One by one, the food started coming out. What a feast!
1^st Course:
Squash Blossom Quesadilla
Lamb Taquito, which was covered in Mexican Crema and Cotija cheese. Loved it!
Huitlacoche — Corn smut (?). The black tar color looked off putting at first. «Huitlacoche» is deemed by one source to mean «Raven excrement». No joke. It was explained to be a delicacy of some sort of ‘moldy’ corn. Its translation and description didn’t help, but after daring to take a small spoonful, my spoon dove back in for more. It was an acquired taste that my mouth did not take long to acquire. Delicious!
Cochinita Pibil — Pork marinated for 3 hours
Guacamole with Nopal (cactus) — Aah, now I know what those cactus pads at the Mexican markets are used for!
2^nd Course:
Green Pork Pozole — This was much different than the red pozole I am accustomed to and much more flavorful. Best pozole I ever had!
Chicken Enchilada with Mole — The Mole sauce gave it a sweet twist that wasn’t overdone.
**Lamb Mixiote — By far, my favorite dish of the evening! The way that it was marinated for 24 hours, wrapped in maguey leaf, and slow-​cooked for 5 hours more, resulted in juicy, delectable shreds of lamb meat to die for!
Corn Tortilla Chips with Salsa and pickled onions. Yum!
Dessert:
Abuela’s Arroz Con Leche
Flan (better tasting then the Filipino kind, IMO. Please don’t repeat that to my family though.)
Drinks:
Jamaica and Tamarindo
El Borrego offers something much different than the street tacos, rolled tacos, and carne asada burritos, found abundantly all over San Diego. Here, the food really has that authentic Mexican flavor, but with an added ‘something’.
Omar spoke to me very fondly of the El Borrego restaurant and the family, prior to the event,
and I now see why. You COULD taste all the love they put into their food.
Thanks, Omar, for coordinating this lovely UYE
I look forward to participating in future UYEs and coming back to this hidden treasure to try out other dishes.