One surprising thing about the search for the greatest nachos is they haven’t been where I thought. Watching PBS, foodies travel to far-off lands, deep into cultural enclaves and even danger in search of the most authentic taste experiences. Since it’s TV and therefore true I figured our treasure was hidden in some low-income neighborhood: the product of an undiscovered hole-in-the-wall filled with rough characters and honest cooking. Who knows? Maybe one day we’ll stumble upon that special place but all the collected scientific evidence points to the contrary.
The best nachos don’t seem to come from modest taquerias or the wrong side of the tracks. With rare exception, when we waited to be seated and received a menu that actually folds open, the nachos were superior. When we could park the car and not worry about the stereo’s fate they were more delicious. When our “waiter” wasn’t wearing a hair net and wife-beater the nachos brought a smile to our faces. All these observations were reaffirmed when Jake and I made our way to Montclair Village.
You wouldn’t think of Montclair for good nachos. You see it’s, well, white. It’s the part of Oakland where boomer-aged white people with money live.
So given Jake and I were in a part of Oakland with the cultural sensibilities of Disneyland’s Jungle Cruise we were surprised at El Agavero. The ambiance and crowd of the place howled “whitey mex”, and I expected to see menu items like a “california burrito”, full of black beans, spouts, tofu, jicama and various “soulful, infused” things. But no, it was all pretty standard mexican fare.
Our nachos with carne asada were a meal for two and maybe three. Chips were piled high with shredded jack cheese, beans, pico de gallo, sour cream, jalapeno and ample carne asada. Intensely good.
The faults are minor. Chip strength was definitely sub par, the biggest shortcoming, no doubt. It’s the same old story: you grab a chip and >snap< it falls to pieces. It’s like driving a Ferrari limited to 60mph. You just know it wants to do so much more. Consequently, the chips were a little over-saturated with toppings, delicious though they were. Finally, could the meat have been a bit more flavorful? I think so, but still better than average – not gristly, gamey or dry.
What can I say but “Thank You Montclair” for challenging my ethnic preconceptions.
El Agavero 4 stars (out of 5)
2071 Mountain Blvd
(between La Salle Ave & Medau Pl)
Oakland, CA 94611
(510) 339-3000
