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A second location of El Centro D.F., Richard Sandoval's taco haunt, recently opened in Georgetown. Despite the same name, the restaurants actually have fairly different menus, and a similar, but not identical design. What are early customers saying about the new location? Here's the first word from bloggers, Yelpers and others.
The Chocolate Cigar News: El Centro is drawing in 4.5 stars on Yelp, with only four reviews in. One is from Marcella C., who says, "All came away satisfied and happy. The wait staff was friendly, attentive (we always had filled chips and salsa on the table) and very knowledgeable on the products and made good recommendations. Since it was a birthday he brought us out a great dessert of chocolate cigars and ice cream! The whole experience was complimented by the reasonable prices and the great amount of food." [Yelp]
The Third Edition Nostalgia News: Yelper Missy F. says, "If Third's, a DC institution, had to go, I'm glad it was at least replaced by El Centro! The food is incredible and those drinks... Service is slow but exceedingly polite. I didn't give 5 stars bc they still need to iron out some kinks (see: service efficiency). Bring sweater if sitting inside upstairs. It's freezing!" [Yelp]
Breaking Down the Differences: Washingtonian notes some of the changes from the original El Centro. "Around 30 percent of the dishes are new. Pick from a variety of guacamoles to start, such as avocado mixed with chicharrón and pickled chilies or tuna tartare. You'll also find more tacos, such as roasted octopus and Korean-style kalbi (short ribs). Heartier eaters can go for fajitas served in an iron skillet, centered on marinated meats and seafood wrapped in warm tortillas and topped with house-made salsas." [Washingtonian]
The Cheap Drinks News: On Foursquare, Erika E. says, "$5 marg Wednesdays? Yes, please. GREAT service and awesome atmosphere." [FS]
The Decor News: Pamela's Punch says, "The first thing that struck me about this place was its decor and vibe, Aztec/Mexico themed with a rustic feel. And it's a great size. There's a dance floor with two upstairs bars and as you went further in, the back opened up to an amazing outside patio that was fairly large. It was a beautiful night and the lighting was perfect outside." [PP]
The Gourmet News: BYT takes an early look. "Blessedly, the District now has another El Centro for all its tequila-and-gourmet-taco indulgence (and we do mean gourmet). Starting next week, Georgetown's getting its own restaurant with a fairly unique menu, a spacious patio and one of the largest selections of tequila in the DMV." [BYT]
The Yes There Is a Meat Sundae News: Thrillist takes note of an unusual menu item. "This meat sundae is slow-roasted pork shoulder hidden below a mountain of pipian mole verde, sprinkled w/ pumpkin seeds, topped off with caramelized onions, and served w/ tortillas." [T]
· All Previous El Centro D.F. Coverage [-EDC-]
