El Torito with Jack Allison

"El Torito with Jack Allison" is Episode 180 of *Doughboys*, hosted by Mike Mitchell and Nick Wiger. "El Torito with Jack Allison" was released on November 15, 2018.

## Synopsis

The 'boys take a deep dive into Mexican cuisine as Jack Allison (*Jimmy Kimmel Live!*, *Struggle Session*) returns for a review of El Torito, a restaurant known for its made-to-order guacamole and flame-grilled fajitas. Plus, a Thanksgiving edition of Season Eatings.

## Nick's intro

In 1876, New York bartender Jerry P. Thomas, who would become a minor celebrity for his extensive knowledge of cocktails and proto-flair style of drink mixing, published his *Bar-Tender's Guide*, an encyclopedia of mixed drinks that included the first documented recipe for a brandy, citrus, and simple syrup concoction called The Daisy. A popular late 19th- and early 20th- century cocktail, by the 1930s, bartenders on either side of the Mexico/US border were substituting tequila for brandy, naming the concoction after the Spanish word for 'daisy': margarita.

And the enduring popularity of the margarita in the U.S. can at least be partially attributed to Larry J. Cano, an Air Force vet who would become a pioneering figure in the sit-down chain-restaurant sector.

After serving in Korea, Cano took a job as a bartender at a Polynesian restaurant in Encino, California called Bali Hai. And in 1954, after the owner passed away, he took control of the operation. Cano realized the tiki concept was a fading fad and converted the joint into a full-service sit-down restaurant serving Mexican food, complete with a full bar to sling rocks and frozen margaritas. Cano recognized his inability to execute proper south-of-the-border cuisine, and so he turned his kitchen over to Mexican-American chef, Ignacio Nacho Segura, who would stay with the company for decades.

While Mexican food has become one of the cuisines most associated with California, in the 1950s, it was still largely unfamiliar to white locals. As Cano told the *Los Angeles Daily News*, many of his customers in the early years "didn't know what a taco was. They called them 'tay-cos'." And Chef Segura was instructed to keep things not-too-spicy for their Caucasian clientele.

But Californians, and Americans, soon learned to love it, and Cano and Segura added three locations in the first half-decade of operation, then expanded to 22 by 1976 when the concept was sold to a conglomerate, though Cano would remain as President through the '80s.

Aside from the margarita, Cano helped popularize enchiladas, sizzling fajitas, and the informal weekly holiday of Taco Tuesday, as Mexican food has transitioned from an exotic delicacy into comfort fare for everyday Americans.

Today, there are 69 locations where they pour the cocktail that's the Spanish word for 'daisy' at the restaurant named for the Spanish word for 'little bull.'

This week on *Doughboys*, El Torito.

## Fork rating

* Grilled Chicken Mexican Caesar Salad
* Carne Asada and Cheese Enchilada
 Mike Mitchell
* Carne Asada and Cheese Enchilada
 Jack Allison
* Carne Asada and Cheese Enchilada
 shared
* Fresh Tableside Guacamole
* Grande Fiesta Platter
	+ Mexico City Flautas
	+ Nachos Supremos
	+ Buffalo Chicken Tenders
	+ Cheese Quesadilla
* Deep-Fried Ice Cream

WIth these scores, El Torito makes the Golden Plate Club!

## Season Eatings: ~~Easter~~ Thanksgiving Edition 🦃

After Yusong failed in finding the 7-Eleven Thanksgiving Chips, they settled on some other brand of Thanksgiving chips. They did not say what they were exactly.

Nick said they tasted like 'bitter gravy,' and Mitch compared it to the 'aftertaste of gravy.' Nobody liked them.

## #hashtags

* #RogueOneCharacterContest
* #DontYouKnowImLocal

## The Feedbag

So my question is: what very specific regional food have you been introduced to that you really enjoy?

## Related Episodes

* 68. Red Robin
* 71. Baskin-Robbins
* DD23. An Inconvenient Double
* 180. **El Torito**
* DD. From Sea to Shining McD
* THON21. Doughathon 2021
* DD. The Mitchy Clause
* DD. Star Trek: The Next Generation
* 414. Pollo Campero

## Photos (via IG: doughboyspodcast)

Spicy Mango MargaritaCadillac Margarita (Strawberry)Fresh Tableside GuacamoleGrilled Chicken Mexican Caesar SaladCarne Asada and Cheese EnchiladaCarne Asada and Cheese EnchiladaDeep-Fried Ice Cream