Al Meraj

[cafemediterraneo]

Walking through the Bugamvillas Mall across from Chopsticks I saw a sign for a new restaurant.  It says coming soon and I see chairs inside. Pakistani and Indian cuisine with a grill .  This would be a welcome addition to our food scene in Ajijic if the food is good. I'll be watching and report back....

[Bisbee Gal]

fyi, there is a FB page for a restaurant by that name in Guadalajara.  Sounds promising!  

[nolajoe]

Thanks for the heads up. I've been to Al Meraj in Guadalajara and enjoyed the food.

[happyjillin]

In case you haven't noticed  Magnolias in chapala is owned by an Indian chef and I can tell you from experience his offerings are superb and they deliver. I order extra hot. I checked out Al Marej on FB and their offerings appear to be the same so it ain't gonna be anything new here.

[CHILLIN]

The main difference between India and Pakistani foods is that Pakistani food uses more beef. Makes more sense here because the local lamb/mutton is expensive and bland in flavor. Many dishes require lots of Kashmir chiles and are bright in flavor. Jalfreezi, Balti are popular examples, on the hot side.

 

[kam]

If Mr Jillin hasn't recommended it, it is really of no significance. When will the rest of us learn?

[happyjillin]

I did not say anything other than Magnolias IS already here serving the same fare. And unlike some of you speculators and special persons,I actually looked at  Al Meraj's menu to back up my statement. You will also note that I am not the only one that sings the praises of Magnolia in the original Magnolia thread which I didn't even start. Kam shafter,oreganotochapala busygal are too funny in your haste to yet once more think you are discrediting me-DOUBLE SNORK!

pedro kertesz the knowledgeable one.

[happyjillin]

1 hour ago, CHILLIN said:

The main difference between India and Pakistani foods is that Pakistani food uses more beef. Makes more sense here because the local lamb/mutton is expensive and bland in flavor. Many dishes require lots of Kashmir chiles and are bright in flavor. Jalfreezi, Balti are popular examples, on the hot side.

 

Magnolia's lamb tandoori is far from being bland[I have had it 4 times] and for your info  as I  have mentioned already  Al Meraj's offerings are similar to Magnolia. Lamb/mutton is the closest domestic meat to wild game like venison in flavour. There is nothing about  domestic beef, no matter what the feed, that suggests a stronger flavour than lamb/mutton or goat for that matter. My insight comes from experience not google.

pedro kertesz

[AndyPanda]

Well, the dish may be tasty, but I agree: local lamb is bland. And that's buying from two people who specialize in raising it lakeside.

[happyjillin]

4 hours ago, AndyPanda said:

Well, the dish may be tasty, but I agree: local lamb is bland. And that's buying from two people who specialize in raising it lakeside.

Those people are selling you lamb that's over 5 months old[NO LONGER IDEAL LAMB] and who knows what they feed them.I have tried the locals and you couldn't pay me enough to buy their product again. The only packer I trust to sell the real deal are Baby Lamb Company. Right now you can only get french cut rack de cordero at Soriana. I'm working on helping a local retail butcher to try and stock their various cuts. The foto is what Soriana sells. Magnolia's tandoori lamb is well sauced and cooked in it so any meat they may use will be flavoured that way. I bbq the rack rare and only add a bit of hy's salt and garlic powder and relish the taste of the meat. it's as good as the half lambs that I  used to buy direct from the farmer in Alberta and butchered the cuts the way I wanted.

[CHILLIN]

Maybe Pedro has lost his sense of taste. Probably because he seems to spend most of his time lovingly slobbering over one his famous jillin sticks. What is that one anyways, looks like hickory? He calls it the hickory, dickory, c....lock!

[mudgirl]

4 hours ago, happyjillin said:

Lamb/mutton is the closest domestic meat to wild game like venison in flavour.

 

3 hours ago, CHILLIN said:

Maybe Pedro has lost his sense of taste.

I think so. As someone who hates the taste of lamb and loves venison, I can attest to them not being even close to similar in flavor.

[happyjillin]

3 hours ago, mudgirl said:

 

I think so. As someone who hates the taste of lamb and loves venison, I can attest to them not being even close to similar in flavor.

Then you have never had either or prairie jackrabbit,antelope or elk.

[mudgirl]

8 minutes ago, happyjillin said:

Then you have never had either or prairie jackrabbit,antelope or elk.

Right, Jillin'. You, in your all-seeing wisdom, know what other people have eaten and feel quite justified in telling them they are lying. What's the matter with you?

[Kiko]

I always have eaten at the El Meraj just off of Lopez Mateo South on Kepler and the food has been consistently good.  There is another one further North on Ave. Providencia.

[AndyPanda]

2 hours ago, happyjillin said:

Then you have never had either or prairie jackrabbit,antelope or elk.

The jackalope is my favorite.

[happyjillin]

8 hours ago, AndyPanda said:

The jackalope is my favorite.

There is a jackalope head mount hanging in every bar in Montana. I think it's the state animal.

[Tingting]

Or...maybe the area can handle two similar restaurants? 

[Bisbee Gal]

3 hours ago, Tingting said:

Or...maybe the area can handle two similar restaurants? 

Hope so!!  

[artsnob]

I dont go to chapala to eat, and the Indian restaurant at Laguna mall has gotten mediocre l have eaten in their place in Guadalajara , superb, looking forward to its arrival...

[happyjillin]

14 minutes ago, artsnob said:

I dont go to chapala to eat, and the Indian restaurant at Laguna mall has gotten mediocre l have eaten in their place in Guadalajara , superb, looking forward to its arrival...

Magnolia delivers so you don't have to go to Chapala to eat.

[Bisbee Gal]

Just now, happyjillin said:

Magnolia delivers so you don't have to go to Chapala to eat.

Delivery time from Chapala to Ajijic, 20 minutes minimum, with high season traffic, much longer.   Food, no matter how good it was fresh out of the oven, or off the grill, suffers from that long in a container.  

Those of us in Ajijic are looking forward to having a nearby Indian eatery.   

 

[gringal]

1 hour ago, Upfront said:

you know why the food is boring there. because gringo after gringo would complain about the heat. in tryint to please everyone he has ended up pleasing no one.

 

[gringal]

They seem to be pleasing  enough others that there is often a wait, so that "knowitall" attitude doesn't fly.  As a gringa who can't handle much heat, I thoroughly enjoy their well flavored food and bring my own containers to keep it warm in transit. IMHO, it's delicious.

 

[rafterbr]

20 hours ago, happyjillin said:

Then you have never had either or prairie jackrabbit,antelope or elk.

Jackrabbit is stringy and tough, antelope tastes like the sage it grazes on but elk is truly a great venison.  Slightly stronger taste than beef.  Some of the best chili I ever had was from Elk meat. Once I went elk hunting with 3 other men in Colorado.  One was the son of one of the men and he had not hunted much.  When we got to the ranch where we were hunting we put the young man on the best site as he had not killed an elk before.  Our site's were on a path where the elk came down from the mountain into the valley.  Once set up, I suddenly heard the young man shooting almost like an automatic rifle.  We all went to his site and he had killed 6 elk.  We only had a license for one each.  The rancher drove up and was really mad, he said this could cost me my license.  You load these elk up and never come back.  We made it back home without getting stopped and I had a lot of ground elk for the winter.  (didn't ever hunt with young man again)