The Triangle

Issue date: 4/10/09 Section: Arts & Entertainment

Media Credit: Zanne Ngatchou

Media Credit: Zanne Ngatchou

The rebirth of the spot on Liberties Walk right across the way from Bar Ferdinand is almost as good as the first. Deuce was a cramped space featuring a great beer selection and my favorite Philly burger with truffled fontina and a fried egg. But alas, Deuce fans must have been few and far between because the place closed last year and was recently reincarnated as El Camino Real, a Tex-Mex bar owned and staffed by the same crew as its neighbor.

The space has opened up a bit by the new owners and now includes two bars, booths along the window and a dining room. We sat at the bar with a view of the kitchen and started with two house margaritas, a steal for $5 a pop, which can be made spicy with cayenne pepper for no extra charge. These were especially good, which prompted me to ask our friendly bartender what tequila was used as a base. Expecting some generic gold tequila, I was surprised to see Juarez, a blanco made with 100 percent agave, rare for a well-tequila. Another bonus - a late night happy hour cuts those margarita prices in half!

Equally impressive was El Camino's tequila list, a small menu focused around such quality choices as Asombroso and Tres Generaciones, all of which come with a house-made michelada on the side. Stuck on the margaritas and sipping tequilas, I didn't have a chance to try any of the El Camino cocktails, but with choices like the Push Pop made with Stoli vanilla and blood orange, they seemed imaginative, although I'm not sure they would hold up next to the more authentic libations. Wines are clearly not the focus, but there were some Mexican options. The beers are typical in a good way with Mexican classics like Dos Equis on tap and Tecate. And, because we are in Northern Liberties, a 16-ounce can of PBR can be found for $3.

The food menu is split down the middle, differentiated by a 10-gallon hat and a curvy, up-turned mustache for the Texans and a sombrero and Fu Manchu style 'stache for the Mexican side. The south-of-the-border side focuses on burritos and other traditional dishes like enchiladas and chili rellenos. We had the nachos, which were not bad, except that I personally prefer corn tortilla chips which hold the nacho stuff much better than the flaky flour tortillas we got.

From the north-of-the-border side, which is centered on BBQ, we ordered the wagyu brisket and jalapeno-crusted mac-and-cheese. The mac-and-cheese was creamy, cheesy and delicious, but not quite spicy enough for me. Wagyu brisket was a little disappointing. If it wasn't labeled as wagyu, I would have said it was a decent brisket, but I expected a tenderer, flavorful cut. Pass on the Texas toast.

Although I didn't try any of them, there were lots of veggie options catering to the hipster crowd of the neighborhood (most likely the same people who are keeping the PBR on that beer list). For the carnivores, ribs are not only sold by the rack and half-rack, but also as "looseys" for $3 each.

Instead of thinking of this place as a restaurant with a bar like some recent reviews (ahem, LaBan), flip-flop that view to a bar, a fun place to hang out with decent grub.

Perhaps then, you won't be disappointed with a little bit of grease and a cute waitress asking if you are ready for a round of shots.

El Camino Real, located at 1040 North Second St., serves food until 1 a.m. every day and does lunch during the week and brunch on the weekends. Please call 215-925-1110 or visit www.bbqburritobar.com for more information.

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