Holy Frijoles
908 W. 36th St.
Phone:410-235-BEAN
Price: $7-$15
Location: Hampden
Hours: Tues.-Fri.: 11a.m.-11p.m.
Sat.: 12p.m.-11p.m.
Sun.: 12p.m.-10p.m.
A native Los Angelino, I began to wonder if I had chosen a school in the wrong city as I first explored the strip of restaurants along St. Paul nearly three years ago. Walking through Charles Village, I found a wide variety of cuisine available: numerous places served burgers and wings, Tamber's made Indian dishes, Orient Express had Chinese food covered, Donna's served pastas and the local markets offered more sandwich choices than I knew what to do with. But where was the Mexican food?
The answer awaited me in Hampden, just a short jog to the west of the Homewood campus. One step into Holy Frijoles felt like a free trip to a more familiar part of the country, where rice and beans are considered a staple. Even ignoring its name, everything about the place screams Mexican eatery: the small storefront reminiscent of the family-owned, hole-in-the-wall joints scattered throughout Southern California; the dimly lit atmosphere inside (along with the poor temperature control); and the eclectic artwork covering the walls.
A single sheet of paper, folded lengthwise and laminated, was placed before me as I sat down at a small wooden table. Needless to say, the menu isn't extravagant -- in fact, between appetizers, salads and entrees, only 12 choices are listed. But all of the bases are covered -- tacos, burritos, echiladas, fajitas, nachos, quesadillas -- and there are a couple of items (chili rellenos, chorizo) that can be hard to find even at some places that claim to be Mexican restaurants.
More importantly, you're sure to enjoy any of these selections. Holy Frijoles takes something as simple as a quesadilla and makes it even more delicious. Almost unrecognizable when compared to the flimsy tortillas that most places serve, their quesadillas are crisp ("golden brown," the menu boasts) and stuffed with cheese, onions and peppers. The peppers are key -- many of the items served at Holy Frijoles are seasoned with the help of Poblano peppers, giving the food a true Mexican flavor.
Another real treat waits for those who order the chili rellenos. Many restaurants have yet to figure out the proper way to stuff a chili, but Holy Frijoles has the technique down to an art. An Anaheim pepper -- mild enough for even the most hesitant eaters, but not lacking in flavor -- is stuffed with cheese, battered and deep-fried. Beware other restaurants offering chili rellenos that can be mistaken for mozzarella sticks, with flavorless peppers and bread crumbs as batter -- real rellenos can be found at Holy Frijoles.
These two appetizers offer only a small sample of the flavor available at Holy Frijoles, and since most of the items available can be ordered with steak, chicken, grilled vegetables or chorizo (a spicy sausage, ground and seasoned with garlic), you're not likely to get bored with the options soon, despite the small menu. Portions are generous, and in general prices are reasonable ($4-$6 for appetizers, up to $10 for an entrZe).
If anything about Holy Frijoles could use some work, it's the service. The employees, like the artwork that adorns the walls, seem to be an eclectic mix. This isn't to say they aren't nice -- most are friendly and very laid back; unfortunately, they tend to take "relaxed" too far. It is not uncommon to wait five minutes after walking in to be noticed, and waiters/waitresses have disappeared out the front door for a cigarette or joined guests at other tables while I waited.
But despite questions about the service, Holy Frijoles is still the best place I've found in Baltimore to get Mexican food. And if you get tired of waiting for your waiter to return from wherever he's run off to, just remember: takeout is available.
