El Rancho (Columbia Missouri)

El Rancho

Columbia Missouri  

 by Elizabeth Kilgore Jan. 1. 2015

1014 E. Broadway Columbia Missouri 573-875-2121

         One of my fellow Phagomaniac's has been telling me about El Rancho for so long I could say the name in my sleep. For a little over a year now they would tell me how good the food is, and how they have to take me there one day. I always love a road trip and a road trip for the soul purpose of food finding sounds right up my ally. There was just one problem I had been to Mexico so many times and I lived in California and Taxes, and I have never had Mexican food that tasted as good as the Mexican food from Mexico and California. Now I know my friend has impeccable food taste but I have heard these lines so many times from so many other people before, "I know where the best Mexican food is this side of the border." and I have always been left missing real Mexican food after I have eaten there.
        Finally for New Years my friend and I at the last minute decided to hop in the car and drive to Columbia Missouri and go to El Rancho. After hearing about the place for so long I really started believing that the place might actually be worth a hill of beans, and was very excited to be going there. After pulling up in front of the restaurant I thought maybe it's worth a mountain of beans. Looking at the menu and smelling the food was nothing compare to seeing the cook pours the white cheese on top of the food as he packaged it up for us to enjoy. I thought no, no it isn't real Mexican food without horchata and Mexican juice do they have that? O yes! Why yes they did.
        I am happy to inform you that this is the best Mexican food I have had since last summer. It's no wonder that they made the top ten places to eat in Missouri in 2014. I decided to jump right in and order something that I know is only good in California and Mexico a torta and horchata , and my friend got the fajita nachos. Firstly the let's talk about the horchata. Horchata comes in many forms but the basics are always the same. It is a kind of milk which normally could be rice, almond, or milk watered down with sugar and spices. Some places add mint while others add cinnamon, El Rancho is the first place I have been to that uses a slight hint of coconut all you have to do is add the ice.

The torta was perfectly spiced with just the right amount of jalapenos on it. It's always a good idea to get a steak torta whenever you order this amazing sandwich, but El Rancho has other meats as well like chicken and pork. Normally a torta is on a grill long bun  and it comes with spiced meat that is drizzled with its own cooking sauce after it is placed on the bottom bun, they then put salsa, lettuce, tomato, jalapeno, and mayonnaise on it before covering it up and serving it to a very happy customer.

What do you get when you mixed fajitas and nachos together? Well besides heaven you also get, FAJITA NACHOS!! It takes the best of both worlds to make something that is like putting a piece of love in your mouth and biting down into an explosion of all the hugs you have ever been given in your lifetime. I have to pause a minute and tell you how this dish was prepared. The chef took creamy Mexican cheese and circled the plate before he put the nachos on it. He then placed the nachos on the plate circled with cheese ones again and placed not one but two large spatulas towering with fajita filling on top of the nachos. I have contemplated taking another mini road trip out there just to go back to El Rancho to try the rest of the menu which is massive, massive in a good way. We will meet again El Rancho and this time I'm coming after those tacos mmmm. El Rancho is truly the best Mexican restaurants this far away from the border.

You can visit El Rancho at 1014 E. Broadway Columbia Missouri and phone them at 573-875-2121