Food Lake Container

Avenida Hidalgo #456, Riberas del Pilar
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Directions: From Walmart, drive east on the Carretera approximately 2 miles. Food Lake Container is on the right. Parking in front of the restaurant.

First Impressions

I admit, the odd name, Food Lake Container, confused me. Was this a take-out place serving food to go? Was it even a restaurant?    

Turns out, behind the front gate is not just one restaurant, but five different restaurants, with a sixth coming soon. A long, narrow path leads to a common dining area. There are tables for two and spaces for large groups. Jazz music plays from speakers overhead.

Our knowledgeable waiter, Daniel, handed us the largest menu I have ever seen and explained the concept of Food Lake Container to us. The menu contains selections from all five restaurants and we could order from one restaurant, or from all of them and would receive one check. The restaurants at Food Lake Container are Su Wok, El Tejado Steak, Burger Paradise, La Casa Del Dogo, and Vagon Rojo and the vast number of possible combinations is mind-boggling.

Chile Caribe

Drink selections are easier to navigate. Food Lake Container offers Mexican craft beers and wines from Ensenada, Mexico as well as soft drinks.

Menu

It takes a while to get through the extensive menu. Su Wok offers a number of oriental and fusion style appetizers and main dishes, many that I did not recognize but that sounded tempting.

El Tejado Steak serves a variety of typical steakhouse plates and Burger Paradise, as the name suggests, creates interesting burger and fry combinations.

Rib Eye from El Tejada Steak

La Casa del Dogo is a hot dog stand and Vagon Rojo features sandwiches on baguettes. The waiter mentioned that the group of restaurants will soon be joined by an Italian café.   

We ordered Chile Caribe as an appetizer from the Su Wok menu, peppers stuffed with manchego cheese,  gouda cheese and crab.
These were lightly breaded and fried until the cheese slightly melted. They were unique and scrumptious, though much spicier than we expected.

For the main dish, we ordered crispy chicken from the Su Wok menu and a rib-eye steak from the Tejado Steak menu. The crispy chicken was well-prepared, the chicken tender and the vegetables slightly crunchy. The sauce tasted of soy sauce and honey and lightly covered the dish, which was accompanied by fluffy rice.

Rib-eye does not translate in Mexico. No restaurant serves what we from north of the border call a rib-eye. Nevertheless, the steak was tender and the baked potato satisfying.  The steak was accompanied by a sauce of freshly grilled peppers which was prepared at the table by the waiter.

Crispy Chicken from Su Wok

To accompany our meal, we ordered a glass of white wine and a bottle of  India Pale Ale from a Baja California brewery.

Service and Price

Our waiter was friendly and knowledgeable. He explained the food container concept to us and knew how the many dishes were prepared. He made meal and appetizer recommendations and guided us through the menu.

The dining area is open on the sides and can be a little cool in the evening. There is a small play structure to occupy children and a television mounted on the wall for viewing special sports events.

Our Waiter, Daniel

Compared to prices in the area, Food Lake Container is moderately priced. The Crispy Chicken cost 110pesos and the Rib Eye, 190 pesos. Wine is 45 pesos per glass and the craft beer is a little pricey at 60 pesos per bottle

Our Recommendation ***

This is certainly an interesting concept, a modified version of Container City in Cholula. You could eat at Lake Food Container every day for a week and never order the same thing twice. This place is worth a visit, just to try the unique combination of foods from the different kitchens. My only complaint is that on the evening we visited it was cool and the dining space is open to the outdoors.

Watch for the Italian Café that will join the group soon.

Buen Provecho!

Brew House

De Las Flores #25, Ajijic
376 766 5657
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Hours: Daily 12pm - 9pm  
Parking street-side. Credit Cards accepted.
Directions: From Walmart, drive west through Ajijic about 2 miles. Turn left on De Las Flores. The Brewhouse is located on the left, across from Don Pedro's Restaurant. 

First Impressions

The Brew House is the hippest new place in town. The maker of Corazon de Malta beer has opened a taproom and gastro pub that, from the size of the crowd on Friday night, looks like a big hit with locals and expats.

The dining room is small and dark with an upscale urban atmosphere. The tanks and equipment in the brew house can be seen through the glass wall that separates it from the dining room. There is a full bar and a large variety of Corazon de Malta beers on tap.

A chalkboard at the hostess stand announces the specials of the day. We were fortunate to get one of the last tables available. The hostess handed us a menu and the waitress appeared immediately to take our drink order.

The table next to us ordered 2 flights of beer with 7 generous samples. I didn't see this on the menu, but if you like craft beer, you may want to give this a try.

Menu

Besides the chalkboard with daily specials, the menu offers an interesting variety of small plates and comfort food entrees, including  Sirloin and Cheddar Sliders, Ribbies, Baked Panela and Basil, Chicken Wings, Popcorn Shrimp, Salads and Soups, Homemade Chili, Sheppard's Pie of the Day (chicken, beef or lamb), and Grilled Cheese and Tomato Soup.

We ordered a Corazon de Malta India Pale Ale and a glass of Pinot Grigio. The India pale ale was light, hoppy and satisfying. Unfortunately, they ran out before we could order more, so we moved on to the American Brown Ale, a molasses-flavored brew that reminded us of Guiness.

Brew House has a good selection of beers on tap, including an American Wheat Ale, India Pale Ale, American Brown Ale, Robust Porter Ale, Stout Ale and Bohemian Pilsner Lager among others.

If you don't care for draft beer, order one of the bottled craft beers. Brew House also offers wine and mixed drinks.

For dinner we ordered the special, a Four Cheese Hamburger, and the Ribbies, which features a four rib portion of tender pork served with French Fries.

We would have ordered guacamole to eat while we waited for our meal, but the waiter insisted that they did not have guacamole, though it was advertised on the Daily Special chalkboard.

The ribs were some of the best I have ever tasted. The meat was so tender it fell off the bones. The French Fries were good, though a little salty for my taste. The Four Cheese Hamburger was giant, cooked perfectly in the middle and served on a crusty baguette with lettuce and tomato with creamy melting cheeses. It was also accompanied by fries. 

The waitress described the desserts of the day and we settled on a brownie and ice cream. The brownie was freshly made with crunchy bits of caramel inside, chocolate sauce and more crunchy bits on top of the ice cream.

I splurged on a cappuccino which I have not had in a long time because I fear being disappointed. I shouldn't have worried. At the Brew House, besides brewing a darn good beer, they also brew an excellent cappuccino.

Service and Price

The service at Brew House is excellent and most of the wait staff speak English. Our waitress was busy, but she did not neglect us. The young waiters were roving around the dining room, maybe a little too anxious to grab a glass before we were finished, but they were also quick to make sure we always had a refill when our glasses were empty.

One of the reasons I like to post a picture of the check is so our readers will know that we really did eat at this restaurant and the reviews are based on our own experience. Our meal came to less than 500 pesos including 3 beers, 2 glasses of wine, 2 entrees, dessert and cappuccino. A bargain.

Our Recommendation ****

It is a treat to have a craft brewery at Lake Chapala. The owners have invested no small amount of money to create a spot that is unique and inviting. The Corazon de Malta beer is crafted with care and the menu is different from anything you will find in the area.

If you like gastro pubs then check this place out. I think you will agree that the Brew House is one of the best new dining experiences lakeside.

Salud!