Canchola's Restaurant

I didn't set out to have a torta on this day. I was actually in search of a baño...

We spent the day enjoying the Dia de los Muertos festival in Fruitvale. The crowd was large, and so was the line for the porta-potties.

Cathy, Gabriel and I started down International Boulevard to our old-standby restaurant, Marsicos La Costa (see previous entry). When we got there, we were greeted by a handwritten sign: Bathroom out of order. While we enjoy their $1 tacos, when you gotta go, you gotta go, so we went on to the next restaurant: El Huarache Azteca. Again, a hand-written sign: No baño. Our usual criteria for choosing a restaurant was completely out the window and we were settling for the first place that had a working bathroom. The winner: Canchola's.

Once inside, we squeezed through the tightly packed restaurant and placed ourselves at a small table in the back corner (near the bathroom) and waited to be noticed by the busy waitress. Since I had fallen behind on writing my torta reviews, I had vowed to myself that I would order something else. But as soon as I noticed the torta milanesa on the menu, I knew I was doomed. It's a rare find so I had to try it.

I can't say what Cancholas is typically like, but on this day it was filled with families, who seemed to be enjoying large-portioned meals. It's a simple place with a friendly waitress who didn't speak any English so I had to rely on Cathy to place my order. (Editor's note: Though she won't admit it and she's embarrassed to use it, Cathy's Spanish is quite good. Mine, on the other hand is quite poor. My Spanish is a lot like my 16-month old son's English: Despite our blank looks, we understand a surprising amount, but when we try to talk a bunch of random words come out: i.e. Spanish speaking waitress: ¿Que quieres comer? me: Mama, Tree, Pelota.)

Anyways, the torta fit the restaurant. It wasn't elegant and I didn't expect much from it. The roll was flat and only lightly filled with some mayonnaise, lettuce and a strip of milanesa, but it was tastier than I would have thought. The presentation wouldn't win any awards and the taste didn't leave me craving more, but I wasn't disappointed I ordered it. But, once again, I vow to take a break from the torta, unless of course there's milanesa on the menu.

Canchola's Restaurant
3731 International Blvd
Oakland, CA 94601