El Camino Real

There were a number of promising dishes gone wrong. The cheese-stuffed enchiladas, supposedly baked to order, were so dried out from the heat that their crusts buckled up around the edges like an orphan forgotten in the oven too long. Still, the flavor of the chile-stewed gravy was spot-on earthy with roasted ancho and guajillo peppers, tomatoes, and Coke (a.k.a. "Mexican demiglace"), a reminder that this chef has the right ideas even when the execution doesn't hit. Similarly, I loved the taste of the meaty Texas chile, with its habanero kick and sassy cinnamon-cumin kiss. It's a shame it wasn't adequately reheated.

The kitchen's instincts with the smoker aren't yet nearly as natural - with one exception. The beef ribs, brontosaurus big and clinging to a twisty char of spice-crusted flesh and fat, are almost a reason in themselves to visit. So many of the other "Texas" items, though, wore a cloud of apple-mesquite smoke and a crust of spice rub without the proper balance of basic seasoning beneath – salt or acidity – that is essential to unlocking the meat's deeper power. In some cases, as with the beef rib, a dip in the tangy sweet sauce was all the complement it needed. But the brisket, pork ribs, and pig "wings" fell flat, and were missing a crucial piece of their flavor puzzle. The grilled smoked pork chops were simply dry and overcooked.

Oddly, for a place that would logically be all about the beef, some of the most memorable dishes were vegetarian. The "veggie wings" made of locally produced Ray's seitan, marinated in spice rub, then deep-fried, were positively addictive - crispy, flavorful, and meatier than the meats. A giant pan-fried poblano pepper stuffed with blended seitan, mushrooms, plantains, and Mexican cheese was infinitely more interesting than the flaccid, one-dimensionally cheesy chile rellenos that are so typical on Americanized Mexican menus.

Besting an old cliche with a new twist like that is as satisfying to diners as it is to the cook. And it's encouraging to know that El Camino Real is capable of pulling it off. If only it happened more often, we might have actually turned those hats backward and taken our waitress up on her offer - by her third trip to the table hawking shots - and finally thrown back a toast.

Next Sunday, restaurant critic Craig LaBan reviews A La Maison Bistro in Ardmore. Contact him at 215-854-2682 or claban@phillynews.com.