Best Huevos Rancheros in London

It was nearly a decade ago that I had my first Huevos Rancheros. I was sitting in Los Angeles and my boyfriend, at the time, had ordered Huevos and saw a rather puzzled look come his way when the order was placed. You see, I come from the land of sweet breakfasts. Give me pancakes, french toast or bread with jam any day of the week. Sure, you can pair these things with bacon, sausage or eggs, but the sweet stuff rules the day. The idea of eating something that could be mistaken for lunch or dinner, during appropriate breakfast hours, seems like the most foreign concept to me. And so, Huevos Rancheros seems a most ridiculous option for a breakfast order. And here's where I once again have to admit that I am a complete fool when it comes to first impressions, including first impressions when it comes to food choices. 

When the Huevos Rancheros arrived in front of my boyfriend, on that fateful day in Los Angeles, he insisted I try a bite. So, with minor hesitation, I allowed the man of my dreams, at that moment, to romantically feed me a bit of Huevos Rancheros. He could have been asking me to try steel wool at that point and I would have said yes. Yet, surprisingly, that one single bite of Huevos Rancheros changed the following decade for me. I fell in love, with the food I mean. 

On the off chance you don't know what Huevos Rancheros is, let me give you a brief education. It translates from spanish to literally mean "rancher's eggs," as this was a dish that was traditionally served on farms in Mexican as a mid-morning pick-me-up. Each chef seems to have his own version of the now famous dish, but it is usually made up of a refried beans, mexican style rice, avocados, salsa and eggs, all served on a fried corn tortilla. I've tried the good, the bad and the ugly (but also good), when it comes to this dish. The best I've ever had was in Los Angeles - no surprise. The worst I've ever sampled was in a small diner in Switzerland- should have known.

But, today, I bring a bit of a gift to Londoners. Two weekends ago I went and sat at The Salusbury Food Store in Queen's Park. Mr. FFG used to live around that part of the world and he thought I'd enjoy a brekkie and a walk around the park in the neighborhood. So off we went and down we sat, ready for some light fare before heading off into a sunny setting for the afternoon. The menu came and I laid my eyes on Huevos Rancheros. The Mr. claimed it was wonderful. I remained skeptical, yet placed the order. Ladies and gents, the plate arrived, the first forkful was tried and tested, and I declared in the moment, "this is the best Huevos Rancheros in London." Needless to say, Mr. FFG felt victorious. And I felt quite happy to have found my own slice of LA in London, as weird as that sounds. The Salusbury's Huevos Rancheros are the perfect combination of all ingredients. The tortilla is the perfect crispiness to capture the runny egg, smooth beans and melted cheese. The hotness of the spiced tomatoes mixes splendidly with the smooth and creamy avocado. And the first bite could be a moment for the Guinness Book of World Records. 

If you're feeling homesick for great Huevos, get thee to The Salusbury this weekend for brunch!

The Salusbury Pub & Dining Room
50-52 Salusbury Road
Queen's Park
London 
NW6 6NN

Nearest Tube: Queen's Park