Elena’s is a Mexican restaurant in West Portal that opened in February. It’s from the Duggan family, which also owns the Italian American restaurants Original Joe’s, Joe’s of Westlake, and Little Original Joe’s which is also in West Portal.
More info from Eater SF:
It’s in a very nice space with high ceilings, gas lamps, and an open kitchen in the back.
I sat at the bar, which is first come, first served. To drink, I had an Elena’s Margarita ($13) but with mezcal instead of tequila.
To eat, I had the Dungeness Crab Enchiladas ($39), which were very good. They were two large corn tortillas filled with a healthy amount of sweet Dungeness crab, covered with a tangy and creamy tomatillo sauce. The rice and beans that came with were fine - the refried pinto beans, which were topped with cheese, could have used a little more oomph. There was also some lettuce, tomato, and crema as garnish. I was initially thinking of getting an appetizer, but I’m glad I didn’t as the plate was quite filling.
For dessert I had a Carajillo ($16), a cocktail with tequila, Tia Maria, vanilla, and espresso. I’m a bit apprehensive of large ice cubes in coupe glasses, but this was a pretty good Carajillo.
And also a Café de Olla Cheesecake ($14). This was a slice of cheesecake from noted local cheesecake maker Zanze’s Cheesecakes (which is now also owned by the Duggans after the original owners retired last year), flavored with coffee and spices used in Café de Olla. The cheesecake was as light as a feather and delicious.
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