We come back, but we’re chasing the ghosts of El Camino past. It used to be the kind of place that made you proud to be a Fremonster. But then the prices went up, the great brunch menu disappeared, and the laid-back little patio area filled up with loud drunks.

There’s still much to recommend about El Camino. It’s very cute and cheerful, with brightly painted walls and just the right amount of souvenir-shop Mexicana. There’s an attractive bar that’s nicely segmented from the main, child-friendly dining room. And if you hit it right, the patio’s a great place to catch up with friends.

The food has real Mexican origins—the enchiladas dressed in various styles of mole are good, as is the tortilla soup. But it’s just terribly overpriced for what it is, especially with La Carta de Oaxaca one neighborhood over in Ballard. And man, we miss that brunch menu.