Showing posts with label Mexican food. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Mexican food. Show all posts
Thursday, January 5, 2012
Mexico City Grill - Like the Others, Only Better
You may have seen in the entry on the now-defunct Tequila's the lament that most Mexican restaurants seem to be the same, however well the food is done. Well, Mexico City Grill isn't really that much different than the others, but we reeeeally liked it, nevertheless. The decor is faux aged yellow stucco on the interior, with places where the stucco has faux-aged so much that faux bricks are showing through. It's kind of hokey, but I found the muted colors more relaxing than the neon-bright hues of places like El Meson. We got off on the right foot with some of the best chips and salsa I've ever had, and that's sayin' something! As I've said, I dunno what makes great salsa, but MCG sure does-- there was a lot of cilantro in there, but there were other flavors as well. The chips may not have been home-made but they were fresh and warm. My Texas Fajitas were da bomb, with perfectly sauteed onions & peppers, relatively tender skirt steak strips, and bigger-than-average shrimp and pieces of chicken, and the little woman's Nachos Supreme had especially well-seasoned ground beef and cheeses. All in all the food was GREAT! ... and not too expensive, either! Oh yeah, the draft Dos Equis beers were good and cold, and only $3.99 for a 32-ounce mug. !Vamanos alli!
Tuesday, November 22, 2011
Mexican Buffet & Grill-- Mongolian No More, or is it?
I used to be a big fan of this place's predecessor, Oriental Buffet & Grill/Mongolian Barbecue, in the Wal-Mart Center in the 7200 block of S. US 31-- The old place had all kinds of food, not just Asian, and my wife especially liked the crab legs, which were as good and cheaper than most seafood restaurants'. Imagine my horror, then, when I drove by the other day and saw that "Oriental" had been replaced by "Mexican" in the name on the sign. A few guys in my office coincidentally went there the other day and were likewise shocked by the recent conversion, but they ate there anyway and were quite pleasantly surprised, especially this one pragmatic (see "cheapskate") individual who was ecstatic about the value for the money spent, something like $6.99 for the lunch buffet.
With that glowing review, we just had to go and see for ourselves, the Little Woman being a big fan of Mexican food. As we entered we were greeted by the same Asian hostess that had seated us when it was Oriental, and many of the servers were the same folks from the old place as well, including several Hispanic employees. Some of the food on the buffets (the food bars are still huge) were suspiciously similar to the previous establishment's, too: Their "Chile Lime Chicken" looked and tasted very similar to General Tso's, and the "Burrito and Asada Barbecue" appeared to have the same meats as the old Mongolian Barbecue, minus the bean sprouts and water chestnuts. Hmmm, I had a professor once that said that native Mexican peoples were descended from ancient Asians who crossed into North America eons ago when there was still a land connection between the two continents.... Could this be the source of the mysterious similarities between the old and the new, here? Is that perhaps why you often see large numbers of Latinos gathered at the local Chinese buffets? Or is it just because both cuisines are cheap and plentiful?.... You decide! Anyway, the food was decent but not outstanding in my opinion, but I'm not the connoisseur of Mexican food my wife is-- Heck, I was IN Mexico for 26 days once, and when I got back I swore I would never again eat any RED or GREEN food ever again, but of course that wore off, eventually. The Divine Mrs. Barfly reeeeally liked the taco bar they had there as well as the Burrito & Asada Barbecue, so who am I to disagree? You certainly won't mistake this place with a nouvelle cuisine restaurant-- The decor is showing its age even with the added Mexican touches, but there's plenty of food for your dollar, for sure.
With that glowing review, we just had to go and see for ourselves, the Little Woman being a big fan of Mexican food. As we entered we were greeted by the same Asian hostess that had seated us when it was Oriental, and many of the servers were the same folks from the old place as well, including several Hispanic employees. Some of the food on the buffets (the food bars are still huge) were suspiciously similar to the previous establishment's, too: Their "Chile Lime Chicken" looked and tasted very similar to General Tso's, and the "Burrito and Asada Barbecue" appeared to have the same meats as the old Mongolian Barbecue, minus the bean sprouts and water chestnuts. Hmmm, I had a professor once that said that native Mexican peoples were descended from ancient Asians who crossed into North America eons ago when there was still a land connection between the two continents.... Could this be the source of the mysterious similarities between the old and the new, here? Is that perhaps why you often see large numbers of Latinos gathered at the local Chinese buffets? Or is it just because both cuisines are cheap and plentiful?.... You decide! Anyway, the food was decent but not outstanding in my opinion, but I'm not the connoisseur of Mexican food my wife is-- Heck, I was IN Mexico for 26 days once, and when I got back I swore I would never again eat any RED or GREEN food ever again, but of course that wore off, eventually. The Divine Mrs. Barfly reeeeally liked the taco bar they had there as well as the Burrito & Asada Barbecue, so who am I to disagree? You certainly won't mistake this place with a nouvelle cuisine restaurant-- The decor is showing its age even with the added Mexican touches, but there's plenty of food for your dollar, for sure.
Monday, September 5, 2011
Tequila's Mexican Restaurant & Bar: Great Mexican Food or Latest "Black Hole" Victim?
Have you ever noticed those buildings that seem to be whirling vortexes of failure, sucking whatever businesses start up there into oblivion after a few months? And it doesn't matter what kind of business, either.... There is a location on Stop 11 Road (if you're not in/from Indy, I'll have to explain the Stop roads system to ya. It's a weird historical thing) just east of Madison, that began life as a fast food joint of some kind, 'cuz you can see the remnants of an old drive-thru window, but for the life of me I can't remember what it was. It's been a Mexican restaurant like 4 times, a buffalo wings place twice, and an Asian grocery twice. It's a Chin grocery now, although having not been by there in a couple days, it may be closed again.
Well, Tequila's, in the strip mall at Madison & Edgewood, is in sort of the same kind of location: It began as Hennesey's Bar & Grille (don'tcha just love that final "e" they added onto to Grill to make is sound classy?), then was Tonix Bar & Grill, then it was Shigg's Diggs Bar & Grill (which lasted like 5 or 6 years and might have survived had the managing partner not sold out and gone back to South Dakota. I mean, how bad did it have to be here that he longed to return to the Badlands???), and now it is Tequila's, although when it first opened it had menus labeled "El Dorado Mexican Restaurant" which was itself a defunct venture in another black hole in the old Steak 'n' Ale (wasit?) at 21st and Shadeland. I don't know if Tequila's owner was the previous owner of El Dorado or if they just bought menus from there-- the place seems to be kind of cobbled together from auctions of other bankrupt restaurants' equipment. When it first opened there were no barstools, but now they have 4 of them in a fancy sort of ultramodern upscale style (with a cushy kind of suspension, like the driver's seat in a big ole' Kenworth) and 2 more-pedestrian models that look like they came from Bed, Bath, and Beyond's showroom. The bar and dining room nevertheless are fairly comfortable, even if the place is a little dark. I kind of like that, really, after the bright colors and Playskool type furniture they have at other Mexican restaurants like El Meson.
Will all that said (HEY, WAKE UP THERE!), the food at Tequila's is quite good. Our first visit on the day they opened was a train wreck, but 3 subsequent meals have been really satisfying. I don't really know what makes good salsa, but Tequila's has some of the best, and the chips it comes with are fresh and warm. All of the food is fresh and tasty, with generous portions and NO skimping on embellishments like guacamole and goat cheese. The service was attentive, too, and they usually have at least one waitress who has won a wet t-shirt contest or two (not that I was lookin', dear! Ow! Ow! Ow! Stop pinching me!) The drink prices are decent, with specials like import beers for 2 bucks and mixed drinks for $4. My Skinny Margarita (tequila & soda with a twist of lime, so named because it has no carbs. Seriously!) was in a decent-sized tumbler (which looked like the kind of glassware you'd buy at Old Tyme Pottery) and was pretty darn stiff, made with Sauza tequila and not the Bellows El Cheapo stuff most places use.
The problem with Tequila's is that THE FOOD IS THE SAME as any other good Mexican joint! It may be authentic and may taste good, but there isn't much difference in the food from one to the next. I know, I'm overstating it: the Burrito Joint, at Tibbs & Morris, for example has really authentic roadside stand-style Mexican food that is tasty and somewhat different, and if the wheels aren't stolen off your car when you come out, you might actually prefer it to the more upscale places. But that is one of only a few exceptions to the rule that Tequila's tastes like El Sol de Tala which is like El Meson which tastes like El Jaripeo and Little Mexico and all the other freakin' authentic places, which doesn't include Mi Amigos (which you know must be run by Anglos or they would've named it Mis Amigos. Maybe it's supposed to be Mi Amigo's so they can butcher the grammar of two languages simultaneously) or Roscoe's Tacos because those two are by no stretch of the imagination authentic, no matter how good their food may be. My challenge to all Latino restauranteurs, as if they'd ever read this, is to take just a little step off the beaten path of traditionality and MAKE SOMETHING DIFFERENT. In the words of Frank Bartles & Ed James, thank you for your support.
UPDATE, 10/05/2011: THE BLACK HOLE PHENOMENON CONTINUES-- TEQUILA'S IS CLOSED!
Well, Tequila's, in the strip mall at Madison & Edgewood, is in sort of the same kind of location: It began as Hennesey's Bar & Grille (don'tcha just love that final "e" they added onto to Grill to make is sound classy?), then was Tonix Bar & Grill, then it was Shigg's Diggs Bar & Grill (which lasted like 5 or 6 years and might have survived had the managing partner not sold out and gone back to South Dakota. I mean, how bad did it have to be here that he longed to return to the Badlands???), and now it is Tequila's, although when it first opened it had menus labeled "El Dorado Mexican Restaurant" which was itself a defunct venture in another black hole in the old Steak 'n' Ale (wasit?) at 21st and Shadeland. I don't know if Tequila's owner was the previous owner of El Dorado or if they just bought menus from there-- the place seems to be kind of cobbled together from auctions of other bankrupt restaurants' equipment. When it first opened there were no barstools, but now they have 4 of them in a fancy sort of ultramodern upscale style (with a cushy kind of suspension, like the driver's seat in a big ole' Kenworth) and 2 more-pedestrian models that look like they came from Bed, Bath, and Beyond's showroom. The bar and dining room nevertheless are fairly comfortable, even if the place is a little dark. I kind of like that, really, after the bright colors and Playskool type furniture they have at other Mexican restaurants like El Meson.
Will all that said (HEY, WAKE UP THERE!), the food at Tequila's is quite good. Our first visit on the day they opened was a train wreck, but 3 subsequent meals have been really satisfying. I don't really know what makes good salsa, but Tequila's has some of the best, and the chips it comes with are fresh and warm. All of the food is fresh and tasty, with generous portions and NO skimping on embellishments like guacamole and goat cheese. The service was attentive, too, and they usually have at least one waitress who has won a wet t-shirt contest or two (not that I was lookin', dear! Ow! Ow! Ow! Stop pinching me!) The drink prices are decent, with specials like import beers for 2 bucks and mixed drinks for $4. My Skinny Margarita (tequila & soda with a twist of lime, so named because it has no carbs. Seriously!) was in a decent-sized tumbler (which looked like the kind of glassware you'd buy at Old Tyme Pottery) and was pretty darn stiff, made with Sauza tequila and not the Bellows El Cheapo stuff most places use.
The problem with Tequila's is that THE FOOD IS THE SAME as any other good Mexican joint! It may be authentic and may taste good, but there isn't much difference in the food from one to the next. I know, I'm overstating it: the Burrito Joint, at Tibbs & Morris, for example has really authentic roadside stand-style Mexican food that is tasty and somewhat different, and if the wheels aren't stolen off your car when you come out, you might actually prefer it to the more upscale places. But that is one of only a few exceptions to the rule that Tequila's tastes like El Sol de Tala which is like El Meson which tastes like El Jaripeo and Little Mexico and all the other freakin' authentic places, which doesn't include Mi Amigos (which you know must be run by Anglos or they would've named it Mis Amigos. Maybe it's supposed to be Mi Amigo's so they can butcher the grammar of two languages simultaneously) or Roscoe's Tacos because those two are by no stretch of the imagination authentic, no matter how good their food may be. My challenge to all Latino restauranteurs, as if they'd ever read this, is to take just a little step off the beaten path of traditionality and MAKE SOMETHING DIFFERENT. In the words of Frank Bartles & Ed James, thank you for your support.
UPDATE, 10/05/2011: THE BLACK HOLE PHENOMENON CONTINUES-- TEQUILA'S IS CLOSED!
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