rev:text
| - After four years in Chicago, I was seriously jones'ing for a simple platter of "carne y tres" -style Mexican food, 'cause who can argue with a great "meat and three" lunch of protein, beans, rice and cheese!
(And before you say, "But, there are amazing Mexican restaurants in Chicago!", just remember not all Chicago neighborhoods are the same - and there's no decent, affordable "homestyle Mexican" in the downtown area - just Rick Bayless' empire of over-hyped Mexican joints serving $55 a plate micro-portions of grilled steak with four artfully arranged black beans)
While our friends dove into classic burritos, like the $7.50 Fajita Burrito, and the mountainous Pollo Asado ($7.99), I caved in and ordered my favorite combination; the Coctel de Camarones (Shrimp Cocktail) was enormous, and perfectly flavored with onion, lime, cilantro and that classic thick, ketchup-based sauce. The shrimp were perfectly poached and the generous topping of avocado made the entire bowl creamy. The $2.25 Lengua Tacos (beef tongue) were outrageously tender and smoky, and with a healthy dollop of their avocado sauce, a perfect match with the cool cocktail. The sweet radishes were a nice touch - very seasonal and they added a nice crunch to the soft-shelled taco.
True "meat and three" dining! Lucky for the folks living and visiting Charlotte!
|