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| - Anejo graces the Mission community with its own take on Mexican cuisine. Nestled in on 4th street right next to Towa Sushi, Anejo takes Mexican food as we know it and translates it into something that is both inspired and unique. The Jalisco styled menu items are fresh and tasty, a far cry from the heavily sauced and cheesy monstrosities of bad Tex-Mex you might find in a forgotten cafe or local food court. Fresh ceviche, savoury tacos filled with slow cooked meats and crispy snapper greet you here. Vibrant colours and contrasting textures please the eyes as well as the palate in the dishes that are represented. In addition, Anejo makes some of the finest margaritas in town using fresh quality ingredients and tequila from their selection of over 100 varieties.
The food at Anejo is uncomplicated and unique. It sets the stage for a dining experience that includes friends, loved ones and a promotes a great time. I feel comfortable in the relaxed setting. The design is modern with accents of Mexico without the kitsch. Service is friendly and the knowledge of the staff on the menu and drink program is pretty good.
Speaking of the drinks, the margaritas are refreshing and very tasty. It's remarkable what good ingredients can do to transform a cocktail. I recommend the Prickly Pear, a naturally sweet and refreshing blend of fresh fruit puree and the finest tequila... a little tart with the unapologetic presence of that signature tequila flavour. Unbelievable.
We also started things off with a trio of ceviche to get things going. Basa, tuna, and shrimp/scallop graced our table a few minutes later. What I was surprised about with these ceviches was that each one had a little different spin on flavour. Not only was it because of the fresh fish that was the focus of each one, but each ceviche also had a little different preparation. My favourite was definitely the tuna ceviche, as it had a little touch of sweet and tartness from the fresh mango capped off with a little warmth from the serrano chili.
The tacos are also very tasty and available in beef short rib, adobo pork, crispy red snapper, chicken, or vegetarian. The flavours of the meat aren't too overly aggressive as they can be dressed up with the selection of fresh salsas that also accompany them. They are also filled with pickled cabbage, jalapenos, cilantro, red onion and avocado to provide a little textural contrast and colour. What I didn't find was some fresh lime for that hit of acidity.
The Red Snapper entree is a generous portion of fish, topped with beautifully cooked shrimp and a delicious Spanish Romesco sauce. It sits on a bed of fluffy lime cilantro rice with grilled onions and fresh bell peppers. The rice has a nice light flavour that goes well with the meaty snapper. All this is brought back to earth by the Romesco sauce, a slightly sweet tomato based sauce with red bell peppers, garlic, ground almonds or pine nuts. The exact recipe here, I'm not sure of, but it's a great match for fish nonetheless.
My impression is that Anejo is doing well by keeping things simple. The menu isn't a sampling of the entire country, nor is it another reiteration of an overplayed perception of what Mexican cuisine has been transformed into by the Taco Bells and Chi Chi's of the world. The drink program is amazing and the research into the vast tequila selection shows real passion. Thanks for the great evening.
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