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| - I have to tell you my experience with Mexican food before I tell you about Don Julio's. I was born in Mexico City and raised in Austin, Texas - one of the foodie hubs in the US. I grew up with my mom making Mexican from scratch and was lucky enough to marry a woman that also makes the stuff from scratch -- we're talking a half day to make enchiladas...So trust me when I tell you, I KNOW quality Mexican food.
Don Julio's is hands down one of our favorite Mexican food spots, ever. My wife and I moved to the area last year and were sorely disappointed with the lack of quality Mexican food. We tried the place across the street, a few places in Ballantyne and Charlotte, and all were a 2-star experience, at best. Finding Don Julio's was our saving grace.
The first thing you should know about Don Julio's is that they make their dishes from scratch, daily. How many places can say that? If you visit enough times you can actually taste this in the chips and salsa. The salsa is great every time, but you do notice the slight difference texture and spiciness. And let me tell you about the salsa - again, this is prepared daily with smoked peppers and tomatoes and you taste this in every bite. If this is the care and quality that goes in the salsa that you get with chips, you can only imagine the care that goes into the entrees.
One of my favorite reasons for eating at Don Julio's (and this is important if you don't have a lot of experience with authentic Mexican food) is the authenticity! The chile rellenos come with queso fresco, the way you would find them in some regions in Mexico. The enchiladas can be traditional red, green and even mole, again, the way you'd find them in Mexico. Already touched on the salsa, but the smoky flavors are very authentic and hard to find around these parts. If you have an adventurous palette order the carnitas in mole. I was surprised to even find this on the menu, let alone find it with such great quality. So if you're used to "Mexican food" being the place across the street, some American hybrid (like Tex-Mex or SoCal Mex) or some local chain that charges $3 for tacos, this place may not be what you're used to, but I guarantee you it's incredible.
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