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| - I was a little skeptical when a coworker followed our bosses recommendation of this place for lunch last week; what does a suit know about Mexican food?
Our party of 3 arrived at 1145, a tricky time for Friday lunch. We were promptly seated to a clean table and I noticed the other tables were also getting cleaned quickly. Having worked in the industry for several years, I notice this sort of stuff and appreciate a quickly bussed dining room.
Most of the staff are Spanish speaking but my gringo lunch pals had no problem getting by with their Spanglish and innocent, pleading looks.
I scanned the menu and quickly spotted the "home make corn tortillas" for the quesadillas. I asked the server and she confirmed that this was only for the Estilo del Rey quesadillas. I'm a sucker for anything made in house- sign me up! She also guided me away from the pork and told me to get the chicken because it was better. I love having an interaction with someone who actually knows what they're talking about, so much better than a doe-eyed or aloof server saying "everything is good".
When my plate arrived, I was really impressed with the presentation. The quesadilla took up half the plate, it was drizzled with crema, sprinkled with queso fresco, fresh cilantro and diced onion. It was served with a side of shredded iceberg and some lime wedges. I'm a firm believer in meaningful condiments, so if it comes with wedges dammit I'm using all of them.
I juiced the limes and went to town. The steaming hot shredded chicken was perfectly cooked, sauteed with onions, spices and dressed with just the right amount of red chili. Slight warning- this is a little spicy but I would rate it close to a Valentino or Cholula-level.
Coworker #1 got the Asada plate; the meat was bland and the beans were a little too creamy for my liking. I quickly apologized to my quesadilla for straying. Coworker #2 is a fellow foodie and had the shrimp tacos. She was protecting her plate like a mother bear over a cub so I knew better and thought, "next time".
I've since been back and tried desperately to look at something else on the menu but the chicken quesadilla Estilo del Rey kept beckoning to me. Soon my love, we will reunite...
oh- and the suit got mad street cred...
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