I’m glad to see more of the Latin influence invading the seemingly overrun and tired Tex-Mex landscape in the OKC metro area.  I mean, honestly, after you’ve had cheese enchiladas, refried beans, chips and queso at one place, you’ve pretty much experienced it at all of them. So why not step out to experience more variety in your Latin fare?

Peruvian native Jorge Zarate began cooking for his family at the age of four when his mother became ill and had to leave most of the kitchen responsibilities to him.  She taught him everything he knows, and he has loved cooking for others his entire life.  He cooked at his restaurant the first 1 1/2 years they were open so he could train his cooks in the methods his mother taught him.  When he first opened Zarates three years ago, he initially served the standard Tex-Mex fare, but quickly added many Central and South American dishes.  He says South American cuisine has a Chinese influence as far as spices are concerned.  He imports his spices from South America to keep the taste authentic. He also brings in around 15 different soft drinks from each country.  He said kids love to come and try a different soda each time their families dine.

Jorge said the main difference in Tex-Mex and Central and South American food is that Tex-Mex is based a lot on tortillas and fried beans, and the other is based on meat, veggies and sometimes pasta.  I ordered the Lomito Saltado ($7.99), which is described as “an authentic dish with beef or chicken cut strips, sliced tomatoes, onions, potatoes, cilantro and spices sautéed to Peruvian perfection over an open flame.”  It was served with rice, yuca fries and plantains.  It was deliciously bold with spices, just the way I like.  And although I don’t know for sure, I like to think this was a little healthier than enchiladas smothered in cheese or sour cream sitting next to fried beans.

Mom quickly zeroed in on the vegetarian portion of the menu and went with the Spinach Enchiladas ($8.99).  They contained fresh, sauteed spinach and what looked like a variety of tiny, diced onions and possibly some corn.  They were the best spinach enchiladas I have tasted.  There are five vegetarian entrees, as well as soups and salads.  The menu is extensive and worth a review on their website before you visit for the first time.  Entrees include many varieties of fish, chicken, shrimp, pork and beef, as well as Honduran Banana-leaf tamales ($8.99) which are described as  ”one large, homemade tamal – Honduran style -with  shredded beef, potatoes, cilantro, diced tomatoes and rice, inside mesa corn, wrapped in banana leaves and steamed to perfection.”  Next time I go, I’m ordering this.

The lunch menu included entrees priced from $6.59 to $8.99, and dinners run from $8.99 to $13.99.  Jorge says he is coming out with a new menu soon. Everything is made to order from scratch.  He knew many of the customers by name as we sat talking with him, and he said sometimes they will come in and ask him to create something special just for them.  He is always thrilled to oblige.  When we arrived for lunch at 11am, we were the only ones there, but by 11:30, the place was full, including about a dozen Edmond police officers, one of whom is a regular.  Another large group arrived, and their entrees came out almost immediately.  We asked Jorge about this, and he said the group calls in their order a day before, then drives from downtown for lunch.  He said he likes to provide call-ahead seating, take out and catering.

Our server was from Venezuela and was excellent.  In fact, everything about the restaurant was clean and run extremely efficiently.  Mom was particularly impressed to see them cleaning and disinfecting the menus after use.

For dessert, we tried the Churros ($1.99), which looked like a miniature chocolate eclair.  It was a pastry-type shell filled with creme, and then drizzled with caramel and chocolate.  It was just enough for a couple of bites – something sweet – after the spicy meal.  The desserts are made fresh and are in limited supply each day.

I think Central and South American food is going to become my new Tex-Mex.  It’s a lot more tasty, and it’s always fascinating to talk to the owners.  If you’ve been to Zarate’s, give me your opinion in the comments below.

I first caught whiff of Cocina Guatelinda from a co-worker who had told me of a great little Latin American restaurant serving up a delicious, spicy soup that knocked his socks off. I tried their Sunday stew special and, though I didn’t find it to be spicy at all, it still made for a great meal and an interesting dining challenge. I’ll describe this experience in more detail in a bit.

The restaurant is designed with an open-kitchen concept. The last time I visited a place this open was at 105 Degrees where you can literally see the chefs making the food right out in the open. If you’re the paranoid type, this is great because you’ll know if anyone does something unpleasant to your food. Seriously though, it’s really cool to see your food being prepared out in the open, especially in a restaurant setting since you can see all the hard work being put into making your order. The experience is akin to being in your mom’s kitchen and watching her cook dinner.

Every patron here is treated to a fresh basket of chips, tortillas, black bean sauce, a roasted chile salsa, and escabeche. If you’ve never heard the term escabeche, it’s made of pickled jalapeños, carrots, onions, cauliflower and cabbage. This side dish is a specialty of the mom in this family run place and it goes deliciously well with everything I’ve had here. You’ll also notice that the tortillas aren’t your typical store bought Mexican variety. These are particularly thick and have some weight to them and you can definitely tell each one is uniquely handmade. While you’re waiting for your food, you can also catch up on your monthly dose of Latin American music videos playing on either of the two flat panel TV’s hanging on the walls.

I’ve had the opportunity to try the Tuesday Special — Jocon  (chicken simmered in tomatillo sauce for $6.99) and the Carne Guisada (beef and potatoes in sauce for $6.99). Both of these dishes are served with potato salad (carrots, potatoes, green beans and onions) and rice pilaf. The Jocon came with two small pieces of chicken and left me wanting a bit more meat, but with all the other food on the table I was still able to satisfy my big appetite. The Carne Guisada had a good flavor to it and was definitely fulfilling. All the flavors from the dishes to the sides and salsa all meld together nicely and you can tell everything is made with a mother’s touch.

Now, on to the stew. It has been a while since I’ve eaten a meal and looked like a complete idiot trying to figure out how to eat it. This was the case while I was trying to eat their stew.

With my spidey sense, I could feel that some of the workers were laughing at me while I was trying to eat their Sunday special, Caldo de Gallina Criolla or hen stew ($7.99). The meal comes in a bowl on top of a larger dish and is filled with hen along with ginormous chunks of carrots, chayote (kind of like a summer squash), yucca and potatoes. It also comes with a separate plate of rice, diced onions, cilantro, a wedge of avocado and lime, not to mention all the other condiments I mentioned earlier.

Overwhelmed with so many possible ways to consume this delicious goodness, I thought, “Hey! There are tortillas in a basket and meat in the stew, why not make a taco?!” I later realized that traditionally these tortillas are treated like you would a treat a basket of bread at an Italian restaurant. That is, for dipping in sauce and eating — not so much for making stew tacos.

I asked my server what the proper stew-eating technique was, and I think her response was something like “Yes! It’s very good, yeah?” After I was unable to conquer the language barrier, I just continued working at my stew with my taco technique. Fortunately, the son in the family who works there noticed that I was about to make a mess of my white shirt and instructed me on the proper form. I will pass on his advice to you so you can avoid my stew etiquette faux paus.

First, you get all the chunks of vegetables and put them around the outside of the bowl (that’s why the plate it’s resting on is so large). Then you put the rice, onions and cilantro found on the other plate into the soup according to your preference. Give a nice squeeze of the lime and you’re ready to eat. Don’t forget to grab some of the tortillas and dip them into the bean sauce or salsa.  Simple, right? Now you don’t have to be a fool like me when trying their daily soup specials. By the way, the son assisting me also noted that Monday’s Caldo de Res (beef stew) was his favorite.

Not everyone is a fan of horchata (a cinnamon rice water beverage), but I usually try to get it with my Mexican food and have been quite disappointed with a lot of the places around town. At some places it’s too sweet or not sweet enough or just straight out awful. But Cocina Guatelinda serves horchata that’s just right, and they also gave me free refills! That made me a particularly happy camper. I hate having to pace myself to make sure my horchata lasts for the full meal and Cocina Guatelinda removes that limitation.

If I had the choice between this place and Café Antigua for Guatemalan food, I’d say this place has better flavors and has more reasonable operating hours. Don’t get me wrong, I still think Café Antigua has great food for breakfast, but since they open at 8am and close at 5pm I can never make it in time for a meal during the work week.

I have yet to be disappointed with the food here and will definitely dine here again. If you’ve had the chance to dine here and especially if you have your own special dining technique, please leave your thoughts in the comments below.

Several of our readers have clamored for a review of Cafe Antigua recently, so happily I set out to accommodate. It can be a little tricky to spot at first. I drove by it three times before I even saw it.  It’s hiding in an old strip of shops right on 19th and Classen, and it’s well worth the search.  Look for the name of the restaurant painted on the windows, as that’s the only sign.

Once again, my faithful sidekick and Mom tagged along for another new restaurant experience.  Upon entering, she was immediately thrilled to see the employees cleaning the tables with a real bottle of spray cleaner and a clean cloth, as opposed to a wet dish towel “has laid around on the floor for who knows how long”  (her words).  Score one for the restaurant.

Cafe Antigua serves both breakfast and lunch the entire time it’s open, so that’s nice.  I know I like breakfast food better at other times of the day than breakfast time.  So for lunch, I ordered the “signature breakfast” entree of Motulena Eggs ($5.75), which consisted of two corn tortillas and black beans topped with two eggs smothered in chirmol (charred tomato and mint sauce) and sliced avacado, queso fresco (fresh cheese), queso seco (a dry Nicaraguan cheese), parsley and chips.  It was delicious, and the portion was just right.  Most of the portions here are not huge, which I appreciate.  Most of the entrees are also served with their homemade jalapeno sauce on the side, which is hot, but yummy.

Mom chose the Enchilades Guatemaltecas ($5.25).  This consisted of a tostada with lettuce, picadillo (chopped beef), topped with viniagrette, cabbage and beets, salsa roja, slice of hard egg, parsley and queso seco.  She’s usually not a meat-eater, but she loved this dish for two reasons. First, she could taste the tangy veggies, and second,  it matched her outfit that day (does anyone else have a cute little mother who loves to wear purple and chartreuse green together?).  She also got to know a couple of the other patrons while we waited on our food.  I think most everyone in there was either a lawyer who had a business on Classen or a sweet, little retired couple who lived nearby in one of those big houses just east of there.  At any rate, everyone Mom talked to was a regular customer.  The Valdez family of five has owned this place the last two years.

I wanted a return engagement before I wrote this review, so last week my trusty sidekick and I kidnapped two co-workers and told them where we were headed.  They were game.  This time I tried the special of the day, which was the Mayan Rice ($8.49).  It consisted of rice, black beans, onion, tomato, cilantro, parsley and chicken or beef (I chose the chicken).  I loved it and wish somebody would fix this for me every night at home.  This is one of their larger entrees, and I could have split it with someone had I known.

Mom chose the Omelette Chapin ($7.49) which was mixed with tomato, bell pepper, chives, onions, chirmol and cheddar, accompanied with a side of sour cream and plantains (or “plantations” as she called them).  This is a great dish for vegetarians.

My friend Beth chose the Chili Rellenos ($7.75), which was two small, poblano peppers with beef and veggies, rice and a house salad.  The peppers were very tender, not with a deep-fried crunchy coating like a lot of Tex-Mex places serve, and she described the meat as having a good, earthy taste.  But I’m not sure she was really sold on this dish.  It might warrant another review and opinion.

My friend Susan tried the Carne Asada ($9.99), which was grilled beefsteak, two green onions, rice, black beans, house salad and avacado.  It looked really good, and she said it was, eating every bite.

Cafe Antigua serves a variety of Guatemalan coffees and fruit drinks.  When asked what we wanted to drink, Mom asked if they had Guatemalan tea, which puzzled our waiter for a moment, as he proceeded to explain the different kinds of coffee.  She then asked for an explanation of the fruit drinks, which he pleasantly and patiently provided. Then, of course, she ordered water.  It was like being in a Seinfeld episode with Kramer and George ordering at the cafe.  Our waiter just smiled like he was used to this with all the other sweet, little old customers.  The episode continued after lunch, at which point Mom wanted to try the “Plantations in Glory”  (sigh).  I ordered her the Plantains in Glory ($3.25) and just smiled at the waiter.  These were cooked in brown sugar, cinnamon and kahlua, topped with sour cream, and they were fantastic, especially after the spicy entree I just had.

So if you want a little something different in a colorful, but discreet, setting, try Cafe Antigua.  I know I’ll be back, even though it’s not anywhere close to where I live or work. It’s definitely worth the trip.  Let us know what you think in the comments!

Editor’s note: This is the final post written by Andrew Littleton, the founder of our Shady Restaurant series. Andrew wrote this before he left town but I have waited until now to publish it so that it will still seem like he is here. Enjoy his farewell words and a final tasty find.

By now the word is out that my days as shady writer for eataroundokc.com have come to an end.  I have decided it would be fitting to end my shady posts where I started them — on SW 29th street, almost literally next door to Sydney’s, the one that started it all.

This review is about the best Mexican-style tamales in town.  I say that with absolutely no reservations. No ”I think,” no “possibly,” — absolutely no trepidation.  I speak with confidence because I believe I have eaten at every authentic-ish Mexican restaurant on the south side of Oklahoma City and, unfortunately, at my fair share of Okla-Mex places in town as well.

Before I get to talking about Tamales, I would like to offer a brief homage to SW 29th street.

Ever since the day I had a $3 breakfast for lunch at Sydney’s and helped to unplug the fan so they could plug in the cash register to complete my purchase, I fell in love with this stretch of road.  Sure, there have been moments of fear. Like the time the drug dealer dudes started ramming their $40,000 tricked-out Cadillacs like they were bumper cars. Or, the time the meth lady accused me of stealing her car (my custom Volkswagen Beetle) and then chased me back to my office. Or, of course, the time I ate at the Golden Touch Grill.  But those moments are fleeting as I think of all the great food.  Flautas and enchiladas at Los Desvelados, dollar tacos at Max Burger, the burger I got carded to eat at the place that turned out to be a shady beer bar, and the time my friend Dirk nearly died from the heat after shouting “muy caliente el diablo!” about how hot he wanted his pork chile verde from the place across the street from Los Desvelados.

Yes, I have many fond memories of SW 29th street, and I leave you with one final recommendation.

Tamales may well have a more complete name, but I’m not sure. There is a bit of a language barrier.  I asked once what hours they were open and got a “yes we are open, you like tamales?”  To which I replied, “As a matter of fact I do!”  So this I know — they are open seven days a week for lunch and at least until 6 or 7 or so.  I say this 6 or 7 deal because I have sent many people there after work to take a dozen home for dinner.  These tamales pair especially well with the marinated flank steak you can purchase at the mercado across the street if you want a complete meal.  They also serve menudo on the weekends.  I bet it’s awesome, but I haven’t tried it.

The menu consists of tamales, chocolate covered bananas (with sprinkles), and nachos.  They also serve raspados (Mexican snow cones).  I have only had the tamales, so you will have to supply your own reviews the other other offerings in the comments. I’m not big on raspudas or chocolate covered bananas, sprinkles or no sprinkles.

You order your tamales by the dozen, spicy or . . . uhm . . . not spicy. A dozen tamales costs $13. The spicy pack a punch, as they are full of chopped jalapenos, but they are, by far, my favorite.  These tamales are silky, moist, perfectly steamed, and by no means dried-out gritty corn mush pockets like you would get at most places in town.  In fact, I have had many people who don’t even like tamales say these are great.  The problem is, these people probably had their first and only tamale experience from Taco Bueno.

Take my advice, block out past memories of fast food tamales and Okla-Mex tamales, go get a dozen of these, take them back to work (they will stay hot, trust me), and go change the lives of your co-workers.  They really are that good. I work with a large number of people from Austin who swear there is nothing close to these down there, and they are a good seven hours closer to Mexico than us.  The door to the back room is usually cracked open where you can see a lady with a stack of corn husks rolling up and steaming them as fast as she can go.  It may bring tears to your eyes, but fight through the emotions and yell out, “One dozen tamales . . . uh . . . spicy!”  It works every time.

Well, there’s not much more to say about Tamales, so let me just say this. It’s been awesome, and humbling, to see how our shady reviews have changed the dynamic of these deserving restaurants and brought them patrons that might have never ventured into them before.  I have had owners of a few of these places come out and give me hugs. I’ve seen the comments as our faithful readers give great feedback on these shady wonders. Recently, I’ve even seen a couple of these spots hit the national food scene on TV.  The only negative has been watching some of my favorite spots become so popular that they are hard to get into now.

Thanks, Oklahoma City, for all the shady memories. I can’t wait to hear what you all think about Tamales.  While Nashville has a great meat and three, spicy chicken, and soul food scene, there is no replacing the Mexican and South American food scene we have here in OKC. So keep them busy for me while I’m away, and  if you are ever in Nashville, I’ll meet you for some hot chicken.

In the almost three years since I started EatAroundOKC.com, I can’t remember another restaurant that has generated as much buzz around its launch as Big Truck Tacos. I feel strange writing this article as it almost seems superfluous to have yet another online page dedicated to discussing it. But at the same time, I’ve received enough email from readers asking, “Why don’t you have a review of Big Truck Tacos?” to motivate me to get this article published. So, here we go.

I truly love the idea of Big Track Tacos. It represents the epitome of what I tend to look for in restaurants. That is, a place that offers something truly unique to the Oklahoma City restaurant landscape. On this front, Big Truck Tacos excels, bringing a gourmet and hip spin on the authentic taqueria experience both indoors (at their restaurant location) and on the street (via their actual taco truck). The ownership of this restaurant has experience in high-end dining, and the idea of taking something as awesome as a taqueria-style taco and sprucing it up with culinary creativity is extremely exciting to me.

While their focus right now appears to be on the restaurant location, it seems they have plans to turn their taco truck into a Twitter-driven mobile dining experience akin to Kogi in Los Angeles. Time will tell how this plays out but it could be a very unique and successful offering. For now, it seems that their static location is keeping them busy enough as crowds have been overwhelming and consistent since their opening.

When you visit their restaurant location, you’ll find a small, nicely redone old drive-in diner. There’s not a lot of space inside, but in the warmer weather they have good outdoor seating on colorful picnic tables which can even be used in the rain since they’re covered by the old drive-in roof. Getting to know the people dining next to you is the standard MO here as most anywhere you sit you will be sharing space with others. But hey, that makes it all the more fun and gives it a true “hang-out” kind of feel.

Take a look at the menu and you’ll find a lot to love. The in-depth descriptions of their tacos, burritos, tortas, salads and more are inspiring with exciting combinations of ingredients like “ground bison picadillo,” “fried avocado,” “spice-rubbed beer can chicken,” and the like.

However, when my eyes wandered across the page to the pricing, I was a bit disappointed. Tacos are $2.75-$3.00 each. “That’s cheap!” you may say, but keep in mind that even the smallest appetite would likely need two of these tacos to feel satisfied (I could easily eat three without over doing it). Having frequented some of OKC’s best southside taquerias where amazing tacos of the same size are served up for $1.50 or less each, the price tag on BTT’s offerings let me down. Sure, I know it’s a gourmet spin and I would expect to pay more than the norm, but twice as much? With prices like these, they had better deliver on taste.

But in the taste department, I’ve been let down a bit. Most everything I’ve tried at lunch sounded better on the menu than it actually delivered. I’ve had four different lunch tacos. Two of them have been good. The other two have been average at best. None of them have been what I would consider amazing.

On the positive side, the slaw on “The Okie-Baha” (fish taco) was the best I think I’ve had and “The Rancher” offered a great combination of flavors with slow-braised brisket, potatoes, queso, and a pickled relish that really livens things up. On the disappointing side, the verde pork at BTT was unexciting in both texture and flavor, and the beef al carbon was tough with a “coffee-rubbed” flavor that was quite overpowering and not all that appealing. Even though “Urban Coffee Company – rubbed grilled skirt steak” had my mouth watering when I read it on the menu, it was less than satisfying to my taste.

I also wish the tortillas at Big Truck Tacos brought more to the party. As it is, they’re fine, but they’re nothing special. You have your choice of flour or double-corn tortillas on each taco you order. Livening up the tortillas with something homemade or otherwise unique would really go a long way toward fulfilling the gourmet expectations set by their pricing.

Now, I’ve heard from many people who believe breakfast is the better offering at Big Truck Tacos. I’d have to agree. The pricing is a little lower, which is nice, and the flavors I had were better as well. All of the breakfast tacos are “build your own,” allowing you to select from their list of ingredients. For $2, you get two ingredients but … oh yeah … eggs count as an ingredient. Add a quarter or so for each additional ingredient you want.

I had an egg, avocado and flank steak breakfast taco that was very good. It was heavy on the pepper, which I like. The steak was a little tough, just like the lunch steak, but it had a better flavor than its coffee-rubbed lunch sibling. I also had one with egg, spinach and ham.

You can also build your own breakfast burrito. In fact, this the best value I’ve found so far at Big Truck Tacos. For $4 you get your choice of three ingredients wrapped up in a 10 inch tortilla. It’s a decent amount of food for the price. I had the egg, avocado and flank steak in a burrito and thought it was even better than the taco version. I also thought the tortilla on the burrito was better than the ones on the tacos.

I wish they would open earlier for breakfast. I also wish they would include a few of their own taco creations at breakfast like they do at lunch. Come to think of it, adding a “build your own” option at lunch might be nice as well. Why the separation? And, why not offer breakfast tacos all day. That would really rock.

Alright, so there are some things I wish were different, but at the bottom line, Big Truck Tacos is definitely worth your attention. Give them a try. You’ll find that they run a great operation and they’re very concerned about customer satisfaction. Send them your feedback through Facebook or Twitter and I can almost guarantee they’ll be quick to respond and react.

I’m sure I’ll be visiting them again, though I can say I’d be visiting them a lot more frequently if pricing were a little lower or if there were some lunch combo that could get me three tacos for around $6 instead of $9. As it is, my visits may be infrequent but I do look forward to seeing how they continue to change and improve.

Please let us know what you think about Big Truck Tacos in the comments.

Editor’s note: this month’s shady restaurant feature is a special contribution from Chef Ryan Parrott. Chef Parrott is a leading chef and restauranteur in Oklahoma City and we’re delighted to have his contribution here. For more about Chef Parrott, please see his author page.

As a chef, I am constantly searching for the next great meal, combing the planet for a new flavor, new technique or new ingredient. As of late, I have found more enjoyment seeking out the little, out of the way, family owned ethnic places — the ones that are truly displaying and sharing their culture the best way they know how — through their food.

Recently I was directed to El Pollon by a close friend. He casually told me about a nice little Peruvian Restaurant at SW 44th and Penn. Being a northsider, I find myself, at times, not really getting out my “bubble,” so I had no idea that this place existed.

Upon entering, I was warmly greeted and directed to the rest of my group. This was nice but unnecessary as they weren’t hard to spot in this very small, 35-seat dining room. The décor is unassuming, with generic tables and chairs — think 1970’s era Pizza Hut, but renovated and updated. The walls are adorned with cheesy, Peruvian-style rugs, wall hangings, and a large flat screen that plays old Peruvian variety show DVDs. There appears to be one server that takes care of the entire dining room, and on my several visits, it has been more than adequate. The menu verbage is very easy to read, offering detailed descriptions of each dish in clear English. Sometimes I find that true ethnic restaurants have a hard time conveying the dishes to those not versed in their culture or language, but this is not the case at El Pollon.

First off, the beverages. They offer the standard lineup of sodas and iced teas, but if you order one of these you are missing out on a great part of the experience. Instead, try a canned Peruvian soda called Inca Kola ($2). This popular soda is sweet with a bubble gum flavor and a cream soda finish. Another option is the Chicha Morada ($2.99), which is made from purple corn. It’s reminiscent of clove and pineapple, with some sweet earthiness of corn mixed in. This drink is quite refreshing, and pairs well with most of the flavors in the dishes I have had there.

Now, onto the food. The selection is pretty good, with several different offerings and even a lunch menu. Although there are several main characters in the plot of this menu, the star of the show, though not but by much, is the rotisserie chicken. The manner in which they prepare it is exceptional. As a chef, I certainly won’t be giving a standing ovation to a simple, ordinary bird very often, but this one truly deserves a repeat performance. Seasoned to perfection and slow roasted, the skin is perfectly golden brown, with meat left tender and juicy on the inside. Ask first if it’s available, as they seem to have issues keeping up with the demand on this item.

The wonderful supporting cast of menu items are certainly nothing to shy away from. One of my favorites, although I haven’t encountered anything yet I didn’t love, is the Papa Rellana ($4.99). It is perfectly-prepared mashed potatoes enveloping a filing of ground beef, seasonings and raisins. The addition of the fruit in this one really adds a new dimension not regularly found in most American dishes, even the American adaptations of popular Peruvian dishes.

The sauce de Aji — a mixture of roasted peppers, milk, cheese and Peruvian seasonings — repeats itself throughout the menu and can only be described as beautiful. The rich velvety texture and the “slightly sweet at first, slightly spicy finish” is perfect with the not-so-heavy-mouth feel of this sauce.

The Papa a la Huancaina ($4.99) features this sauce over blanched potato slices and garnished with olives and hard-boiled egg. I can promise you that this vegetarian dish will leave even the biggest carnivore a happy diner. The sauce is also used in the Aji de Gallina ($6.99), which combines their rotisserie chicken, walnuts, raisins and more potatoes. This item is listed on their lunch specials and leaves me speechless every time I consume it.

Among the other offerings that we enjoyed are Chicharron de Chancho ($8.99), which combines fried pork loin with a salsa criolla and sweet potatoes; the Bisteck a lo Pobre ($9.99 – their version of steak and eggs) with fried egg, plantains and avocado; and another crowd favorites, the Jalea De Mariscos($10.99), which features deep-fried calamari, mussels, shrimp and fish, and is also served with the salsa criolla and fried yucca.

They do offer desserts, but I have never had the room to try any one of them, so I may have to report back on these at later date.

I have to say that owners Juan and Niel do an impeccable job of making sure their diners are happy. Their food and flavors are to be cherished. They stay true to their heritage and cooking style, and it is very refreshing to experience this heritage as a diner.

PLEASE NOTE: Mexicasa is no longer in business.

Expectations can be a horrible thing. When I go into a movie, I try and convince myself that it’s going to suck before it even starts. Why? Because when it’s just so-so, I’m not disappointed. And if it turns out to be good, well, I leave feeling like it was a special treat.

Unfortunately for Mexicasa, the opposite can also work. People like us who fondly remember Tom and Jerry’s (see our past review of T&J’s) might visit looking for a fine-dining twist on Mexican food, the way Iron Starr has worked on barbecue. After all, Tom and Jerry still have their name and brand firmly on this new place (just check out the website). But high expectations are bound to be crushed and Mexicasa ends up disappointing.

There were a couple of highlights, which ought to be mentioned before the mediocrity begins. They do a pretty good chips and salsa at Mexicasa. That may not sound like much, but compared to some other spots around town, it’s a nice surprise. The chips were freshly fried, crisp and light, but hearty enough to stand up to the salsa (if you want something with more kick, ask for the hotter salsa, which is tasty, fiery and offers a more interesting flavor).

Also surprising, a pretty nice queso, free of charge. This wasn’t the “cheese jelly” you often get — it was real melted cheese, with a mild flavor. Not as good as queso you pay for, but the best of the freebies, by far. In fact, if free queso is the primary requirement for your Mexican dining experience, you should run, not walk, to Mexicasa.

Another good thing mentioned by Tim and Sam was the ranchero beans, which can be substituted for the refried variety. According to them, they were above average and offered a great alternative to the normal sides.

But sadly, the rest of the meal was just … average. My shrimp fajitas ($13.99) were fine. The shrimp was cooked and came in a good portion. But I was hoping for a bit more, honestly. A little seasoning — just a touch — could have done wonders for the dish. Again, this is the problem with high expectations. Anywhere else I would have said, “Mmmm, shrimp fajitas.” At Mexicasa, I kept feeling like a little innovation would have put them over the top.

And it’s something that is apparent all over the menu. From the standard enchiladas, tamales and tacos, I kept wondering where the vision was. Certainly, if you’re opening a new Mexican restaurant in a region where Mexican restaurants are in abundance, you’re going to have a point of view or an opinion expressed through the food. Other than a couple of pork stew dishes (like the Carnitas de Puerco for $12.99), the “street tacos” ($11.99 dinner, $7.99 lunch) which Sarah had and found pretty tasty, and the aforementioned chip set-up, I didn’t see anything to distinguish Mexicasa from Chelinos or Nino’s or any of the other ok-but-not-great Okla-Mex restaurants out there.

Andrew’s chimichanga ($9.99 dinner, $7.99 lunch) was pretty soggy. Sam’s enchiladas ($8.99 dinner, $7.99 lunch) were decent (he recommends the shredded chicken over the shredded beef). Tim’s tamales ($10.99 dinner, $7.99 lunch) were pretty dry and lifeless. And to top it off, we had pretty poor service. We don’t give too much weight to service since it can vary greatly day to day, but it’s worth a mention this time as it was noticeably off.

If we’d had the same experience anyplace else, we’d have said, “Meh. It was fine, but nothing to write about.” The difference here, and the reason we’re writing, is that we hoped for so much more from Mexicasa. It has the pedigree to be better and we wish it were.

As it is, if you’re close by and looking for some decent Mexican food, Mexicasa is good. If you’re thinking about making a trek across town for a special visit, you would probably be better off visiting your own local good-but-not-great Mexican restaurant and saving the gas.

Of course, we always want to know what you think, whether you agree or disagree. So, please let us know in the comments.

Several years ago, some friends who live in Norman introduced me to a gem called Tarahumara’s Mexican Cafe. After one visit, it easily catapulted to a spot as one of my top five Tex-Mex eateries in the metro. With so many Tex-Mex places from which to choose, that’s no easy feat.

Tarahumara’s is located on Porter, just south of Norman Regional Hospital and a few miles north of the OU campus. Years ago it was a Mazzio’s, but the owners have totally redecorated it in sunny hues of yellow and orange. While the parking lot is almost always full and there is often a line, the wait (like most Tex Mex places) goes pretty fast. A covered patio and a small indoor waiting area exist for diners waiting for their pagers to buzz. Now that summer is here, they have the misters running to cool the patio area.

One thing that sets Tarahumara’s apart from other restaurants is the flat screen TVs. In addition to regular programming, some of the TVs feature views of the kitchen so that a diner can see food as it is being prepared. It’s nice to see such a clean kitchen where the staff is working quickly to prepare the meals. Another big surprise came on my last visit a few weeks ago. The menu at Tarahumara’s now features color photos of most if not all of the dishes. This new full color menu can also be viewed online.

Tarahumara’s brings the standard fresh tortillas, cheese sauce, chips and salsa as soon as diners are seated. They also offer carrot, jalapeno and onion relish upon request. There is some kind of herb or spice in the relish that I cannot pinpoint. All I know is that it gives a slight smoky flavor to the relish, setting it apart from other places. The flour tortillas are nice and fluffy while the corn tortillas are thin and tender — just the way I like each. The “house salsa” is your standard tomato blend with just enough kick. On my last visit, I requested their green salsa which is a creamy avocado dip with lots of spicy peppers blended into it. One more thing on the set up, the chips are thin and crispy, not oily or chewy at all.

They also have tasty selection of Mexican-style cervezas and margaritas for those who choose to partake. The beers come with lime in a chilled salt rimmed glass, which is perfect for the sweltering Oklahoma heat.

While Tarahumara’s has been a long time favorite, I went twice in the span of two weeks to write this review. On my first visit, I ordered the Guiso Mexicano ($11.85) which is a dish comprised of very tender beef tips in a sauce made from tomatoes, onions and bell peppers. It comes with rice, beans and guacamole. I particularly enjoyed the tenderness of the beef and the spiciness of the sauce. The next day I reheated my leftovers along with some of the tortillas and made my own burrito for lunch.

My friend Nancy had the Tacos al Borrego ($11.85 for 2, $13.75 for 3), which is comprised of Mexican-style tacos with soft corn tortillas rather than hard shells. These tacos come with rice, beans and avocado slices. While Nancy said she enjoyed her meal, she said “I did have a bit of gristle in the steak in my taco, but I would let that slide — they can’t always get all that cut out.”

On my next visit, my mother ordered the Camaron al Mojo de Ajo ($12.60 single or $18.35 for double shrimp or scallops) which is shrimp cooked in garlic butter. While the shrimp were good size, Mom commented they could have had a little more garlic and the sauce could have been better. In reviewing the menu, I see that this dish was supposed to come with Mexican corn. She didn’t receive corn with her meal, but with the ample rice, beans and avocados, it wasn’t missed.

In keeping with a promise I made to myself to order something different this time, I ordered the Bistec Ranchero ($12.75), listed on the menu as a new item. This thinly-sliced, marinated and grilled strip steak had a good flavor, but it was a little on the tough side. In the future, I think I will stick to thicker cuts of meat.

Of note for both of my recent meals — I love it that nearly every single entrée comes with either a side of guacamole or some sliced avocados. To me, that’s an added bonus. I also appreciate that they have an ample lunch menu with lots of great items at value prices, and a low-carb menu for those who are looking for something healthier.

Tarahumara’s stands out to me as a cut above the standard Tex-Mex fare. They offer some unique dishes in addition to the standards and most everything they do is done very well. If you live close by, it’s definitely worth your attention. Even if you live farther away, you might find, like me, that it’s worth a special trip now and then. So check it out, and tell us all about your impressions in the comments below.

I know I missed the Shady Restaurant of the Month for April.  To make up for it, I am going to make a strong recommendation for this month’s shady offering. I’m even making a bold proclamation that you won’t find better authentic tacos anywhere else in the city.  I have probably eaten at every authentic taqueria in town and there is none better than Los Comales.  It lies on South Agnew just south of the Stockyards.  They are cash only (note: they now accept visa and mastercard), but if you are in a pinch, you can go next door to a particularly shady gas station where there is an ATM and some slot machines.  Does anyone really know what goes on with these gas station slot machines that say “for entertainment purposes only?” There is no way these dudes are in here on Friday’s spending their paychecks unless there is a chance to win some malt liquor … but I digress.

Los Comales is a taqueria, in true form.  That means no chips and no insulting cheese jelly.  While I am on the subject of insulting cheese jelly, why do Okla-Mex restaurants all over town serve this mysterious, watered down, clearly-not-cheese-based, jelly-like substance?  I would prefer they just come out and say “we don’t serve cheese dip for free you cheap-skate, pay for some good stuff” rather than to serve up these ramekins of puke-orange-colored flavorless goo. Oh, look, I digress again. Ok, back to the restaurant.

Los Comales has tacos, burritos, gorditas, tortas, enchiladas, quesadillas, and a few other specials that sometimes change.  I made a claim that they have the best tacos in town, and I think I am mostly correct.  Max Burgerprobably has the best “al pastor” tacos, but Los Comales has the best asada and lengua, plus their breakfast tacos are out of this world.

That’s right, I said breakfast tacos.  You don’t know what you are missing until you try some chorizo, potato, and egg tacos from this place.  What’s even better is that they serve them all day.  The breakfast burritos are fantastic as well.  Seriously, how can you top fried potatoes, onions, cheese, chorizo, and egg wrapped up in a tortilla?  I’ll tell you how — by dousing it in their delicious red sauce.

Tacos here price out a bit higher ($1.50) than the taco stands that occupy shady corners all over town, but hey, they have to pay rent, you know.  Plus, you get air-conditioning, cool tile floors, and graffiti-covered bathrooms, all of which come in handy on hot summer days when you don’t feel like standing in the hot sun to get your lengua fix.

The quesadillas here may be my favorite in town as well.  It’s hard to beat tasty carne asada chopped up, smothered in cheese, and fried on a griddle in a fresh tortilla.  I know, quesadillas may not be what you think of when you think authentic Mexican food, but who cares, these are good.  The only quesadillas in town that can compare are from Max Burger, and also Chef Parrott’s at Iguana Mexican Grill.

The gorditas are my favorite in town as well.  Theirs are on the thin side versus the thick and crispy side — more like what you would see from a street vendor or Tacos Los Desvelados.  I really like this style, though.  There isn’t anything here that isn’t good.  Just pick your meat (carne asada, pollo, lengua, chile verde or rojo, carnitas, or machaca; your method of delivery (taco, torta, gordita, etc.); and your garnish (red sauce, green sauce, lime).  I had not heard of machaca before. I discovered it is actually a re-hydrated, shredded beef and it is very tasty.  Thanks to my Hispanic food expert and friend, Aswado, for educating me on this one.

Los Comales is worth the trip to Stockyard City for those wanting a good taqueria experience.  If you are tired of being insulted by other “Mexican” joints in town offering bland flavors and “cheese” jelly, this will be a breath of fresh air (assuming there isn’t a cattle auction going on down the road, in which case you shouldn’t breathe too deeply).

Andrew has long been imploring us to get out and experience the tasty offerings of the authentic taquerias found in Oklahoma City. Only problem is that most of his recommendations are found in South OKC and, at least for me, that’s a long way to travel for lunch, which is when I most often have opportunity to grab some food. So, I was excited to hear about Chalo’s Tacos, a true taqueria found on the very north edge of Bethany, and much more conveniently located for my lunching. I had to give it a try.

The truth is, I’ve been meaning to try Chalo’s for a long time. One of our loyal Twitter followers was the first to recommend it to me, and he’s been very persistent in pushing it for some time now. But as I drove by the location over and over, I never saw it. That’s because they only very recently put a sign up outside. So, now it’s pretty easy to spot, sitting in the same strip mall as, and just to the north of, Pizzini’z pizza.

Walk inside and you’ll find a fairly inviting dining room where you can seat yourself at any number of tables. The menu is handwritten on dry erase boards above the counter and it’s pretty simple. Beef, pork or tongue are the meat choices and they can be made up as tacos ($1.35), burritos ($3.75), or tortas ($4.75). They also have tamale ($1.35) when available and a few other specialties.

Please note: they don’t have chips, salsa, guacamole or the like. This is a taco stand in a building, not an Okla-mex restaurant. Go with proper expectations.

Beverage choices are interesting as well. They have an assortment of Mexican bottled soft drinks and beers. I tried to order some water when I was there and was served a bottle of Coke instead (language may be a barrier for those, like me, who don’t speak Spanish). I think they have bottled water but it is evidently hard to get. One important note — if you’d like a bottle of Coke, get the large. They charge the same price for the small or the large. Interesting.

I had tacos (beef and pork — no tongue, sorry Andrew), and a tamal (which was also pork). The tacos are true street taqueria style, small and served open face on two corn tortillas with the meat filling, cilantro, onions and nothing else. They provide you with two different sauces you can add. One is green and one is red. They were both good, but I preferred the green as it was a little spicier and livelier. They also provide you with a plate of limes and thick-cut radishes. I’d never seen the radish thing before, but they were very fresh and I liked them. I guess you can put them on your tacos. I just ate them.

The tamal was good as well. Nothing fancy but very tasty and fresh.

I don’t think that Chalo’s Tacos is the absolute best taqueria in town, but I do think its location makes it very unique. I’m not aware of another place like it on the north side. If you’re looking for that authentic style and south OKC is too far away, it’s a great option. It’s also nice sometimes to have a comfortable place to sit as opposed to visiting a taco truck like Taqueria Sanchez.

However, the downside to Chalo’s Tacos is the price. Keep in mind, these tacos are very small. I ate four of them and a tamal without stuffing myself. That, plus the Coke I didn’t really order, put my bill at $10 for lunch. Compare the $1.35 per taco cost to Max Burger where you can often get two for $1, or to Taqueria Sanchez where the cost is 99 cents.

However, if you’re not quite as voracious as me, you can probably get by for less than I did. Plus, the comfortable atmosphere and convenient location (for those on the north side) accounts for some of the cost.

If Chalo’s Tacos were just a taco truck, I’d say go to Taqueria Sanchez. If it were on the south side, I’d say you have lots of other options to try. But as it is, I say if you’re located in northwest Oklahoma City and looking for a true taqueria where you can sit down and eat with friends, give Chalo’s Tacos a try. And, as always, let us know what you think in the comments.

Southwest 29th has long been a shady destination of mine.  It all started just east of Portland with Sydney’s Restaurant, and then continued east to the corner of May with 50′s cafe and El Regio Loco (which has since been spotted all over town).  Venturing further east, I found Max Burger off Western.  There are countless contenders for the shady honor along this stretch of road, dotted between the used car lots promising easy financing and the pawn shops offering to buy your gold fillings.  I owe it to a friend of mine for introducing me to Taqueria Los Desvelados, the latest purveyor of shadiness.  He is actually the same guy who introduced me to Nic’s Grill, so he will be automatically inducted into the shady hall of fame once it is created.

Taqueria Los Desvelados is in a very convenient location.  It is next to a Volkswagen repair shop and across the street from a rug and carpet store.  Further down the road on each side are used car lots, used tire and wheel swaps, and pawn shops.  It’s the perfect location because you were probably already driving by looking for an easy, no-hassle financing option for a used El Camino, which always stirs up a mean appetite.  Tacos Los Desvelados (as they have etched into their long bench tables) is full of flavorful ethnic authenticity, and surrounded by ultimate Oklahoma City shadiness.  What a perfect combination.  For all you real adventurers, try visiting late on a Saturday night while celebrating an OU victory.  You will find them serving delicious food until 3am on the weekends.

The decor is what you would expect in an authentic Mexican restaurant.  Bright orange and purple colors, pictures of Mexico, and cool chairs.  They have these big, picnic-table-style benches that have etched graffiti all over them in the front room, and in the side room a couple tables with cool chairs that look like this.  Also in this room is a ridiculously huge Mexican headdress.  Think this but 10 times bigger.  It is very light, though, as one of the waitresses showing it to us was able to lift it with one hand.  They also have a candy dispenser with a Mexican version of an M&M character, and one of those crane machines that you pay 50 cents to try and fish out a 25 cent prize.  You know, typical shady restaurant stuff.

The menu offers standard taqueria fare — tacos, burritos, tostadas, quesadillas, flautas … etc., stuffed with your favorite meats.  They have asada (steak), lengua (tongue), pastor (a seasoned pork meatloaf of sorts), chicken, barbacoa (beef head), and of course, buche (stomach), tripas (intestines), and chorizo (sausage).  Like any respectable taqueria, the tacos are traditionally served on corn tortillas with onion and cilantro and rolled up individually with a little parchment paper.

The gorditas are much bigger and thicker than those at the other taquerias in town.  I’m not sure if I like that or not.  I kind of like the thin gorditas as they seem easier to eat.  These are thick-cut corn “shells” (for lack of a better term) and according to those familiar with San Antonio street food, just like the gorditas in San Antonio.  They are made to be able to hold their fillings like a little fried sandwich and are absolutely packed with meat, beans, and flavor.

The enchiladas and flautas are topped with shredded lettuce, slices of tomatoes, and parmesan cheese.  The enchiladas have a tasty red chili sauce of some sort, and the flautas have a green tomatillo sauce.  In my opinion, they could both use a little kick so I usually sprinkle on some of the salsa that they bring out in those cool little Mocajete bowls with the little feet.

But unlike your typical taqueria, this is a full service restaurant. There are several dinner plates (with rice and beans on the side) including my new favorite dish — tacos derados. These are fried tacos.  They are stuffed with your choice of a crumbly goat cheese, or mashed potatoes (you read that right).  Not since those brilliant carnies at the state fair introduced fried mashed potatoes on a stick have I been so excited about a dish.  Now, if only they could stuff a taco with macaroni and cheese and deep fry it.  I wonder if they would take suggestions?

I always make a big deal when a restaurant serves one of my favorite meats, and yes, you can get goat here.  They serve a goat soup.  No, I haven’t tried it, mainly because soup isn’t my favorite means of sustenance.  I will try it when it gets colder. I wish they would serve goat tacos.  Finding goat, or even lamb, in this town is not easy.  Heck, I can understand squirrel (by the way, I have honestly thought of opening a fried squirrel restaurant — you think fried onion burgers are all the rage, wait till metro OKC sees the squirrel fries sweeping through the city) but lamb and goat are a main meat group in nearly every heavily populated culture in the world.  For now, you will have to settle for small morsels found in soups, stews and masalas in the ethnic eateries dotted across our metro.

One other thing — there is a pretty steep language barrier here, but that doesn’t stop them from being highly accommodating.  First off, we got an awesome tour of the restaurant and didn’t really even ask.  We got samples and descriptions of several items.  Also, my Bangali friend who was a little disturbed at not being served chips with our meal once brought this up to the waitress.  She asked, “Chips?  Like nacho or like tortilla?”  He said, “like tortilla.”  Next thing you know, she brings us out a basket of freshly cut pieces of corn tortilla that they fried up for us on the spot. Amazing!

Beverages range from the Mexican bottled coke (which tastes WAY better than American coke.  I think it’s sugar cane like the Dublin Dr. Pepper), cans of other beverages and cervezas, and flavored waters.  I find it interesting that these Mexican restaurants call what we call fruit juice “flavored water.”  Anyway, they have cantaloupe, a purple one that no one has been able to translate, and horchata.  If the assortment of beverages isn’t enough to provide relief to your taste buds still smarting from that pickled jalapeno, go next door to their paleteria (popsicle shop).  Our hostess gave us a tour of the place and a lot of samples from the paleteria.  She gave us a cup of what she called “crazy water.”  It was cucumber water and was surprisingly good, and very refreshing.  She also had celery water which I will never try because I hate celery, and a variety of other fruit waters.  These really are flavored waters.  They are not sweet like a juice.  The paletas were available in walnut, rice, mango, chocolate … etc.

Taqueria Los Desvelados is not the shadiest place I have ever reviewed.  Sure, from the outside it stirs up fear and uneasiness with the best of them, but inside you feel pretty comfortable except for a more difficult language barrier than many other Mexican restaurants in town.  As with all shady restaurants, I recommend to our shady novices to stick with daylight hours, but for the more experienced shady adventurists, Taqueria Los Desvelados lets you adventure late into the night.  After all, desvelados translates as “kept awake.”  So if you are “kept awake,” make sure you are not “kept hungry” and go have a late night burrito.  I can’t wait to hear what you think in the comments.

For my parents, finding a good Mexican restaurant took them years. When I was a kid, we went to Pepe’s — not the finest food around — and El Chico. They tried Dos Gabachos. They tried Casa Perico. They were not satisfied.

But when I came home from college, they said they wanted to go to Alvarado’s. And when we got there, Carlos, the owner, knew them. So did the waitstaff. That’s because my parents eat there constantly — and I know why.

There are a few “experience” Mexican restaurants out there — the kinds of places where the food is only one component of visiting the restaurant. Alvarado’s, like most Mexican restaurants, is not the place to have an experience. The food has to be good or the customers will go down the road to the hundreds of other options available.

The truth is, most Mexican joints make me yawn. The food is bland and any indecision I face with the menu is just me trying to decide which dish will underwhelm me today. Not so at Alvarado’s, where I have genuine anxiety trying to choose what to eat because there are so many good choices.

I’m not going to say Alvarado’s is authentic. These dishes aren’t designed to give us a taste of life in Mexico — they’re just delicious. So I don’t know if you can find Guiso Mexicano ($8.69) south of the border, but I love it in Edmond. The dish is sirloin tips, simmered to tenderness in a tomatillo sauce with guacamole and the requisite rice and beans on the side. Many are the times I’ve used the complimentary tortillas to make a few spicy tacos out of this meal.

The Tacos Carne Asada ($9.99) are a treat, too, with crispy diced fajita meat in corn tortillas and frijoles rancheros on the side.

Both my mother and my wife prefer the Tortilla Soup, which you can get in a cup ($1.99 w/entree) or bowl ($5.99), depending on your appetite. This creamy soup is packed full of shredded chicken and crunchy tortilla strips. I could stand if it was a little spicier, but it’s a crowd-pleaser nonetheless.

On my last trip, I was excited to see that the Fish Tacos ($9.99) contained grilled tilapia instead of the usual fried fishsticks some other restaurants insist on using. The fish was flavorful, but not hot. Next time I’ll ask if they can dice a few jalapenos and mix them in with the flaked fish for me.

For dessert, my family is now devoted to the sopapilla with brandy butter sauce ($1.19). I can’t imagine going back to the dry, flavorless sopapillas I’ve had elsewhere after this rich dish. Split it with someone, because it might be too much for one.

There are many more dishes I’ve enjoyed at Alvarado’s — just about everything on the menu — so I’ll stop here. While the food is good, I will admit the prices tend to be a little higher than some competitors. And if the selection weren’t so great and the dishes so consistently delicious, I could see going someplace else. As it is, though, there aren’t many places in Edmond that can give your taste buds the same treatment as Alvarado’s. Give it a try and let us know what you think in the comments.

Every so often, all of our regular writers try to get together to experience a new Oklahoma City restaurant. I say that we “try” because so far, we haven’t quite made it. We were just about to accomplish this feat at the new Iguana Mexican Grill downtown, but Andrew got called away by work at the last minute. Nevertheless, Greg, Sarah and myself were able to get together for lunch at the Iguana. What follows reflects contributions from all three of us.

Perhaps you remember the Iguana from its old location on Western Avenue. I remember eating there several times and noting its uniqueness. Now it’s back and continuing to provide an interesting alternative to Oklahoma City’s standard Mexican food places.

We really appreciate its downtown location. The owners have not only opened a restaurant, they have refurbished a historical building just east of Broadway. One thing is for sure, you have to know the place is there because you’d never have any other reason to turn east on 9th. But once you find it, you’ll be delighted with this “old turned new” achievement complete with beautiful landscaping and free parking (a treat in downtown).

The interior decor is modern — an unfinished feel with giant, bright-colored paintings and glass light fixtures adorning the brick walls. The tables are made locally and, like the plates, sport a rough-hewn, slightly off-balance look. In other words, they have perfectly captured a look that isn’t meant to look perfect.

Now to the food. The starter is chips and salsa, as it should be at any Mexican restaurant, but here are thick, fresh-fried tortilla pieces and five unique salsa options. The house salsa comes for free, but you can try additional salsas for $2 each, or get all four premium varieties for $7. We got all four so we could give you the full report.

Surprisingly, we all agreed that the free, house salsa was just about the best one. It is a fresh and chunky salsa, almost like a pico de gallo, where the flavors of the vegetables stand out independently. Its only downside was being too mild. We felt that if they could add a few more minced shavings of jalapeno to warm things up, it would be just perfect.

The premium salsas were definitely unique. There was a tomatillo (verde) salsa which I liked pretty well but Greg found too sweet and lacking in kick. The smoked tomato salsa, served warm, also let us down. However, the “coral snake,” a sweet peach salsa with a definite kick at the end, was very unique and enjoyable. Then there was the favorite of the premiums — the citrus-habanero — spicy, flavorful, but not so hot that you can’t taste anything.

None of us were very impressed with the guacomole ($2 for a single serving, $4.50 for more). It was okay, but nothing to turn flips down the hallway over. We all agreed we’d had better elsewhere.

I was impressed that the menu offered some very affordable options. It’s a pretty good deal when you can get interesting, creative food in a fabulous location for about the same cost as standard Okla-mex fare. The lunch specials were all around the $7 range, which is at least what you would expect to pay at a Ted’s or Casa Perico. Even at dinner, you can get a meal for $9-$12 or so. Very reasonable for what you get.

Greg was very satisfied with his chicken torta lunch special ($6.50) and offered the following insights:

“Iguana must wood-grill their meat because this was flavorful, moist chicken. The torta bread was nice and chewy, but not too tough. The rice was so-so. Red rice is just your standard Mexican rice, though not as flavorful as some I’ve had, while the green rice was an even milder taste. Instead, spend $1 more and change your side to the sopa de maiz — a roasted corn soup with coconut milk, green curry, roasted poblano peppers and a shitake mushroom dumpling in the middle. Very tasty. If you choose to get it on its own, it’s $4 for a cup and $6 for a bowl.”

Sarah ordered the shrimp and vegetable skewer lunch ($7.50) and here’s what she had to say:

“It was pretty good, but the vegetables and plate were shiny with some type of oil. Wish I had known to order it without oil. That would have made it a pretty healthy dish. Also, the temperature of the food was not hot. Oh, and if anyone out there has tips on how to gracefully remove shrimp from wooden skewers, please let me know.”

I chose the fish taco lunch ($7). It was very good, even better than what I’ve previously reviewed at Chica’s. The fish had no hint of fishiness. I had the black beans and fresh fruit for sides. I was pleasantly surprised to find another Mexican place offering fresh fruit with their meals. My one recommendation would be to split this into two tacos. They served it as a single taco stuffed so full of filling that it was impossible to eat. They could easily add another corn tortilla and serve the same amount of filling as two tacos. It would be much more manageable and seem like an even better deal.

As I mentioned before, I feel that the pricing at Iguana is actually very good. It’s one of the reasons I am comfortable recommending it. They do offer some higher-end options, like their family-style group dining with charges of $12.50, $15, or $25 per person. These options provide a multi-course meal with some great variety, but personally, I don’t see the value there. I’d stick with the dinners or lunch specials.

Oh, one more thing — we did try out the key lime pie ($4.50). It was a hit. As Sarah said, “it was the only thing that was to die for.” This is key lime done right — a creamy filling with real, tart, lime flavor on top of a crumbly crust, served in a raspberry sauce. Very good eats, though Greg and Tim felt that the raspberry sauce was unnecessary. Sarah just felt that it was yummy.

Though we’re not saying the food is out of this world, we believe the Iguana is definitely worth a try. If nothing else, it’s a unique Oklahoma City eatery that highlights the potential of our downtown area and offers an alternative to the same old Mexican food we’ve all had over and over. Given the fact that pricing is quite reasonable, I highly recommend you check it out soon.

Tell us what you think in the comments.

To the drive-by reader, the title “Shady Restaurant of the Month” may appear insulting, but shady-lovers everywhere know the truth. It is a distinguished honor and a true privilege to earn this title. To receive the “Shady Restaurant of the Month” award, an establishment must not only provide tasty fare, but also it must be bold, daring, adventuresome, and willing to flex its culinary muscles in a less than desirable location, under less than desirable conditions. Plus, it must remain steadfast in its calling as the higher-end restaurant snobs turn their nose up and speed by on their way to whatever “safe” food they can find served in a polished interior. Anyway, today we bestow this high honor on Taqueria Sanchez.

Taqueria Sanchez is located 5000-ish NW 23rd in Oklahoma City. I say “ish” because they move around a bit. On the weekends, they are usually in the parking lot of the auto repair shop on the corner, but during the week, they seem to move to whatever parking lot lets them sit there the longest. Speaking of mobile taco stands, I read that Los Angeles is about to pass a law keeping these mobile trucks of goodness from sitting in one spot for more than an hour at a time. This will ruin their businesses. Apparently, local brick and mortar restaurants put pressure on governments to pass such laws because these mobile delights, with no rent and little overhead, have an advantage over the traditional sit down establishment. Let’s hope that the entrepreneurial masa artists in Oklahoma City are not similarly restricted.

I usually eat at taco stands a couple of times each week. They are cheap, convenient, and they offer a level of taco, burrito, and gordita goodness that most restaurants in town only dream of. I like Taqueria Sanchez in particular because they have a really flavorful chicken taco. The al pastor isn’t bad either, but it’s nothing like Max Burger. You can also get carne asada, lengua, barbacoa (occasionally), and you get to choose whether you want them in the form of tacos, burritos, mulitas (best described as corn tortilla quesadillas), quesadillas, or tortas (Mexican sandwiches).

The prices are great. You can have tacos for $1, burritos for $4, or mulitas for $2. Whatever you choose, it’s a great value, but you really get the best bang for your buck with the burrito. It’s $4, but keep in mind this includes tax, and it is big enough to be a meal in itself. Stuffed with rice, beans, meat, cilantro, and hot sauce, you won’t need more than one.

I also encourage you to move beyond chicken or beef. Try the lengua. Sure, it’s tongue, but you can’t say you don’t like it until you try it. It has a real beefy flavor, like roast beef. It’s very tender. Plus, it’s fun to see little taste buds on the chunks of meat. A friend of mine refuses to eat it saying he won’t eat food that can taste him. He’s a wimp. Also, the tripas (Mexican chitterlings) aren’t bad, although I prefer them in soupy dishes rather than tacos.

If you need an icy-cold beverage and can’t wait to get a can of Dr. Pepper when you get back home, try the flavor of Jarritos. It’s the first national soft drink brand of Mexico. It features lots of fruity flavors if that’s your cup of tea. I’d stick with Dr. Pepper, but Sanchez doesn’t sell it.

In a way, the goal of this review is to encourage you to eat at any taco stand you can find. There are hundreds throughout the Oklahoma City metro, each with a unique flavor and offering. Plus, their shadiness cannot be questioned. Sure, there have been accusations of these stands having sub-par health ratings, as was reported in Nashville, but I don’t believe it. I think these stands offer great food at great prices. If you turn your noses up at them, you are passing up the opportunity to introduce your palate to so many fresh and unique flavors.

Oklahoma City, it’s time to celebrate the shadiness of ordering food while standing on a street corner. Give it a try, and let us know what you think in the comments.

For some reason, I have yet to write about Cafe Do Brasil, which is odd because it is one of my favorites. I know that many of you love this place as well, because I have received a lot of recommendations for it from you guys. So, today we will make this right and take a look at what I consider to be a must-try in midtown, Cafe Do Brasil.

This place is no stranger to those tied into the OKC restaurant scene. It has been written up in most of our major local publications, so I’m guessing that most of you are already aware of it. If you have been here before, please leave your thoughts in the comments below. If you haven’t, I highly recommend you give it a try as it is one of the most affordable and unique places that OKC has to offer.

The location is fantastic. It’s right at the heart of the midtown renaissance and right across the street from the revitalized Plaza Court building. The white, spanish-style building (formerly a funeral home) is very close to my home. I only wish I worked closer to midtown so I could more often take advantage of their fantastic lunch specials.

The interior decor perplexes me a bit. On one hand, the dark-wood tables and chairs give it a sophisticated feel, yet the bright (and I do mean bright) yellow and green color scheme on the walls is quite a contrast. So, you have this sort of tension going on in the interior, but that’s ok.

The interior is spacious. It’s pretty much just one big room, two-stories high (remember it’s in a funeral home’s chapel) and it can be pretty noisy when the lunch crowd is at its peak and the cacophony of voices is bouncing around all of the hard surfaces. On the weekends, they offer a brunch which is really fantastic. They even feature live, one-man-band jazz music during this time which adds to the atmosphere. I can say that every time I’ve been, the vibe is really lively. I have never been for dinner, however, so I can’t speak to that, but I believe they have a pretty nice evening scene complete with their upstairs rooftop bar.

Speaking of the brunch, I really enjoyed it. It features lots of options including spanish-influenced dishes like migallas, brazilian scramble, vegetarian scramble, and ovos rancheros, as well as more international offerings like eggs benedict and a tropical delight of fresh fruit over french toast. Plus, they have a “bionic drink” which is a non-alcoholic fruit and vitamin-boosted smoothie. Everything is fresh and the building just lights up with the morning sun pouring in through the large east-side windows.

Lunch is my favorite. They post three lunch specials on a blackboard out front. Each one includes iced tea (fruity or regular) for about $6.50. This is a great deal, in my opinion. My favorite lunch special is the Prato Sao Paulo. It has been the #2 special every time I have been there so I think it’s pretty much a standard. It features strips of chicken atop of plate of rice, beans, diced onions, and tomatoes served with a tasty and spicy green salsa you can pour over top. I love the simplicity of this dish. It comes out beautifully presented every time. I also love that it’s extremely healthy, a perfect portion, and very tasty.

They offer several other Brazilian specialties. Sometimes these are served as a lunch special and other times they are not, but you can always order them off the menu. They include a Feijoada plate (which they say is the Brazilian national dish) and Xin-Xin, a very interesting shrimp dish including palm oil, coconut milk, peanut paste, cashews and dry shrimp. I tried Xin-Xin once and really enjoyed it. Problem is, I like the Sao Paulo better so I keep going back to it every time. They also offer a selection of sandwiches, salads, quiches, brasilian pies, and some vegetarian specialties like Prato De Minas which is sort of like my favorite chicken dish but minus the chicken and with some other vegetables added.

They even offer a kids’ menu featuring several selections for brunch, lunch and dinner for kids under 12. This is a welcome treat. The atmosphere is good for kids, too, given its lively nature so you don’t feel out of place when the little ones are making a bit of noise.

Cafe Do Brasil has several bakery items that they sell at their up-front counter, or you can order them to your table. I’ve tried the cheese biscuit on the recommendation of a friend. I thought it was ok, but not really worth the cost (it was close to $2, if I remember right). That’s the only baked good I have tried, but many have told me they have some other great offerings. If you’ve tried something, please share your impressions in the comments.

The bottom line is that Cafe do Brasil is a must-try. I have no reservations about recommending it. I know that not everyone will like it as much as I do, but its uniqueness as a thriving South American restaurant in our city and its location in the rapidly-developing midtown area at least warrant a visit. I also think it’s a great place to bring out-of-town guests to or to recommend to out-of-towners when they visit the city. I would throw it in there with Pho Hoa as a place that really showcases our city’s cultural diversity and effectively represents our potential.

Please give it a try and let me know what you think in the comments.

I don’t think I’ve ever been to a Mexican restaurant that offers fresh fruit as an alternative to rice and beans. I have to say, I like it. When I saw it on the menu, I knew that Chica’s was unique.

This small restaurant in Nichols Hills Plaza is pretty far off the beaten path. It’s about as far from the main road (Western Ave) as you can get in this little outdoor strip mall. The location was formerly occupied by a sandwich shop called Scotty’s (which, by the way, I loved). Once it changed to Chica’s, I took notice, but never went, until recently.

Cinco de Mayo came along and I naturally wanted to try some Mexican food. One of our readers had recently written to me about Chica’s and I thought, “hey, let’s give it a try.” This reader’s opinion was that Chica’s has done for Mexican food what Iron Starr did for BBQ. I can see that. I might also compare it to Saturn Grill (which, incidentally, is located at the other end of the same shopping center). It’s got that sort of trendy, shabby chic approach that attracts the local urbanites. Chica’s is definitely not trying to be the most “authentic” of Mexican places. Rather, it attempts to bring a creative and eclectic spin on Mexican food in a hip environment.

I chose the “ocean tacos.” My waitress told me they were by far the most popular dish. I chose grilled over fried (it’s great to have a choice as most fish tacos I’ve found around here are fried only). The tacos come with tilapia, a homemade slaw and an avocado green sauce, all wrapped in two soft corn tortillas. They came out piled high. Plenty of food, but light and fresh all the same. The tilapia didn’t have any “fishy” smell to it, which I appreciated. The slaw was fresh and had a great texture. The avocado sauce was smooth and creamy. All in all, they were good, I just wish that they had a bit more zip to them. I would have liked for some spice or flavor to really reach and out grab me. Instead, the flavors were a bit understated. Maybe they were trying not to overpower the fish. I don’t know, but they did leave me hanging a little bit. Still, I ate every last bite on my plate.

You get to choose two side dishes with most of the house specialties and, as I mentioned above, they have some unique options. They have regular or refried black beans, borracho beans, Mexican potatoes, cole slaw and fresh fruit. I chose regular black beans and fresh fruit. The beans were ok, nothing really special, but the fruit was fabulous. A large ramican overflowing with fresh pineapple, canteloupe and grapes. I think fruit and Mexican food really go well together. I wish more places would offer this option.

The rest of the menu at Chica’s looks fairly intriguing as well. Keep in mind, I didn’t try any of these other things, but I’ll give you an idea of what’s available. It’s mostly standard Mexican dishes, but they each seem to have a little something unique. They have breakfast offerings that are served all day including migas, huevos ranchero, and even a fruit plate with honey yogurt. Their house specialties include other interesting options like Chica’s Chicken (fajita chicken sauteed with onions, tomatoes, mushrooms, roasted poblanos and jack cheese), and shrimp and poblano enchiladas. They have a few different salads and their own tortilla soup. For dessert, you can choose from tres leches or key lime pie.

Chica’s does serve chips with salsa and cheese sauce to every table. I liked the salsa. It wasn’t my absolute favorite, but I thought it had a good amount of heat without being overpowering. The cheese sauce is better than average, smooth and creamy with a deep flavor instead of watered-down and tasteless (Andrew would approve, I think).

Most meals are in the $8 – $12 range, making it perhaps slightly more expensive than your standard Okla-mex fare. But I don’t know, last time I went to Ted’s I noticed their lunch specials were at $8.95! Casa Perico also charges $7-10 for a lunch item now. I think Chica’s is priced pretty much in line with the major Okla-mex places and, given the quality and uniqueness of their offerings, I think it is worth a try.

Oh, one more thing. Even on a very busy day like Cinco de Mayo, the service was extremely fast. I was quite impressed with the attentiveness of the staff. So, Chica’s has a lot to offer, I think. Let me know what you think about it in the comments.

Not long after I posted the first shady restaurant review, it was recommended that Mi Familia, on the Bethany / Oklahoma City line at 16th and Rockwell, be considered for review and nomination. However, I couldn’t post it as a shady restaurant because, for one, I don’t think it is shady. It definitely had its shady characteristics, but I just don’t think it has the whole package. I think we have to be careful not to brand a restaurant as “shady” simply because of cultural differences, but only for reasons listed in the original criteria set for this prestigious award. In my opinion, Bethany just doesn’t have a lot of shady areas. Maybe I’m in denial. I’ll let the readers weigh in on the subject, but there are several things that make Mi Familia a great, and safe, place to dine.

Mi Familia is a Guatemalan-influenced restaurant with several Mexican staples as well. The outside of the restaurant is hard to miss. It is a bright sky-blue with a mural painted on it. Each window has written advertisement of the food inside as well, as many Latin restaurants do. Also, they advertise Vigo wire transfers for those wanting to send hard earned cash back to the homeland. There is a saying that if you want authentic latin food, look for the Vigo or Western Union sign out front.

The restaurant’s interior has been made over recently. When you first walk in you see a few tables in a room that opens up to the kitchen, and then there is a separate dining area around the side of the restaurant. They used to have a wall blocking the kitchen which made the place seem rather small, and they would always seat the Hispanic customers in the front space, and the non-Hispanics around on the side. Now that it is opened up it feels more inviting and less awkward. The walls are bright orange and purple and decorated with chilies, garlic, and onions.

The food here is interesting. There are several things I like, and several things I don’t like. I would call it inconsistent. I like their tamales. Tamales are served in a whole banana leaf South American-style which means they have a very creamy consistency, much like the tamales you find at El Salvador Restaurante Y Pupuseria. You will also find a chicken chunk, piece of potato, and other tidbits hidden in there for a surprise. I think the El Salvador tamales are a little better, but these are bigger and could be a complete meal by themselves. I usually get the Mama Elsa’s Plate which includes a tamal, pipian (a South American stewed meat product and sauce), plus rice and beans. The pipian has been beef at times and chicken at times. I much prefer the beef over the chicken. I feel like they often use inedible pieces of chicken making me think that they are just using left over parts that can’t be used in other dishes.

Their Chile Rellenos are different than most others I have had. They are full of ground beef and loads of cumin. They have a good flavor, but I prefer my chile’s with more cheese. They also serve pupusas here. They are good, but not as good as El Salvador’s.

(Side note: I actually had the best pupusas and tamales of my life at the shadiest “restaurant” in town the other day. I can’t list the place because I don’t want it to get shut down. It is actually run out of a lady’s apartment off I-240, surrounded by barbed wire, and you must speak Spanish and have an insider to get there. AMAZING food. I highly doubt it is governed by any food laws therefore its legality is in question, but she had two tables and a menu on the wall. The absolute best pupusas I’ve had, and she makes her own Horchata — El Salvador’s take on the popular Mexican rice based drink — that is out of this world).

Anyway … Mi Familia serves chips, salsa, and watered-down cheese sauce before your meal like every other place in town. I differ from Tim in my analysis of the cheese sauce at restaurants. I think this watered-down “cheese” is insulting at most places. I would rather pay for something good than be given a ramekin of something that is slimy, watery, and unflavorful. I know my opinion differs from most of Oklahoma City. Please don’t hate me.

The one thing I say stay away from is the enchiladas. I have had them, my wife has had them, my kids have had them, and each time they have been less than satisfactory. I think it is a cultural difference. They have a flavor that is unlike any enchilada I have ever had, and I don’t like it.

You can also get mole here. Not the fuzzy little blind mammal with the star-shaped nose (not that I wouldn’t eat that given the right circumstances), but the bitter and rich chocolate-based sauce. You don’t see that served many places in town.

So, Mi Familia gives you the opportunity to try something different in the Bethany area. Are there better restaurants out there? Sure. However, if you are like me, you get tired of the same places over and over again, and this place definitely provides a different take on Central American food that is worth noting.

Ladies, Gentlemen, and Shady Restaurant lovers everywhere, I’m extremely pleased to present you the latest Shady Restaurant of the Month … MAX BURGER!! That’s right, the epicurean purveyors of one of my favorite places in town, Max Pollo, decided the world, or at least south Oklahoma City, needed another Max restaurant.

Shady restaurant adventurers will be glad to know that Max Burger is in a particularly shady location just North of SW 29th on Western Ave. Across the street is one of those “we finance anyone” used car lots (I’m pretty sure the Fair Credit Act is ignored in places like that) and just down the road from one of those used wheel stores. You should definitely read my disclaimer from the inaugural shady review, which will be particularly important for your excursion to Max Burger.

I have known for several months that Max Burger was opening and I have been driving by often, just waiting for it to finally “go live.” Our first time to catch it was a real treat. They have taken over a building that was probably an old bar of some sort. It’s not a real big joint, but big enough to seat 30 people or so. The building is bright blue and orange. The sign features the Max Pollo chicken holding a burger high for all to see. It’s not quite as disturbing as the same chicken waving a chicken leg around at Max Pollo (that one reminds me of that classic Saturday Night Live commercial, “Clucky Chicken“). As we walked up to the front door, we found a flyer posted advertising a booty-shaking contest down the road. Our excitement soon turned to disappointment, however, when we saw it was last week. Oh well, maybe next year.

Inside Max Burger, we were instantly hit with the smell of hamburgesa de carbones (grilled burgers). What a great smell! The color mosaic was kicked up another notch on the interior with bright orange, purple, and blue plastered everywhere. The bathroom was an interesting experience as well. First, there is graffiti everywhere. I’m assuming it’s left over from the last owners. Second, you get your soap out of a ketchup squirt bottle. Awesome! At first, we were the only ones enjoying a Spanish version of Judge Judy on the flat panel displays, but soon a few tables of local blue collar workers, who also enjoyed a satisfying Hispanic take on the American classic, filed in.

At Max Burger, you order at the counter and then sit down while your food is prepared. The menu consists of the Max Burger, the Max Max Burger (double the meat), max papas (french fries with various toppings), plus several types of tacos, quesadillas, tostadas, taquitos, and more!

Let me begin by describing the Max Burger. It’s a grilled all-beef patty on a toasted bun, and between each patty a thin slice of grilled ham, yellow cheese, and white cheese. It’s topped with mustard, shredded lettuce, tomato, and a smear of what appeared to be mashed avocado. It’s a sloppy masterpiece with a really unique flavor. I just got regular papas, which were pretty boring crinkle cut fries. I should have gotten the Max Papas where they cover the fries with everything in the kitchen including jalapenos, cheese, sour cream … etc. The Max Papas look like a meal unto themselves. I didn’t get them because I just wanted to keep from spending over $10.

The tacos al pastor (pork-ish taco) were on special. They are served on a couple warm corn tortillas with onions and cilantro. Nice, simple, tasty, and only $1 … the way tacos should be.

Also, they brought out three squirt bottles of sauce with our meal. The first was a green tomatillo-looking sauce that had a hint of avocado taste in it and just a little bit of heat. The second was an orange-colored sauce with a little more heat that tasted kind of like a thousand island hot sauce. I know, bad description, but it was the favorite of our table. Finally, there was a dark red sauce full of visible chili pepper seeds. It was quite warm.

You know what I just realized weren’t on these burgers? Onions. Weird. You would expect onions on a Hispanic burger. I didn’t miss them, though. Maybe Max realized that every burger place in town does an onion-fried burger and he just wanted to stand out.

Great food here. It really is a unique burger unlike any other burger in Oklahoma City (to my knowledge). The ham adds a nice smoky flavor, and the white cheese (I’m not sure what it is — maybe Queso Blanco or Quesadilla, or just a simple Mexican farmer’s cheese) was a real compliment to the grilled flavor of the burger. I also really liked the avocado on the burger. Good idea, Max Burger! In fact, Max Burger is full of great ideas. I really want to try the taquitos and a few types of tacos, but not sure if I’ll ever get past the burger. If I could offer them any tips it would be to invest time into developing a hand-cut french fry, but until then I’ll just squirt that orange-colored hot sauce all over them and eat them anyway.

Max Burger really does sit at a less than desirable location. You probably want to stick to keeping this a lunch spot. But hey, that just adds to the fun right? It’s what shady restaurant dining is all about.

I’m not sure what Max has in store for us next. Maybe Max Pizza? Or perhaps Max steakhouse? I don’t know, but I would wager that whatever it is, I’ll be writing about it when it comes along.

PLEASE NOTE: Taqueria Los Carbones is no longer in business.

As you all know, I get excited about new and potentially unique restaurants opening in the Oklahoma City area. So, over the past few weeks, I’ve been watching them build out a new Mexican place where Zorba’s used to be, in the little building near 46th and May. The sign out front said “Taqueria Los Carbones — Traditional Mexican Grill” which got me pretty excited thinking that we don’t really have a lot of taquerias in this town. My mind started racing with visions of a menu full of unique taco combinations, tasty, interesting salsas, and unique flavors. But alas, when I got to try the place, I found nothing more than another Okla-mex restaurant, and a sub-standard, fairly bland one at that.

I sat down and scooped up the menu, my eyes eagerly searching it for the tacos that would set this place apart from the crowd. Unfortunately, all I saw was dish after dish of standard Okla-mex fare: enchilada plate, burrito plate, fajita plate, rice and beans with everything … etc. Oh wait, over in the lower left-hand corner, almost hidden by the loads of text crowding the menu was a listing of the taco choices. To be fair, they did actually have a few unique taco options, but why were they hidden on the menu as if they didn’t matter? There were a couple types of pork, one brisket, and even a cow tongue taco. “Ok, now we’re talking,” I thought to myself, “this is what will make this place great.”

So, after I figured out how to order the tacos (you have to use inductive reasoning to figure out that you order the “taco plate” from the right side of the menu and pick your two taco selections from the left side), I asked for the taco plate with one pork taco and one brisket taco. Of course, they came with beans and rice, so I asked if there were options and the waiter said they had black beans, so I thought I’d give them a try (I’m not much of a refried bean fan so multiple bean options are always good).

While we waited, we got to try the chips and salsa. There’s no cheese sauce. Now, I don’t mind that so much but if you’re going to compete as an Okla-mex place, I think you pretty much have to have cheese sauce. You wouldn’t have to have cheese sauce if something else set you apart, but unfortunately for Los Carbones, nothing does. They did have two types of salsa, a red and a green. Both were pretty bland. No kick. No spice. No real heat. No real flavor. Too bad.

Now, onto the main course. The two tacos were served in taqueria-style with two, soft corn tortillas and just the meat filling — no other fillers like lettuce … etc. I actually like this style and it is unique. The two meats I tried were good, but they were a little bland, and adding the equally bland green salsa didn’t really help much. The black beans, however, were horrible. I’ve really never had black beans that were horrible. It seems like a hard thing to mess up, but there they were. The rice was also very dry and tasteless.

So, all in all, you can tell that I was pretty underwhelmed with this place. I’ll admit part of my problem to be the fact that I was expecting something different given the name. But in truth, I really think this place really could be unique. Here’s my recommendation.

They need to play up the taqueria part. Maybe they could offer a few more taco selections and feature them on the menu, and lower the price. The tacos are $2.50 each and, for what they are, they are not worth it. The taco platter was $6.50, also overpriced in my opinion given the quality. In comparison, I went to Taqueria Del Sol in Atlanta, which was featured by Bon Appetite Magazine as one of the best taco places in the nation, and their tacos are only $2.19 each. So, I’m thinking our friends at Taqueria Los Carbones ought to lower the price a bit and try to get more people to drop in for a taco or two. They should pick a few additional items and spice them up. Heat up the salsas. Add some flavor to the beans and rice. Maybe even make some fresh guacamole. If they could feature the tacos and then just support them with a few tasty extras, the place could be great.

Has anyone had a great taqueria experience in Oklahoma City? Please share it in the comments below.

Confession time. I am a huge fan of Chipotle Mexican Grill and finally, yes finally, we shall have one in the Oklahoma City metro (the Edmond location opens on January 18, 2008).

UPDATE: the Oklahoma City NW Highway location opens on January 28, 2009 making two locations in the metro.

Now, I know Chipotle is a chain and this site is about local Oklahoma City restaurants, but I make a very emphatic exception to my “no chain” rule when it comes to Chipotle, and for some very good reasons.

Passion. Even though Chipotle Mexican Grill is a corporation, they manage to keep passion alive all the way down to their local stores. If you study them and the emphasis they put on employee satisfaction, you will see that they do about as good a job as can be done at maintaining passion in spite of rapid expansion.

Simplicity. They only do a few things, and they do them extremely well.

Style. Chipotle puts a lot of thought into their design, which is a fusion of ancient and modern utilizing stainless steel mixed with earthy tones and modern sculptures of quasi-Incan figures.

Taste. Everything they craft is fresh and flavorful. They go out of their way to utilize ingredients like farm-raised pork and organic vegetables. They whip up loads of fresh guacamole each day. Every item on the line has a bold flavor so when you combine them, the results are always spectacular.

At the very least, Oklahoma City’s first Chipotle is worth a try. At most, you’ll end up like many others who visit at least once a week because it’s affordable, quality fast food that you just can’t find many other places.

The only complaint I have ever heard from people about Chipotle is that “it’s confusing.” I can understand this because most other restaurants spell out what you are going to get so visiting a place like Chipotle, which gives you so many options, can be overwhelming. So, to alleviate that concern, I’m going to give Oklahoma City my overview of Chipotle’s menu and my guide to landing that perfect meal.

Oklahoma City’s guide to Chipotle

1. Enter the restaurant and take your place in line.
2. Look up and you’ll see the menu.
3. Choose a “vehicle”
   1. Burrito: a very large tortilla stuffed with your choice of meat, rice, beans and whatever else you want. Don’t get this. It’s too big and heavy with all of the rice and stuff. I will say that I’ve known people who do get the burrito to order half rice and half beans and that seems to make it better.
   2. Fajita Burrito: like a burrito, but with onions and peppers. Don’t get this.
   3. Burrito Bowl: all the stuff of a burrito without the tortilla. Don’t get this.
   4. Salad: like a salad. Don’t get this.
   5. Tacos: This is the one you want! But there’s a choice of soft or crispy. You don’t want crispy (the fillings don’t fit well in there). You want to get soft tacos. You get three of them in an order.
4. Choose a meat (or go vegetarian if you like). The beauty of soft tacos is that you can experience three different meats in one meal, which you should do according to the list below:
   1. Chicken. Grilled, seasoned, and very tasty. Get one taco with chicken.
   2. Barbacoa (shredded beef). This stuff is amazing. You have to try it. Get one taco with barbacoa.
   3. Carnitas (shredded pork). Farm-raise pork that’s fresh and flavorful. Get one taco with carnitas.
   4. Steak. Honestly, this is the only thing at Chipotle that I just don’t think is very good. It’s never very tender. Don’t get steak.
   5. Vegetarian. If you choose this option instead of a meat, you’ll get rice, beans, and guacamole (guac is an extra charge otherwise). I prefer meat, but if you prefer veggies, I do condone substituting the vegetarian option for one or more of the meats (my wife always gets all three veggie tacos).
5. When you get to the front of the line, the tortilla-press person will ask you what you want. You say “three soft tacos.”
6. Tortilla person will then put three soft tortillas in a press, warm them up, and then hand them to the next person and they will ask “what type of meat?” You say “one chicken, one shredded beef, one pork” (or if you’re feeling fancy, use the Spanish words instead).
7. Then say, “can I also get onions and peppers in those?” They will add grilled onions and peppers, which are awesome!
8. Then, you’ll go on down the line and get to pick from the rest of the ingredients. Here’s what you want — corn salsa (trust me), lettuce, and cheese. That’s it! No more.
9. Then you’ll get to the person at the register who will ask if you want anything else. I always get iced tea (which is great), and often I get chips and guacamole. The chips at Chipotle cost extra but they are freshly made, and the guacamole is INCREDIBLE! You have to try it.

That’s it! If you follow the simple plan above, you will get to experience the very best Chipotle has to offer. Then later, if you want, you can experiment with other combinations and choices, but they won’t be as good. Trust me, this plan is the result of many visits. It is fine-tuned to perfection.

Get ready, Oklahoma City. January 18th is a monumental date when we will forever be able to get Chipotle any time we want, so long as we are willing to drive to Edmond.

Let me know your thoughts on Chipotle Mexican Grill in the comments.