This little gem in an obscure strip mall has it all - clean sit down restaurant, clean bathrooms, clean attached Mexican Grocery Store and Butcher Shop, and nice little "hot meals to go" steam table on the far side, plus cases of Mexican pastries.
I found this place by accident and was amazed that they are so self sufficient. I think this place could only get better if they started making their own pastries! Plus I think because of the area, they aren't open most days past 4:00 p.m. and Friday-Saturday till 8:00 p.m.
I base Mexican food in restaurants on their beans and salsa. Let's face it, if they screw up the beans (undercooked, dried out, tasteless or runny) or if salsa just looks and tastes like pureed spicy tomatoes, nothing else will will make me go back.
There are pictures of their most popular dishes in full color on a lit menu board over the bar. Individual menus also available. Their salsa is fresca...meaning a fresh combination of tomatoes, cilantro, peppers, onions, and spices is as refreshingly authentic as it is simple. It is delicious and you will be tempted to pick it up and drink it! So many so called Mexican establishments are so focused on trying to outdo each other with fire-roasted this or carmelized that, the simple salsas of Mexico are getting lost in the gourmet shuffle.
My friends and I tried sopes, tostadas, fresh tacos, and flautas with rice, beans and guacamole from the restaurant menu, then from the cafeteria, hot food of green and red sauced pork (to die for) and barbequed country style ribs and chicken quarters (rub, no sauce) as well. I believe the hot lunches are your choice of a large portion of meat, rice, beans and tortillas for $6.00 - $7.00.
And get this, I asked to sample a tamale (no charge) and a rib with my meal for $7.49. The rib was so smoky and tender, I made the drive the next day to buy more to serve for a dinner for friends at my house.
Folks, the refried beans are creamy, thick and melt in your mouth delicious. My girlfriends and I watch our figures to the point of an obsession (think swim suit weather just around the corner) but unanimously decided we didn't care what what they put in the beans - it was the best we have ever had anywhere! I am sick of refried beans pureed in a blender or food processor, swimming in chunks of vegetables to give them flavor, heavily salted, dried out, re-engineered using fat free this or freeze dried that. No, this little place has really GREAT beans, mashed or not with a flavor and texture that will make you close your eyes and your tastebuds explode.
We plan to go back and try other items and update our review accordingly, but I can assure you that everything on their steam table is exceptionally tender, tasty and a fantastic deal for the price.
If I had mega $$$$, I would buy a piece of commercial property and convince them to open a second restaurant in South Tampa. Then and only then, would South Tampa truly have a genuine, authentic, and affordable Mexican Restaurant. read more